I 


L  I  B  RARY 

OF    THE 

U  N  IVERSITY 

or    ILLINOIS 


917.344 
VG4cv 


v-l 


i 
I 


ininois  Historical  Surwj 


A  7 


LIBHahY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITV  Of   ILMNOI'.- 


QUINCY 

AND 

ADAMS   COUNTY 

History  and  Representative  Men 


DAVID  F.  WILCOX 

Supervising  Editor 

JUDGE  LYMAN  McCARL 

Chairman  of  Advisory  Board 

Assisted  by  the  Following  Board  of  Advisory  Editors 

JOS.  J.  FREIBURG 
THOMAS  S.  ELLIOTT 
GEORGE  W.  CYRUS 
HEXRY    RORXMAXX 


ILLUSTRATED 


VOLUME  I 


THE  LEWIS  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

CHICAGO  AND  NEW  YORK 

1919 


7   /  /•  J>1^ 


V-"- 


/ 


PREFACE 


The  geogi'aphical  position  of  Adams  Couuty  gave  it  historical 
promiiieiiee  from  the  time  of  its  first  settlement ;  so  forcibly  was  this 
evident  that  in  not  a  few  of  the  events  and  movements  which  have 
been  of  national  import,  Adams  County  and  its  stanch  citizenship 
have  wielded  decisive  influence.  Quincy,  its  beautiful  county  seat, 
occupying  a  coiinuanding  site  on  tiie  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  on  the 
western  confines  of  Central  Illinois,  which  here  juts  into  the  border 
territory  of  the  South,  was  early  recognized  as  a  community  where 
disputants  over  Slavery,  States  Rights  and  Mormonism  would  be 
accorded  justice  and  even  uutramded  discussion.  Althougii  its  lead- 
ers have  never  lacked  positiveness  and  forceful  expression  of  their 
opinions,  Adams  County  earned  a  name  for  liberality  and  charity  in 
its  very  infancy  and  has  always  maintained  it.  That  statement  ap- 
plies to  both  its  men  and  women,  one  of  the  pioneer  organizations  in 
the  United  States  for  "the  emancipation  of  the  weaker  sex"  having 
originated  in  Quincy  and  there  developed,  with  the  progress  of  the 
times,  as  a  representative  body  of  American  womanhood. 

In  politics,  in  social  matters,  in  educational  influence,  in  patriotic 
works  and  in  industrial  and  counuercial  expansion,  Quincy  and  Adams 
County  have  constituted  a  credit  to  the  state  and  the  nation.  The 
Soldiers'  Home,  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  churches,  farmers  and 
their  splendidly  conserved  iiiterests,  the  factories  and  stores,  and  all 
the  fine  men  and  women,  comprise  subjects  of  interest  and  pride  for 
the  writers  and  compilers  of  this  history.  They  do  not  pretend  to 
liavc  (lone  any  of  such  subjects  full  justice,  but  have  been  honest  in 
their  endeavor. 

In  bringing  these  wonders  to  i)ass,  no  class  or  iiationality  has  been 
pre-eminent.  Xo  section  of  Illinois  or  tlie  nation  has  been  more  truly 
American  than  Adams  County;  and  especially  has  this  been  made 
manifest  in  the  acid  and  fiery  test  of  these  days  of  fearful  stress  and 
war.  A  considerable  portion  of  this  history,  however,  luis  been  de- 
voted to  the  influence  of  the  German  element  upon  the  developmnt 
of  Quincy  and  the  territory  tributary  to  it,  and  the  .supervising  editor, 
with  his  advisory  as.sociates,  takes  jileasurc  in  spreading  the  record 
over  many  pages  charged  with  intere.st  and  instruction.  No  citizen  of 
Quincy  could  have  been  better  prepared  to  undertake  and  complete 
this  exposition  than  Henry  Bornmann.  Those  who  know  him  well,  and 
tlie  man.v  personalities  who  have  been  woven  into  his  narrative,  need 
be  told  that  Adams  County  does  owe  a  great  debt  to  the  pioneer  Ger- 
mans, who  migrated  to  free  America,  from  tlie  country  which  l)0und 

iii 

979073 


iv  PREFACE 

them  with  shackles  and  whose  intelligent  and  patriotic  descendants, 
reaping  the  fruits  of  their  racial  industry  and  thrift  amid  the  very 
conditions  and  institutions  which  their  fathers  sought,  have  long  since 
forgotten  that  they  have  any  blood  in  them  but  American. 

The  supervising  editor,  David  P.  Wilcox,  also  wishes  to  extend  his 
thanks  to  the  members  of  the  Advisory  Board,  Lyman  McCarl,  chair- 
man. Judge  of  the  County  Court,  and  Joseph  J,  Freiburg,  of  Quincy : 
to  George  W.  Cyrus,  of  Camp  Point,  and  Thomas  S.  Elliott,  of  Payson. 
for  their  invaluable  assistance,  both  in  the  collating  of  the  necessary 
data  for  the  history  and  in  the  revision  of  the  manuscripts  after  they 
had  been  prepared.  The  newspaper  men  and  women  of  the  county, 
the  eitj-  and  county  officials,  the  clergymen  of  the  city  and  coiinty, 
its  prominent  and  charitable  women,  and  the  managements  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  Soldiers  and  Sailors  Home  and  other  in- 
stitutions, have  also  been  helpful  in  every  way. 

Believing  that  the  history  of  Adams  County,  and  of  its  beautiful 
county  seat,  should  be  pi'eserved,  and  feeling  that  all  available  mater- 
ial has  been  used  to  that  end,  the  publishers  submit  these  volumes  to 
the  public  with  the  hope  that  they  may  be  of  interest  to  the  present 
generation  and  of  great  value  to  the  generations  which  are  to  follow. 

The  preparation  of  these  volumes  was  a  task  carried  on  while 
the  nation  was  engaged  in  war.  The  generation  that  receives  them 
need  not  be  told  of  the  conditions  which  restricted  and  made  difSciilt 
the  printing  and  publishing  business.  The  war  imposed,  without 
option,  certain  variations  from  accepted  standards  of  matei'ial.  The 
publisliers  believe  that  no  essential  quality  has  been  lost  in  the  present 
books  on  that  account,  but  offer  this  explanation  for  any  lack  of  uni- 
formity that  may  be  attributed  to  war-time  requirements. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 

IN  A  STATE  OF  NATURE 

Area,  Drainage  and  Springs — Uplands,  Prairies  and  Bottom  Lands 
— Surface  Geology  Related  to  Natural  Wealth — Alluvial 
Deposits — The  Loess — The  Real  Drift — Formation  and  Dis- 
tribution OF  THE  Drift — Glacial  Mo\'ements  and  Ice  Sueets 
— Origin  of  the  Prairies — Swamp  Lands  Transformed  into 
Prairie — The  Coal  ]Measures — The  Commercial  Clays — Soils 
and  Their  Natural  Products — Healthful  Climate — Bird  Life 
IX  Adams  County — Friends  of  the  Farmer 1 


CHAPTER  II 

WEALTH  BASED  ON  THE  SOIL 

The  Rich  Corn  Belt — Early  Attempts  at  Fruit  Raising — Hog 
Raising  and  Pork  Packing — Adams  County  Agricultural  So- 
ciety— County  Farmers'  Institute  Organized — The  County's 
Farm  AD\^sER — Work  of  the  County  Farm  Improvement  Asso- 
ciation— Present  and  Future  ok  Agriculture 17 

CHAPTER  III 

PREDECESSORS  OF  THE  WHITES 

Prehistoric  Mounds  in  the  "American  Bottom" — Archaeological 
Remains  in  Adams  County — The  Illinois  Indian  Confederacy — 
"Poor  Old  Ivickai-(m)  Me" 31 

CHAPTER  IV 

COUNTY  IILSTORY  L\  THE  MAKLXO 

Under  French  Dominion — Joliet  and  Marquette  on  Tu^inois  Soil 
— Legendary  Monsters  of  the  Mississippi  Valley — The  "Piasa" 
Bird — Marqueite  and  Joliet  Get  Desired  Information — Return 


vi  CONTENTS 

Via  the  Illinois  River — Last  Days  op  Marquette — La  Salle 
Consolidates  French  Empire  in  America— Brave  and  Faithful 
ToNTi — Commercial  Venture  into  Illinois  Country — Afloat  on 
the   Kankakee — La   Salle   Meets   the   Kaskaskia   Indians — 
Builds  Fort  Crevecoeur  Below  Peoria— Sends  Father  Henne- 
pin   to    Upper    Mississippi — The  Disasters  at    Starved  Rock 
AND   Fort   Crevecoeur— La   Salle's   Second  Voyage— At  the 
Mouth  of  the  Mississippi — Messenger  Sent  to  France — Deaths 
OP  La  Salle  and  Tonti — Permanent  Pioneer  Settlements  of 
Illinois— Fort  Chartres,  Center  op  Illinois  District— First 
Land  Grant  nsr  District — Life  at  the  Pioneer  French  Illinois 
Settlements — Under  the  Crown  and  the  Jesuits — Kaskaskia, 
Illinois  Jesuit  Center — Fortunate  and  Progressive  Illinois 
— The   English   Invade  the   Ohio   Valley — French   Rebuild 
Fort  Chartres — Illinois  Triumphs  Over  Virginia — New  Fort 
Chartres  in  British  Hands— First  English  Court  op  Law  in 
Illinois  Country— Pontiac  Buried  at  St.  Louis— Last  op  Fort 
Chartres— "Long  Knives"  Capture  Kaskaskia — Did  Not  War 
on  "Women  and  Children" — Bloodless  Capture  op  Cahokia 
and  Vincennes — Clark's  Little  Army  Reorganized — Combined 
Military  and  Civil  Jurisdiction — County  of  Illinois,  West  op 
THE    Ohio    River— Col.    John    Todd,    County    Lieutenant- 
American  Civil  Government  Northwest  of  the  Ohio — Illinois 
as  a  Territory — Bond  Law  Protects  Home  Seekers — State  j\Ia- 
CHiNERY  Set  in  Motion — Illinois  Counties  in  1818 — Wild  Cat 
Banking — Slavery   Question  Again— The   Famous   Sangamon 
Country — Duncan  and  the  Free  School  Law — Illinois  Inter- 
nal Improvements — Capital  Moved  to  Springfield — Remains  of 
Internal  Improvement  System — Constitution  op  1848 — Legis- 
lative Lessons  Through  Experience — Real  Wi*  Cat  Banks — 
National  Banks  Force  Out  Free  Banks — The  Constitution  of 
1870  38 


CHAPTER  V 

SOME  YEARS  PRECEDING  COUNTY  ORGANIZATION 

Illinois  Bounty  Land  Tract  and  :Madison  County— Old  Pike 
County— Wood  and  Keyes  "Meet  Up"— The  Tillsons  Speak 
op  Quincy's  FouNDERSr— The  First  Man  and  the  First  Woman 
—Agreeable  All  'Round — The  Old  Wood  Place— Mrs.  Jere- 
miah Rose,  First  Quincy  White  Woman — Keyes  and  Droulard 
Settle— The  County's  First  Physician— Gov.  John  Wood  — 
WiLLARD  Keyes— Jeremiah  Rose — Asa  Tyrer— Old  Pike  County 
Votes  "No  Convention" — Thomas  Carlin — County*  op  Adams 
Created — Ix)cating  the  Seat  of  Justice — John  Quincy  Adams 
Compi-etely  Immortalized ^^ 


CONTENTS  vii 

CHAPTER  VI 

COUNTY  GOVERNMENT  AND  INSTITUTIONS 

The  County's  Creative  Act — First  Court  and  Its  Seal. — County 
Se.\t  Site  Entered — Quincy  Ordered  Platted — First  Sale  op 
QuiNCY  Lots — First  Log  Courthouse — Burial  Ground  Re- 
served— First  Te.\cher  and  First  Preacher — Providing  for 
Judge  Snow's  Expansion — Woodland  CiaJETERY — A.  F.  Hub- 
bard's Claim  to  Fame— The  Ghost  Walks  Again — Courthouse 
OP  1838-75 — Dangers  op  Chronic  Office  Holding — A  Jail 
Thought  Expedient  ;\nd  Necessary — Original  Election  Pre- 
cincts— Columbus  Fights  for  the  County  Seat — JIarquette 
AND  Highland  Counties — Judiclvl  Reform  and  Slavery — Town- 
ship Organization  Ad<jpted — First  Board  of  Supervisors — 
The  Twenty  Polling  Precincts — Official  Accommodations 
Extended — Fire  Forces  Building  of  New  Courthouse — Coats- 
burg  Su"bsides — Jefferson  Square  Selected  as  Site — Steps  in 
Building  of  Present  Courthouse — REPRESENTATms  of  the 
Colt^ty — County  Officers,  1825-69— The  Decade,  1870-79 — 
Covering  1882-1918  —  Legislative  Representatives  —  Rural 
Lands  and  City  Properties — Population,  1890,  3900,  1910 — 
Adams  County  Home 107 


CHAPTER  VII 

PROFESSIONAL  SKETCHES 

Evolution  of  Judiciary  Systems — First  Circuit  Court  Sits — Wood 
vs.  Lisle,  Sure-Enough  Slander — The  Jovl^l  Judge  Sawter — 
Samuel  D.  Lockwood,  Illinois'  First  Lawyer — Peter  Lott — 
Opportunity  for  Stephen  A.  Douglas — Richard  M.  Young — 
James  H.  Ralston — Congressional  Fight  BirrwEEN  Douglas 
AND  Browning — Jesse  B  Thomas — Norman  H.  Purple — Wilijam 
A.  MiNSHALii — New  Judicial  Circuit  Formed — Onias  C.  Skinner 
— Early  Circuit  Judges — Charles  B.  La\\-rence — Joseph  Sib- 
ley— Other  Circuit  Judges — The  Probate  and  County  Judges 
— Judge  B.  F.  Berrian — Hangings,  Legal  and  iLLEOAii — The 
Luckett-Magnor  MiTiDER  Trial — A  Slander  Suit  with  a  Moral 
— The  Killing  of  Major  Prentiss— Famous  Eei^  Sl.\ve  Case 
—The  Pioneer  Members  of  the  Bar— Archibald  Williams — 
Calvin  A.  Warrkn— Nehemiaii  Bushnei.i^Isaac  N.  Morris — 
Philo  a.  Goodwin — Edward  H.  Buckley — Almeron  Wheat — 
Hope  S.  Davis— Col.  William  A.  Richardson- Wiij.iam  G. 
EwTNG— Col.  William  H.  Benneson— Gen.  James  W.  Single- 
ton— Joseph  N.  Carter — Bernard  Arntzen — Jackson  Grimshaw 
—Sterling  P.  Delano— Lawyers  in  1869 — The  Quincy  Bab  As- 


viii  CONTENTS 

sociATiON — Urlvh  H.  Ke.\th,  Oldest'  Living  Lawyer — Veteran 
Lawrence  E.  Emmoxs — When  Bench  and  Bar  Were  Pictur- 
esque— The  Physicians — Cholera  in  1833 — The  Cholera  Epi- 
demic OP  1849 — Adams  County  jMedical  Society — Edward  G. 
Castle — In  the  Union  Service — City  Board  of  He.vlth  Cre- 
ate:d  138 


CHAPTER  VIII 

ROADS  AND  BRIDGES   OP  ALL  KINDS 

QuiNCY  Mails  Through  Judge  Snow — Illinois  and  Missouri  Bound 
BY  Ferry — Northern  Cross  Railroad,  Old  and  New — Operations 
Reluctantly  Suspended — Outlet  Further  North — Connection 
with  Chicago  Complete — Express  Lines  Extended — The  Wa- 
bash— First  Voting  of  Railroad  Bonds — The  Quincy  &  Toledo 
Railro^vd  Company — Railroad  Connections  West  of  the  Missis- 
sippi— Railroad  Bridges  Across  the  River — All  Sections  Being 
Gradually  Accommodated — Adams  County  Highways — Leading 
TO  the  Quincy,  Atlas  &  Warsaw  Road — Why  Highways  Were 
Not  Needed  Until  1825 — Viewers  Report  on  State  Road — Pio- 
neer Roads  and  Bridges — Improvements  in  Road  and  Bridge 
Building — The  Tice  H.\rd  Road  Law— Gravel  and  I\L\cadam 
Roads — Illinois  State  Highway  Plan 180 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  MARTIAL  RECORD 

The  Black  Hawk  War — The  Early-Time  IMilitia — The  Mormon 
War — Quincy  as  a  Peace  Maker — ;Mexican  War  and  Adams 
County  Victims— The  Civil  War — Different  Units  Represent- 
ing Adams  County — The  Women  op  Quincy — Lightning  War 
Moves — ^Opp  por  Cairo — Colonel  Prentiss  in  Command — Tenth 
Infantry  Illinois  Volunteers — Gen.  B.  M.  Prentiss — Gen. 
James  D.  Morgan— Gen.  John  Tillson— William  H.  Collins' 
War  Notes — The  War  as  Centered  at  Quincy — Local  Military 
Leaders— The  Sixteenth  Infantry — The  Twenty-seventh  In- 
fantry— The  Fiftieth  and  Col.  M.  M.  Bane — The  Eighty- 
fourth  Infantry — The  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  In- 
fantry— The  One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth  Infantry — The 
Needle  Pickets — Sisters  op  the  Good  Samaritan — The  First 
Soldiers'  Monument — Illinois  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Ho-me — 
Quincy  in  the  Spanish-American  War — Quincy  Naval  Re- 
serves After  the  War — Promptly  Ans-wtsi  Last  Call  to  the 


CONTENTS  ix 

Colors — On  Board  Torpedoed  Sjiip — Company  I,  Eighth  Ilu- 
Nois  Vollntkkrs — Active  Military  Hodiks — The  MAtHiNi;  tiix 
Company    200 


CHAL'TEK  X 

COUNTY  SCHOOL  SYSTEM 

Financial  Basis  of  Public  School  System — The  Workings  of  the 
DfNCAN  Law — Professor  Turner,  Father  of  Present  System 
— Instructive  Report  of  State  Superintendent — State  Exaji- 
INING  Board  Created — State  Superintendent  of  Public  In- 
struction— Rural  Schools  Standardized — High  School  Tui- 
tion Act — Free  High  Schools — The  School  Survey — Strong 
Points  of  Adams  County  System — The  Course  of  Study — 
Perfect  Attendance — Better  Trained  Teachers — High 
Schools — Parent-Teachers'  Association — Piont:er  Schools 
and  Teachers  Outside  op  Quincy — "Pernicious  System"  to 
Encourage  Idleness — Public  School  Tax  Levied  in  Quincy — 
First  Town  Schools — The  Town  Schools  Become  the  People's 
Schools — County  Schools  Commissioners  and  Superintend- 
tNTs — Present  Status  of  the  County  System  243 


CHAPTER  XI 

The  German  Ele.ment:  Its  Importance  in  the  History  and  De- 
veuipment  of  Quincy  and  Adams  County 263 


CHAPTER  XII 

CORPORATE  HISTORY  AND  PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS 

Magic  of  Historic  Restoration — The  Present  Laid  Upon  the  Past 
— Corn  and  Coon  Grist — Quincy 's  Site  Hard  Buying — Origin,vl 
Town  Platted — How  the  Lots  Sold — The  Hotel  Corner, 
Highest  Priced  Lot — First  Courthouse  Located — Temple  op 
Justice,  Education  and  Religion — Charles  Holmes  Comes  to 
Quincy — Robert  Tillson  Expantis  tub  Business — John  Till- 
SON,  the  Elder — Land  Office  at  Quincy — Some  Other  Fool 
than  Alexander — Stimulating  the  Hails — The  Bold  Quincy 
Hoteij — E\tvNTFOj  Ye-vb  (1836) — Quincy,  a  Town  op  "Fair 
Play" — Becomes  a  Town  Corporation — Signs  of  Growth — 
Birth  of  the  Fire  Department — Street  Improvements — The 


CONTENTS 

City  Charter  of  1840 — Asbury  for  President;  Van  Buren  for 
Magistrate — First  City  Election  and  Officials — First  City 
Public  Schools — A  City  Seal  Conceived  in  Sin — A  Free 
Library  Revived — City  Grades  Established — Mails  Improved — 
Great  Flood  op  1844 — Business  Partially  Revived — -Compara- 
tive City  and  County  Population — Fertile  Year  op  1848 — 
Telegram  Sent  "Quick  as  Lightning"- — First  Real  City 
Directory — Growth  of  the  Town  Up  to  1848 — Quincy  Exodus 
of  Gold  Hunters,  1848-50 — First  Daily  Mail  and  Daily  News- 
paper— Made  a  Part  op  Entry — Illuminating  Gas  and  Other 
Bright  Local  Things — The  Lincoln-Douglas  Festivities — The 
Mayors  of  the  City — Public  Questions  Adjudged  by  Popular 
Vote — The  Public  Schools  of  Quincy — Franklin,  the  Father 
OF  Them  All — Jefferson  and  Webster  Schools — Other  Pub- 
lic Institutions  op  Learning — Official  School  Management — 
Strong  Features  of  the  Present  System — School  Savings — 
The  Junior  High  School — Raising  the  Teaching  Standard — 
Present  Status  op  Schools — The  Fire  Department — The 
Quincy  Water  Works — Quincy 's  Worst  Fire — The  Park  and 
Boulevard  System — ^]\Ir.  Parker's  Self-Sacrifice — Loyal  Co- 
workers— Officers  1888-1918 — Sources  of  Park  Revenue — 
The  Parks  in  Detail — The  Cemeteries — -The  Police  op  Quincy 
— Quincy  Gas,  Electric  and  Heating  Company — Local  Trans- 
portation Systems 439 


CHAPTER  XIII 

LITERARY,  REFORMATORY  AND  CHARITABLE 

The  Quincy  Herald — The  Quincy  Whig — Quincy  Germania — The 
Quincy  Journaij — Labor  Publications — Other  Publications — 
Quincy  Press  Club — The  Friends  in  Council — The  Round 
Table — The  Atlantis  Club — The  Study  and  Tuesday  Study 
Clubs — Quincy  Women's  Forum — Three  Arts  Club — Quincy 
Historical  Society  —  Centennial  Celebrations  —  Women's 
Christian  Temperance  Union — The  Associated  Charities — The 
Cheerful  Home  Settlement — Young  jMen's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation— Quincy  Humane  Society  and  Henry  P.  Walton — 
Young  Women's  Christian  Association — Daughters  op  the 
American  Revolution — Adams  County  Red  Cross  Chapter — 
Homes  and  Hospitals — First  Orphanage  of  Quincy — The  Wood- 
land Home — St.  Vincent  Home  for  the  Aged — St.  Mary  's,  the 
First  Hospitai> — Lindsay  Church  Home — The  Blessing  Hos- 
pital— The  Anna  Brown  Home — Old  People's  Home  (Das  Al- 
tenheim) — Detention  Home 510 


CONTENTS  xi 

CHAPTER  XIV 

CHURCHES  AND  SOCIETIES 

FiBST  Union  Congregation^vl  Church — Vermont  Street  Metho- 
dist Episcopal — Central  Baptist  Church — St.  Boniface  and 
St.  Peter's  Cuurciie.s — St.  John's  Parish  and  Cathedral — 
Ev.vngelical  Lutheran  Church  of  St.  John — Fir.st  Presby- 
terian- Church — Second  Congregational  Unitarian  Church — 
Kentucky  Street  JIethodist  Episcopal  Church — The  Salem 
Evangelical  Church — The  Christian  Churches — St.  Jacobi 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church — Congregation  K.  K.  Bnai 
Sholem — St.  Francis  Solanus  Parish — St.  Francis  Solanus 
College  —  Father  Anselm  —  The  Colored  Churches  — 
St.  Peter's  Evangelical  Lutheran — St.  JIary's  Ro.man  Cath- 
olic Church — Bethel  Germ.vn  Methodist  Episcopal  Church — 
St.  Paul's  Evangelical  Church — St.  John's  Roman  Catholic 
Church — United  Brethren  Church — First  Church  of  Christ 
Scientist — Luther  ^Memorial  Church — St.  Rose  of  Lima 
Chitrch — Grace  Methodist  Episcop.vl  Church — Church  Fed- 
eration— Social,  Industrial,  Secrf.t  and  Benevolent  Societies 
— The  Masons  of  Quincy — Scottish  Rite  ]\I.\sonry  in  Quincy 
— Building  op  the  Temple — Other  High  Masonic  Bodies — The 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows — The  Knights  of  Pythias 
— The  ROY.VL  Arcanum  Council — Knights  of  Columbus — The 
Eagles  and  Other  Societies — The  Western  Catholic  Union — 
Quincy  Turn  Verein — Quincy  Country  Club 540 


CHAPTER  XV 

INDUSTRIAL  AND  FINANCIAL 

Oldest  Existing  Industries — Classification  of  Today — The 
Quincy  Chamber  of  Commerce — The  Quincy  Freight  Bureau 
— The  Banks  of  Quincy — Branch  of  the  State  Bank — Flagg 
&  Savage  Open  a  Bank — Several  Failures — Old  Bank  op 
Quincy — Quincy  Savings  Bank — John  Wood  and  H.  F.  J. 
RiCKER — L.  &  C.  II.  Bull  Enter  the  Banking  Field — E.  J. 
Parker's  Bank — Order  of  Seniority — Consolidation  of  the 
Bull  and  Parker  Interests — State  Savings,  Loan  and  Trust 
Company' — Robert  W.  Gard.ner  and  Edward  J.  Parker — Death 
op  Lorenzo  Bull — The  Ricker  National  Bank  and  its 
Founder — Quincy  N.vtional  Bank — Illinois  St.vte  Bank — 
Other  Banks 579 


xii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XVI 

CAMP  POINT 

Early  Settlements  ix  Township — Peter  B.  Garrett  and  Thomas 
Bailey — Pioneer  Churches — Rise  op  Garrett's  Mill — Camp 
Point  Platted — Influence  op  Thomas  B.uley — Bailey  Park 
AND  THE  Opera  House — The  Maplewood  High  School — Other 
Residence  Essentials — The  Camp  Point  Journal — The  Two 
Banks — The  Churches — Fraternity  Temple  and  Societies — 
The  Independent  Order  op  Odd  Fellows  Lodges — Women's 
Organizations 590 


CHAPTER  XVII 

CLAYTON  AND  GOLDEN 

Early  Settlers  op  Clayton  Township — The  McCoys  Found  the 
Village — Moving  the  Old  Town  to  the  Country — The  Village 
OP  Today — Banks — Churches  and  Societies — Northeast  Town- 
ship— Founding  of  Keokuk  Junction — The  Junction  Platted 
— The  Golden  of  Today  —  School  and  Newspaper  —  The 
Churches  op  Golden 601 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

mendon  and  LORAINE 

Pioneers  of  Mendon  Township — Mendon  Village  Platted — Early 
Political  Center — Churches  and  Lodges — ]\Iendon  Incor- 
porated AS  A  Village — The  Local  Newspaper — The  Banks — 
Keiene  Township  Settled — The  Steiner  Family — Loraixe 
Village 612 


CHAPTER  XIX 

PAYSON  AND  PLAINVILLE 

Pioneer  Horticulturists — Founding  of  Payson  Village — Noted 
Early  Schools — Other  Village  Institutions — Village  of 
Plainville   621 


CONTENTS  xiii 

CHAPTER  XX 
OTHER  TOWNSHiry  AND  VILLAGES 

iNDlSTRinS     AND     PrODICTS     OP     HONEY     CREEK     TOWNSHIP FrOCGY 

Prairie — Coatsburg,  Qiincy's  Rival — Paloma  and  the  Good- 
INGS — Fall  Creek  Township — .Marblehead  and  F^vll  Creek — 
Lima  Township  and  Village — Liberty — Gilmer  Township  and 
Fowler — The  Old  Thompson  Settlement — Old  and  New  Ursa 
— Mercelline — Columbus — Burton  Township  and  Its  Villages 
— Houston  Township — Beveri.y  Township  and  Its  Villages — 
Ellington  Township  and  Bloomfield — ;McKee  Township  and 
Kkli-ekvii.i.e — Richfield  Village 6.]0 


CHAPTER  XXI 

CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATIONS  AND   HISTORIES 

Why  Adams  County  Could  Appropriately  Celebr.\te — County 
Centennial  Commission  Formed — Celebrations  in  the  County 
— Liberty  Township  Centennial  Picnic — Ellington,  Burton, 
JIendon,  Richfield,  Golden.  Camp  Point,  Payson,  Houston, 
Columbus,  Gilmer,  Honey  Creek,  Concord,  Melrose  and  Fall 
Creek  Townships — Centennial  History  of  Liberty  Township 
(By  W.  a.  Robinson,  Historian) — History  of  Burton  Town- 
ship (Contributed) — History  op  Richfield  Township  (Con- 
tributed)— Honey  Creek  Township  (By  W.  S.  Gray) 640 


CHAPTER  XXII 

OTHER  HISTORIC  CELEBRATIONS 

The  Masque  of  Illinois — A  Brief  Synopsis  of  the  Pageant — 
At  QuiNCY — Outside  op  Quincy — Centennial  Celebration  at 
the  County  Seat — "Hiawatha"  in  Quincy — Military  Day — 
Rei^vtives  of  World  War  Soldiers — Patriotic  Demonstration — 
PEitsHiNo's  Beauties,  a  Feature — Sergeant  Weyman's  Elo- 
Qi^ENT  War  Speech — The  Historical  Displ.\y — Dedication  of 
.    THE  Gold  Star  Flag 680 


xiv  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XXIII 

ADAMS   COUNTY  WORLD   WAR   PERSONNEL 

Those  Who  Gave  Their  Lives — How  the  Mex  Were  Raised  and 
Distributed — Many  Joined  Old  Guard  Units — History  of  the 
Dr.\et  Boards — Recruiting  Offices  Kept  Busy — Names  Not 
All  Completed — Quincy  Men  Inducted  by  Exemption  Board 
— How  Most  of  the  Men  Were  Distributed — Some  Quincy 
Men  Who  Volunteered — Roster  of  National  Guardsmen  Who 
Left  Quincy — Some  County  Men  Who  Enlisted  in  the  Army 
— Naval  Volunteers  Going  from  Quincy — Latest  Figures  on 
the  County  's  Contribution  op  Men 689 


History  of 

Ouincy  and  Adams  County 


CHAPTER  I 

IN  A  STATE  OF  NATURE 

Akea,  Drainage  and  Springs — Uplands,  Prairies  and  Bottom  Lands 
— Surface  Geology  Related  to  Natural  Wealth — Alluvial 
Deposits — The  Loess — The  Real  Drift — Formation  and  Dis- 
tribution OP  the  Drift — Glacial  Movements  and  Ice  Sheets 
— Origin  of  the  Pr.uries — Swamp  Lands  Transformed  into 
Prairie — The  Coal  Measures — The  Commercial  Clays — Soils 
AND  Their  Natural  Products — Healthful  Climate— Bird  Life 
IN  Adams  County — Friends  of  the  Farmer. 

Adams  is  one  of  the  Mississippi  River  ooiiiities.  west  of  the  center 
of  the  State,  and  lies  a  trifle  away  from  the  great  routes  of  discovery 
and  exploration  into  the  interior  of  the  countrj-  which  were  marked 
out  by  the  great  French  adventurers  and  Catholic  priests.  As  it  is  not 
far  north  of  the  historic  valley  of  the  Illinois,  the  region  soon  came 
within  the  scope  of  these  activities,  especially  when  the  lower  reaches 
of  the  Mississippi,  which  were  supjMJsed  to  lead  toward  the  South  or 
Oriental  Seas,  had  been  carelessly  explored,  and  the  upper  waters  of 
the  great  river  beckoned  to  the  revealers  of  the  New  World.  What 
is  now  Adams  County  was  then  passed  and  repassed  by  gi'eat  men,  but 
they  did  not  linger  on  its  soil,  as  it  was  watered  and  fertilized  by  no 
large  or  attractive  stream ;  that  is,  as  all  the  majestic,  bewildering  and 
my.sterious  rivers  of  America  were  subject  to  their  choice,  there  was 
no  waterway  in  what  is  now  Adams  County  which  could  attract  them 
overpoweringly  to  its  soil. 

Area,  Drainage  and  Springs 

The  county  embraces  an  area  of  about  830  sfpiare  miles,  divided 
into  twenty-two  political  towniships,  sixteen  of  wliich  are  of  the  regu- 
lation thirty-six  sections  each ;  which  accounts  for  576  square  miles 
of  the  total  area.  The  irregular  townships  Imrder  on  the  Mississippi 
River,  one  onlj-  (Mendon)  being  in  the  second  tier  to  tlic  east.  The 
Vol.  I— 1  2 


2  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

tributaries  to  the  great  river  which  forms  its  western  boundary  are 
Bear,  Ursa  and  Crooked  creeks,  which  drain  the  northern  portions  of 
the  county ;  Rock  and  McGee  creeks,  which  water  the  central  and  east- 
ern townships,  and  Mill,  Fall,  McCraney's  and  Hadley's  creeks,  which 
meander  through  the  southern  sections.  These  streams  furnished, 
in  early  times,  a  small  amount  of  water  power  for  mills  and  machinery 
and  an  abundant  supply  of  water  for  live  stock.  Fine  springs  are 
abundant  in  some  portions  of  the  county,  more  especially  in  the  south- 
ern and  western  townships  where  the  Burlington  or  Quincy  limestone 
is  the  prevailing  rock.  That  formation  is  somewhat  cavernous  and 
admits  the  free  passage  of  subterranean  waters  through  it,  until  they 
finally  find  an  outlet  at  the  surface  in  the  form  of  living  springs  of 
clear  filtered  water. 

Uplands,  Prairies  and  Bottom  Lands 

The  uplands  in  this  county  are  nearly  equally  divided  into  timber 
and  prairie,  the  timber  portions  being  mainly  restricted  to  the  broken 
lands  in  the  vicinity  of  the  streams.  The  prairies  are  generally  quite 
rolling,  except  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  county  where  they  are 
comparatively  level.  The  general  elevation  of  the  prairie  region  above 
the  level  of  the  Mississippi  at  low  water  is  from  200  to  280  feet. 

Along  the  w^estern  border  of  the  county  there  is  a  belt  of  alluvial 
bottom  lands  from  1  to  5  miles  in  width  extending  the  whole  length 
of  the  county  from  north  to  south,  except  for  about  two  miles  in  the 
vicinity  of  Quincy,  where  the  bluffs  approach  near  to  the  river  bank. 
A  portion  of  these  alluvial  lands  is  quite  dry,  being  only  overflowed  by 
the  highest  floods  in  the  river.  They  have  a  very  rich  and  productive 
soil,  which  is  partly  prairie,  especially  the  higher  portions  adjacent  to 
the  river  bluffs.  The  low  bottom  lands  are  partly  covered  with  timber. 
Those  north  of  Quincy  toward  the  Hancock  County  line  were,  in  the 
early  times,  intersected  with  numerous  bayous,  and  in  the  northwestern 
corner  of  Adams  County  one  of  them  widened  into  what  was  known  as 
Lima  Lake.  Systematic  drainage  has  since  almost  obliterated  that 
body  of  water,  and  brought  under  cultivation  large  tracts  of  lands 
which  were  considered  worthless. 

Surface  Geology  Related  to  Natural  Wealth 

The  geological  formations  exposed  in  Adams  County  comprise  the 
lower  carboniferous  limestone  about  300  feet  in  thickness,  100  feet 
of  the  lower  part  of  the  coal  series  and  deposits  of  a  more  recent  age. 
Outside  the  field  of  science — in  other  words,  to  the  average  person — 
the  last  named  are  of  more  interest  and  importance  than  the  more 
aged  strata  which  lie  deeper  and  are  more  solid.  Surface  geology,  which 
deals  with  the  soils  and  subsoils  from  which  man  draws  his  physical 
life  and  wealth,  explains  the  origin  and  properties  of  nature's  raw 
material  from  which  are  evolved  through  her  mysterious  processes 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COIXTY  3 

guided  by  the  cunning  mind  and  hand  of  man,  those  many  forms  of 
vegetation  whit-h  are  at  the  basis  of  human  existence. 

These  invaluable  eoiitributioiis  by  nature  include  the  surface  soil 
and  the  subsoil  of  the  uplands,  in  Adams  County ;  the  alluvial  deposits 
of  the  river  valleys;  the  Loess  along  the  Mississippi  bluffs;  the  drift 
proper,  including  all  the  thick  beds  of  unstratified  clay  and  gravel  and 
inclosing  boulders  of  large  size,  and  the  subordinate  clays,  usually 
stratified,  which  rest  immediately  on  the  stratified  rocks. 

Allitvi^vl  Deposits 

The  alluvial  deposits  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  consist  of  partially 
stratified  sands,  alternating  with  dark  bluish-gray,  or  chocolate-brown 
clays,  deposited  by  the  annual  floods  of  the  river.  In  the  vicinity 
of  the  bluffs  these  deposits  are  annually  increased  by  the  wash  from 
the  adjacent  hills  and  the  sediments  that  are  carried  down  by  the  small 
streams  during  their  overflows. 

The  Valley  of  the  Mississippi  has  been  excavated  in  solid  limestone 
strata  to  the  depth  of  from  150  to  300  feet  and  from  5  to  10  miles 
in  width;  and  as  we  frequently  find  some  portions  of  the  valley  still 
occupied  by  the  l)eds  of  unaltered  drift  material,  like  that  which  covers 
the  adjacent  highlands,  we  have  evidence  that  it  was  not  formed  by  the 
river,  which  now,  in  part,  occupies  it,  but  is  due  to  some  agency  much 
older  and  more  widespread.  It  is  evident,  that  the  surface  of  the  strati- 
fied rocks  in  this  portion  of  the  state  has  been  subjected  to  the  pow- 
erful denuding  forces  of  periods  long  antedating  the  deposit  of  super- 
ficial materials  and  .soils,  as  in  many  localities  the  rocks  have  been  cut 
into  deep  valleys  which  form  the  permanent  river  courses,  or  have  been 
filled  with  drift. 

The  Loess 

The  next  older  division  of  this  system  is  the  Loess,  a  term  originally 
applied  to  a  similar  formation  which  caps  the  bluffs  of  the  Rhine  in 
Germany.  In  Adams  County,  it  is  a  deposit  of  marly  sand  and  clay, 
ranging  in  thickness  from  ten  to  forty  feet.  It  attains  its  greatest 
development  where  it  caps  the  river  bluffs,  thinning  rapidly  toward 
the  adjacent  highlands.  The  Loess  is  usually  of  a  light  buff  brown,  or 
ashen  gray  color,  frequently  showing  distinct  lines  of  stratification 
and  always  overlies  the  drift  clays  when  both  are  present  in  the  same 
section.  It  is  usually  quite  sandy  on  the  upper  surfaces  of  the  cliffs 
but  as  the  beds  get  thinner  it  becomes  calcareous.  The  Loess  is  well 
expo.sed  in  the  bluffs  at  Quincy,  where  it  is  forty  feet  in  thickness  and 
overlies  .some  beds  of  plastic  clay  and  i>and.  Immediately  above  the 
limestone  at  this  locality  is  a  few  feet  of  what  is  called  "local  drift," 
consisting  of  angidar  fragments  of  chert  embedded  in  a  brown  clay. 
This  is  overlaid  by  a  few  feet  of  blue  plastic  clay  and  stratified  sands 
on  which  the  Loess  is  deposited. 


4  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  Real  Drift 

The  real  Drift  in  Adams  County  is  composed  of  yellowish-brown 
or  bluish  clays,  with  sand,  gi'avel  and  large  boulders  of  watei'-worn 
I'oek,  the  whole  mass  usually  showing  little  or  no  trace  of  stratification, 
and  ranging  in  thickness  from  thirty  to  eighty  feet.  It  is  a  mass  of 
water-worn  fragments  of  all  the  stratified  rocks  that  are  known  to 
occur  for  several  hundred  miles  to  the  northward,  and  embedded  in 
brown  or  blue  clays,  and  most  of  the  boulders  are  of  sandstone,  granite 
and  various  igneous  rock  found  on  the  borders  of  the  Great  Lakes. 
Associated  with  the  latter  are  also  smaller  and  rounded  boulders  de- 
rived from  the  stratified  rocks  of  Illinois  and  adjacent  states.  Inter- 
mingled with  these  masses  are  fragments  of  native  copper,  lead,  coal 
and  iron,  which  does  not  indicate  that  such  minerals  were  ever  mined 
in  any  near  section  of  the  country,  for  they  have  often  been  transported 
hither  from  far-distant  localities  by  the  same  powerful  agencies  to 
which  the  Drift  itself  owes  its  origin. 

The  old  coal  shaft  at  Coatsburg  penetrated  the  thickest  bed  of  drift 
whicli  has  ever  been  imcovered  in  Adams  County.  The  sections  were 
of  the  following  thickness:  Soil  and  yellowish  clay,  6  feet;  bluish- 
colored  clay  and  gravel,  45  feet;  clay,  with  large  boulders,  40  feet; 
black  soil,  2i/2  feet;  clay  (stratified),  6  feet;  very  tough  blue  clay,  20 
feet.  The  bed  thus  analyzed  contains  therefore  eighty-five  feet  of 
what  may  be  considered  true  Drift,  consisting  of  unstratified  clays 
intermixed  with  gravel  and  boulders.  The  upper  six  feet  of  the  forma- 
tion probably  represents  the  age  of  the  Loess,  and  its  origin  is  ex- 
plained by  Professor  Lesquereaux  in  his  chapter  on  the  formation  of 
the  prairies,  which  will  be  hereafter  noted. 

FORM.VTION  AND  DISTRIBUTION  OF  THE  DrIFT 

A  pause  is  here  taken  in  the  simple  descriptive  narrative  to  dwell 
somewhat  at  length  on  the  probable  origin  of  those  variegated  deposits 
grouped  as  Drift,  which  form  the  solid  basis  of  the  aljuvial  and  surface 
soils  from  which  spring  the  germs  and  finished  products  of  the  vegetable 
world.  The  greatest  agents  in  the  formation  and  distribution  of  the 
Drift  and  the  general  modification  of  the  surface  of  the  earth,  have 
been  glaciers  and  ice  sheets ;  and  this  statement  applies  with  partic- 
ular significance  to  Illinois.  When  it  is  remembered  that  these  ice 
sheets  were  hundreds  and  possibly  thousands  of  feet  thick,  and  were 
hundreds  of  miles  in  width  and  length,  some  adequate  idea  may  be 
formed  of  their  power  to  plow  up  and  completely  change  the  surface 
stnicture  of  the  earth. 

The  debris  which  they  brought  from  the  Laurentian  ilountains  of 
Canada  was  distributed  over  Illinois  generally,  greatly  to  the  enrichment 
of  its  soils.  This  material,  which  eventually  liecame  the  wonderfully 
productive  soil  in  all  the  glacial  areas,  was  transported  in  several  ways. 
Much  of  it  was  pushed  along  mechanically  in  front  of  the  advancing 


l^riNCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  5 

ife-slii-et,  so  that  wIk-m  tho  forward  iiiovtMueiit  lifjraii  to  be  retardccl, 
this  material  was  left  scattered  along  the  edges  of  the  advaneing  body. 
-Miicii  material  was  carried  along  under  the  iee-sheet  and  was  grounded 
and  distributed  over  the  glacial  area.  Other  material,  again,  was 
carried  to  the  surface  of  the  ice-sheet,  and  often  deeply  inbedded  in 
it.  ^Yhen  the  movement  was  finally  checked,  the  superimposed  ma- 
terial becoming  heated  by  the  sun,  worked  its  way  through  the  ice  and 
rested  on  the  ground,  the  whole  body  of  ice  eventually  melting. 

Vast  quantities  of  material  were  also  carried  by  the  streams  which 
continually  flowed  from  tiie  melting  ice.  iluch  of  the  detritus  was 
left  on  the  broad,  llat  prairies,  but  much  was  carried  into  the  streams 
which  overflowed  their  banks  and  deposited  as  alluvium. 

The  material  which  these  glaciers  brought  into  the  State  of  Illinois, 
as  the  basis  of  her  vast  material  wealth,  goes  under  the  general  name  of 
Drift.  Its  composition  varies,  but  its  main  constituents  are  clay,  sand 
and  boulders.  This  drift  is  sometimes  found  stratified,  but  more 
generally  is  without  definite  layer  formation. 

Gl.\CI.\L  ilOVEME.VTS  AND  ICK  SUEETS 

Without  going  into  details  as  to  authorities,  it  may  be  stated  that, 
in  North  America,  there  seems  to  have  been  three  great  centers  of 
glacial  movement — one  known  as  the  Labrador  ice  sheet;  a  second 
called  the  Kewatin  ice  sheet,  and  the  third,  the  Cordilloran  ice  sheet. 
The  first  sheet  had  its  center  of  movement  near  the  central  point  of 
the  peninsula  of  Labrador;  the  second,  near  the  western  shore  of 
Hudson  Bay,  and  the  third  moved  from  the  Canadian  Rockies. 

The  ice  sheet,  the  center  of  which  rested  on  the  Labrador  peninsula, 
moved  northeast,  northwest,  south  and  southwest,  the  movement  in  the 
direction  last  named  starting  a  large  section  of  the  vast  body  toward 
what  is  now  the  State  of  Illinois.  The  Labradorean  sheet  reached 
its  extreme  southern  limit  in  Southern  Illinois,  some  1,600  miles  from 
the  point  of  departure.  Th-?  advancing  front  in  Illinois  took  the  form 
of  a  gigantic  crescent,  and  its  extreme  southern  reach,  according  to 
the  most  recent  geological  surveys,  may  be  traced  from  Randolph 
County  southeast,  through  the  southern  side  of  Jackson  eastward 
through  Southern  Williamson,  east  and  northeast  through  Southeast- 
ern Saline,  northeastward  to  the  Waba.sh  through  the  northwest  corner 
of  Gallatin  and  Southeastern  White.  That  line  also  marks  the  southern 
limit  of  the  prairie  areas,  and  is  coincident  with  the  northern  foot- 
hills of  the  Ozark  Mountains,  which  trend  east  and  west  across  the  state 
through  Union,  Johnson.  Pope  and  Hardin. 

According  to  the  more  recent  investigations,  Illinois  was  sub.ject 
to  at  least  four  ice-sheet  invasions.  In  the  order  of  time,  these  were 
(a)  the  Illinois  sheet,  which  covered  nearly  the  entire  state:  (10  the 
lowan  sheet,  moving  over  the  area  bounded  by  the  Rock  River  on  the 
west,  Wisconsin  on  the  north.  Lake  Michigan  on  the  east,  and  on  the 


6  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

south  by  a  parallel  extended  from  the  southerly  bend  of  that  body  of 
water;  (c)  the  Earlier  Wisconsin,  covering  the  northeastern  fourth 
of  Illinois,  and  (d)  the  Later  Wisconsin,  plowing  out  the  western 
borders  of  Lake  iliehigan  and  extending  some  fifty  or  sixty  miles  west- 
ward. The  Illinois  ice-sheef  is  the  one,  obviously,  which  included 
Adams  County  in  its  operations. 

Origin  of  the  Prairies 

Nothing  in  the  New  World  was  more  interesting  to  the  European 
than  the  broad  prairies  between  the  Mississippi  and  the  Ohio.  In 
1817  Gov.  Edward  Coles,  then  a  young  man  returning  from  a  diplo- 
matic mission  to  Russia,  stopped  in  France  and  England.  He  was  a 
Virginian,  but  had  traveled  through  the  West  and  had  himself  been 
greatly  charmed  by  the  rich  grandeur  of  the  prairie  lands.  The  French 
and  the  English  never  tired  of  liis  graphic  descriptions  of  them,  and 
among  his  charmed  auditors  was  Morris  Birkbeck,  a  prosperous  tenant 
farmer  of  England,  who  was  thereby  induced  to  come  to  America  and 
settle  in  Edwards  County,  Southeastern  Illinois.  In  later  years 
Dickens  went  into  raptures  over  his  first  sight  of  a  "western"  prairie, 
revealing  his  sentiments  in  his  "Notes  on  America." 

When  the  first  French  explorers  reached  the  Mississippi  Valley, 
they  Avere  amazed  at  the  great  sweep  of  timberless  areas,  although  they 
originally  applied  their  word,  "prairie,"  to  describe  the  fiat  bottom 
lands  of  the  river  valleys.  Nor  is  the  application  of  the  word  to  such 
tracts  inappropriate,  as  it  has  been  shown  by  geologists  that  the  forma- 
tion of  the  prairies  of  Illinois  is  identical  in  character  with  the 
formation  of  the  bottom  lauds  along  the  Mississippi,  the  Ohio,  and  other 
.smaller  rivers. 

When  the  first  settlers  came  to  Illinois  country  they  are  said  to 
have  found  about  one-fourth  of  it  timbered  and  the  remainder  timber- 
less,  or  prairie  lands.  They  designated  the  largest  timberless  area  the 
Grand  Prairie,  and  it  was  virtually  limited  by  the  great  watershed 
which  divides  the  basins  of  the  Mississippi  and  the  Ohio.  It  extends 
from  the  northwestern  part  of  Jackson  County  through  Perry,  part  of 
Williamson,  Washington,  Jefferson,  Marion,  Fayette,  Effingham,  Coles, 
Champaign  and  Iroquois,  crosses  the  Kankakee  River  and  extends  to 
the  southern  end  of  Lake  Michigan.  Adams  County  was  therefore 
just  west  of  the  Grand  Prairie,  in  the  broad  Mississippi  Valley ;  and 
therefore  of  rather  a  composite  nature. 

The  origin  of  the  prairies  has  been  a  debatable  question  for  many 
decades.  Three  general  theories  have  been  advanced  to  account  for 
their  existence  at  the  time  of  the  coming  of  the  earliest  settlers  into 
the  limits  of  Illinois.  One  explanation  is  that  the  great  prairie  fires 
which  annually  swept  over  the  Grand  Prairie  effectually  kept  the  trees 
from  making  any  headway.  But  there  are  two  scientific  explanations 
which  seem  to  go  more  to  the.  bedrock  of  the  matter. 


QriXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUXTV  7 

Swamp  Lands  Transformed  into  Prairie 

Says  a  later  writer  on  this  subject,  "Professor  Whitney  holds  to 
tiie  theory  that  the  treeless  prairies  have  had  their  origin  in  the  char- 
acter of  the  original  deposits,  or  soil  formation.  He  does  not  deny,  in 
fact  admits,  the  submersion  of  all  prairie  lands  formerly  as  lakes 
or  swamps,  but  he  holds  that  while  the  lands  were  so  submerged 
there  was  deposited  a  vcrj-  fine  soil,  which  he  attributes,  in  part,  to 
the  underlying  rocks,  and  in  part  to  the  accumulation  in  the  bottom  of 
immense  lakes,  of  a  sediment  of  almost  impalpable  fineness.  This 
soil  in  its  physical,  and  probably  in  its  chemical  composition,  prevents 
the  trees  from  natin-ally  getting  a  foothold  in  the  prairies. 

"Professor  Lesquereux  holds  to  the  theory  simply  stated  that  all 
areas  properly  called  prairies  were  formed  by  the  redemption  of  what 
was  once  lake  regions  and  later  swamp  territory.  He  points  out  that 
trees  grow  abundantly  in  moving  water,  but  that  when  water  is 
dammed  the  trees  always  d:e.  His  theory  is  that  standing  water  kills 
trees  bj'  preventing  the  oxygen  of  the  air  from  reaching  their  roots. 
He  further  shows  that  the  nature  of  the  soil  in  redeemed  lake  regions 
is  such  that  without  the  help  of  man  trees  will  not  grow  in  it.  But 
he  further  shows  that  by  proper  i^lantiug  the  entire  prairie  area  may 
be  covered  with  forest  trees. 

"As  rich  as  was  the  soil  of  our  prairies,  the  first  emigrants  seldom 
settled  far  out  on  these  treeless  tracts,  ilost  of  the  early  comers  were 
from  the  timber  regions  of  the  older  states  and  felt  they  could  not 
make  a  living  very  far  from  the  woods.  Coal  had  not  come  into  use 
aiul  wood  was  the  univei-sal  fuel.  There  was  a  wealth  of  mast  in  the 
timber  upon  which  hogs  could  live  a  large  part  of  the  year.  Again, 
our  forefathers  had  been  used  to  the  springs  of  New  England,  Ken- 
tucky, Teunes.see  and  Virginia,  and  they  did  not  think  they  could  live 
where  they  could  not  have  access  to  springs.  The  early  comer,  back 
in  the  '30s,  therefore,  rode  over  the  prairies  of  Central  Hlinois,  and 
tiien  entered  160  in  the  timber,  where  he  cleared  his  land  and  opened 
his  farm."  In  line  with  the  Lesquereux  theory  Adams  County,  with 
the  gradual  disappearance  of  its  swamp  lands,  is  gradually  becoming 
a  prairie  tract. 

After  a  careful  investigation  of  the  subject,  some  of  the  most 
eminent  geologists  of  Illinois  have  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  the 
extensive  prairies  of  the  West,  with  their  peculiar  soil,  have  been 
formed  in  the  past  pretty  much  as  prairies  on  a  smaller  scale  are  being 
formed  at  the  present  day.  The  black,  friable  mold,  of  which  the 
prairie  soil  is  composed  is  due  to  the  growth  and  deca\-  of  successive 
crops  of  coarse  swamp  grasses,  submerged  in  spring,  and  growing 
luxuriantly  in  summer,  only  to  be  submerged  again,  and  returned,  in  a 
rotten  condition,  to  the  annual  accumulations  before  made.  It  is  not 
difficult  to  believe  that  in  a  few  hundred  years,  more  or  less,  as  the 
great  sheet  of  water  that  once  covered  the  entire  valley  of  the  Missis- 
sippi and  tributaries,  gradually  receded  to  tiie  present  water  courses. 


8  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  left  the  prairies  in  the  condition  of  alternate  wet  and  dry  swails, 
that  a  black,  mucky  soil  was  produced  to  the  depth  now  found  upon  the 
prairies.  In  process  of  time,  by  more  complete  recession  of  the  waters, 
the  surface  of  the  prairies  became  dry,  and  adapted  to  the  wants  of 
animals  and  men.  The  fact  of  there  being  no  trees  on  the  prairies  is 
accounted  for  on  the  ground  that  such  a  condition  of  the  soil  as  is 
here  described  is  not  favorable  to  their  growth,  as  may  be  often  noticed 
in  the  marshy  spots  of  timbered  regions. 

The  Coal  Measures 

Although  geology  recognizes  "coal  measures"  in  Adams  County, 
no  carboniferous  deposits  have  been  commercially  developed.  Upper 
seams,  or  outcroppings,  have  been  stripped  in  a  small  way  from  such 
localities  as  the  south  fork  of  Bear  Creek,  Little  Missouri  Creek  and 
other  small  streams  near  Clayton,  in  the  neighborhoods  of  Columbus 
and  Camp  Point  and  along  Mill  Creek,  as  well  as  near  the  Pike 
County  line.  It  is  estimated  that  about  one-half  the  area  of  Adams 
County  is  underlaid  with  coal  measures,  its  central  and  eastern  sec- 
tions being  considered  the  most  promising  from  an  economic  or  com- 
mercial standpoint. 

The  Limestones  op  the  County 

The  coal  measures  rest  on  three  main  strata  of  limestone — the  St. 
Louis,  Keokuk  and  the  Burlington.  The  first  named  is  a  light  or 
brownish  gray  variety,  and  contains  many  beautiful  fossil  corals  and 
marine  shells.  Noteworthy  outcrops  of  the  St.  Louis  limestone  have 
been  found  along  McGee  Creek  near  Columbus,  at  Coatsburg  and  in 
the  vicinity  of  Mendon.  The  Keokuk  group  is  usually  bluish-gray  or 
grayish-brown,  and  presents  remarkable  specimens  of  crystallized  min- 
erals. It  comes  to  the  surface  at  Coatsburg,  along  the  creeks  men- 
tioned, and  a  few  miles  northeast  of  Quiney.  That  variety  has  been 
quarried  considerably,  furnishing  the  foundation  for  Governor  Wood's 
historic  mansion.  From  Quiney  to  the  north  line  of  the  comity  it  out- 
crops at  various  points  along  the  bluffs,  and  is  well  exposed  on  Bear 
Creek,  near  the  Lima  and  Quiney  Road,  where  it  forms  a  mural  cliff 
from  40  to  50  feet  in  height.  It  is  also  found  along  all  the  small 
streams  in  the  western  part  of  the  county  as  far  south  as  Mill 
Creek,  on  the  forks  of  that  stream.  The  regularly  bedded  lime- 
stones of  the  Keokuk  group  are  mainly  composed  of  organic  matter; 
the  calcareous  portions  of  the  molluscs,  crinoids,  corals  and  other  small 
forms  of  marine  animals  which'  swarmed  in  the  ocean  depths.  The 
Burlington  limestone,  which  underlies  the  lower  stratum  of  the  Keokuk 
group,  differs  but  little  from  the  latter.  It  is  usually  of  a  lighter 
gray  color,  variegated  with  beds  of  buff  or  brown  stone,  and  devoid  of 
the  bands  of  .shale  which  separate  the  strata  of  the  Keokuk  series.  The 
Burlington  variety  outcrops  at  Mill  Creek,  a  few  miles  southeast  of 


QriXCY  AN'O  ADAMS  COUNTY  9 

Quincy,  and  from  that  point  to  the  south  line  of  the  county  it  comes 
to  the  surface  quite  continuously. 

Conunercially,  the  Burlin^on  limestone  is  usually  considered  the 
most  valuable  of  the  three  varieties.  It  has  been  rather  extensively 
quarried  at  and  near  Quincy,  and  as  the  afrgregate  thickness  of  the 
group  averages  100  feet,  nearly  all  of  which  may  be  used  as  building 
stone,  the  Burlington  is  considered  virtually  inexhaustible.  It  cuts 
easily  when  free  from  chert,  and  is  considered  an  excellent  stone  for 
dry  walls,  as  well  as  for  caps  and  sills.  The  buff  and  brown  layers 
contain  a  small  percent  of  iron  and  magnesia,  and  the  surface  be- 
comes more  or  less  stained  by  exposure  to  the  atmosphere,  but  the 
light  gray  beds  are  nearly  pure  carbonate  of  lime  and  generally  retain 
their  original  color.  The  brown  magnesian  limestone  of  the  St.  Louis 
group  is  an  evenly  stratified  rock,  well  adapted  for  use  in  foundation 
walls,  bridge  abutments  and  culverts,  where  a  rock  is  re(iuire(l  to  witii- 
stand  the  combined  actions  of  frost  and  moisture.  Most  of  the  stone 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  quick  lime  is  obtained  from  the  Burlington 
limestone,  near  Quincy,  although  the  l)luish-gi-ay  strata  of  the  Keokuk 
group  and  the  upper  beds  of  the  St.  Louis  series  have  been  utilized 
considerably. 

Thk  Commercial  Clays 

The  clays  of  the  county  have  been  developed  economically  to  some 
extent,  although  some  of  the  potteries  in  which  they  have  been  used 
are  outside  of  its  limits.  The  best  deposits  of  fire  and  potter's  clays 
are  found  in  the  shape  of  light  blue  shale  between  the  coal  seams.  On 
exposure  it  becomes  a  fine  plastic  clay,  or  good  material  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  fire  brick.  The  subsoils  intermingled  with  the  fine  sand 
of  the  Loess  form  an  excellent  material  for  the  manufacture  of  com- 
mon brick.  The  combination  may  be  found  almost  anywhere  in  the 
western  part  of  the  county,  and  there  are  few  localities  in  the  state 
which  have  produced  a  better  variety  of  Iniilding  brick  than  that  man- 
ufactured in  the  neighborhood  of  Quincy.  In  the  eastern  part  of  the 
county,  where  the  Loess  is  wanting,  the  sand  may  be  obtained  in  tiie 
alluvial  valleys  of  most  of  the  small  streams. 

S01L.S  AND  Their  Xatkral  Products 

But  when  all  has  been  said,  a  return  is  made  to  the  original  state- 
ment— that  the  great  contribution  made  by  natur(>  to  the  comfort  and 
happiness  of  man  is  in  her  virtual  guarantee  that  he  shall  not  suffer 
if  he  depends  primarily  upon  her  returns  to  his  labor  and  skill.  Con- 
fining the  survey  of  such  natural  advantages  to  Adams  County,  it  may 
be  said  that  its  western  portions  include  a  belt  of  country  from  .5  to  10 
miles  in  width  adjacent  to  the  bluffs  of  the  Mis.sissippi,  and  extend- 
ing throughout  its  entire  length  from  north  to  south,  which  is  under- 
lain  with   marl}'  sands   and   days  of  Loess.     It    possesses   a   soil   of 


10  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

remarkable  fertility,  with  au  undulating  surface  which  furnishes  a 
free  drainage,  so  that  with  a  rather  porous  subsoil  it  is  less  subject 
to  the  deleterious  influences  of  remarkably  dry  or  wet  seasons  than  the 
other  upland  soils  of  the  county.  The  natural  growth  of  timber  on 
this  variety  of  soil  consists  principally  of  red,  white  and  black  oak, 
I^ignut  and  shell-bark  hickory,  elm,  black  and  white  walnut,  sugar 
maple,  linden,  wild  cherry  and  honey  locust.  These  lands  are  also 
well  adapted  to  the  growth  of  fruit. 

On  the  banks  of  McGee's  Creek  and  its  tributaries  the  surface  of 
the  country  is  considerably  broken,  and  the  soil,  which  is  mainly  de- 
rived from  the  drift  clays,  is  a  stiff  c4ay  loam,  better  adapted  to  the 
growth  of  wheat  and  gi-ass  than  almost  any  crop  usually  grown  in 
this  latitude.  The  growth  of  timber  on  this  kind  of  soil  consists  of 
two  or  three  varieties  of  oak  and  hickory,  which  are  characteristic  of 
the  so-£alled  "oak  ridges"  which  are  so  frequently  seen  along  the 
small  streams  in  Adams  County  and  other  section  of  Illinois.  In 
the  northeastern  portion  of  the  county  is  a  considerable  area  of  com- 
parativelj'  level  prairie,  covered  with  a  deep  black  soil  rich  with  the 
annual  decay  of  the  surface  shrubs  and  grasses.  This  black  prairie 
soil  is  underlaid  with  a  fine  silicious  brown  clay,  which  does  not 
permit  the  surface  water  to  pass  freely  through  it  and,  until  drained, 
the  lands  are  so  flooded  during  the  wet  season  as  to  be  very  difficult 
of  cultivation.  When  the  season  is  favorable,  or  after  they  have  been 
well  drained,  there  are  no  lands  in  the  county  which  grow  better 
crops  of  cereals,  both  as  to  quantity  and  quality.  The  alluvial  bot- 
tom lands  bordering  the  Mississippi  are  generally  similar  in  their  char- 
acter to  those  in  Pike  County  and  are  heavilv  timbered  with  the  same 
varieties.  Where  these  bottom  lands  are  elevated  above  the  annual 
overflow  of  the  river,  or  pi'operly  drained,  they,  also,  are  exceedingly 
productive. 

Healthful  Climate 

There  is  another  blessing  for  which  the  people  of  Adams  County 
are  indebted  to  mother  nature ;  that  is  their  climate,  which  is,  on  the 
whole,  equable  and  pleasant.  Healthful,  cool  breezes  usually  circu- 
late through  the  Mississippi  Valley,  which  keep  it  comparatively 
free  of  fogs  and  miasmatic  mists.  The  rainfall  is  generally  season- 
able and  abundant,  averaging  about  thirty-eight  inches,  and  droughts 
of  severity  are  rare.  There  are  exceptions  to  these  rules,  of  course; 
but  as  the  years  come  and  go  this  section  of  the  state  is  conducive  to 
good  health,  good  crops  and  all-around  blessings. 

Bird  Life  in  Adams  County 

The  Mississippi  Valley  is  the  great  natural  highway  of  travel  for 
the  United  States.  Not  only  the  Mound  Builders  have  scattered  evi- 
dences of  their  migrations  along  its  mighty  courses,  and  the  Indian 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  11 

tribes  of  history  floated  ou  its  waters  or  wandered  and  warred  along 
its  shores,  but  the  very  birds  of  the  air  have  made  it  their  great 
trunk  line  iu  their  search  for  tilting  habitations  in  which  to  live  and 
rear  their  families.  All  the  Mississippi  River  counties,  especially  if 
they  possess  such  a  variety  of  topography  and  lands  as  Adams,  are 
therefore  rich  iu  bird  life.  "With  the  progress  of  natural  history  and 
scientific  farming,  the  feathered  kind  have  been  found  to  be  not  only 
fascinating  studies,  but  agents  of  valuable  protection  to  the  cereals, 
fruits  and  vegetables.  Of  course,  the}'  have  keen  appetites  and  eat 
some  things  of  value,  but  all-in-all  the  farmers  are  commencing  to  fully 
realize  that  they  much  more  than  "pay  for  their  keep." 

C.  L.  Kraber,  whose  father  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Quincy — 
a  carpenter  who  built  the  courthouse  and  other  well  known  structures 
of  an  early  date — lived  on  the  old  homestead  farm  just  northeast  of 
the  county  seat  for  some  sixty  years.  Very  observant  and  especially 
fond  of  birds,  Mr.  Kraber  has  written  considerably  regarding  those 
who  have  frequented  Adams  County  during  his  long  period  of  resi- 
dence within  its  borders.  He  has  noted  at  least  one  hundred  varieties, 
among  the  chief  of  which  he  lists  the  paroquets,  wild  Muscovy  ducks, 
the  green  head  mallard,  the  blue  coot,  the  pineated  woodpecker,  red- 
headed woodpecker,  blackbirds,  red-eyed  wild  pigeon,  sand  hill  cranes, 
plovers,  the  Canadian  wild  goose,  the  brant,  wild  turkey,  grossbeck, 
English  sparrow,  turtle  dove,  cardinal,  bluebird,  the  brown  thrush, 
French  robin  (cuckoo),  whippoorwill,  will-o-the-wisp,  red-winged 
blackbird,  meadow  larks,  cow-blackbirds,  black  crow,  i-ohin  red  breast, 
cat  bird,  quails,  oriole,  wren,  pheasants,  swallow,  turkey  buzzard,  blue 
heron,  humming  bird,  crossbills,  bald  eagle,  owl,  scarlet  lanager,  wild 
white  swan,  butcher  bird,  the  pewee,  kingfisher,  hawk,  ground  sparrow 
and  an  army  of  other  small  birds.  Some  of  these  are  now  rare,  or 
nearly  extinct.  In  the  early  days,  the  Mississippi  bottoms  near  Quincy 
contained  numerous  paraquets,  or  green  parrots ;  but  they  appear  to 
have  departed  with  the  Indians.  The  wild  Muscovy  duck  is  now  very 
rare,  but  the  mallard  is  the  game  duck  of  the  open  season. 

The  following  is  a  well-put  paragraph  from  Mr.  Kraber 's  pen : 
"The  old  reliable  red  headed  woodpecker  is  an  active  worker,  and 
stops  the  career  of  thousands  of  insects  in  the  embryo  state  from  fur- 
ther developing  into  pests  of  the  soil,  and  from  adding  to  the  dis- 
comfort of  mankind.  Flying  from  one  tree  to  another  with  its  red 
head  and  white  marked  wings,  it  is  easily  seen.  It  is  not  a  wild 
bird,  and  can  be  studied  at  pleasure.  His  near  relative,  the  yellow 
hammer,  or  flicker  of  the  'high  roller'  of  E.  P.  Roe,  is  another  bird 
to  study  with  reference  to  habits,  etc.,  since  they  have  many  traits 
worthy  of  emulation  by  the  human  family.  The  flicker  and  its 
mate  will  edge  up  to  each  other  on  the  limb  of  a  tree  and  go  through 
more  fantastic  motions  than  any  quixotic  people.  It  would  bo  hard 
to  describe  them,  as  the.v  sit  there  swinging  back  and  forth  in  unison, 
their  heads  up  and  moving  from  side  to  side,  and  all  the  while  chat- 
tering to  each  other  something  verv  interesting  to  themselves.     At 


12  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

such  time  it  does  not  take  a  veiy  close  observer  to  see  that  it  is  bird 
sentiment  being  expressed  in  its  most  amorous  and  innocent  way. 
The}'  mean  every  word  they  say,  and  lay  it  off  so  positively  to  one 
another  that  one  can  hardly  help  looking  on  and  listening,  and  under- 
standing just  what  they  are  talking  about.  It  is  interesting  to  have 
it  made  so  plain  that  they  are  one  in  sentiment,  and  agree  so  well 
in  their  out-of-door  domestic  life."' 

Up  to  the  '60s,  the  red-eyed  wild  pigeons  appeared  in  Adan: 
County  during  their  migrations  southward  as  to  break  the  forest 
trees  and  darken  the  sun,  taking  the  cour.se  of  the  river  bluffs  in 
the  spring  and  fall.  They  are  now  extinct  in  this  part  of  the  world. 
Flocks  of  plovers,  often  taken  for  wild  pigeons,  still  occasionally  fiy 
across  country  from  southwest  to  northeast.  Even  the  honk  of  the 
Canadian  wild  geese,  which  once  bred  in  such  numbers  in  the  north- 
western part  of  the  county,  in  the  region  of  Lima  Lake,  is  seldom 
heard.  "Their  habit,"  says  Mr.  Kraber,  "was  to  leave  the  lakes  and 
rivers  by  the  hundreds  before  sunrise,  and  settle  down  into  the  wheat 
and  com  iields  upon  the  bluffs  and  further  inland  until  about  ten 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  Then  all  would  return  to  the  river  and  lakes 
until  about  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  they  would  again  enter 
the  fields  and  feed  until  after  dark;  then  go  back  to  the  water  for  the 
night  with  much  noise.  They  were  very  regular  about  it  until  late 
in  the  fall,  and  sometimes  all  winter  if  the  weather  was  mild.  They 
domesticated  very  readily,  and  became  quite  tame,  but  when  so  are 
only  waiting  to  try  their  wings  for  a  final  good-bye.  They  are  des- 
tined to  early  extinction."  The  wild  turkey  has  quite  disappeared 
fi-om  the  locality. 

The  Mississippi  River  is  the  home  of  the  gulls.  They  spend  much 
time  on  the  wing  over  the  water,  never  flying  very  high.  They  are 
both  scavengers  and  eaters  of  fi-esli  fish. 

Friends  of  the  Farmer 

But  it  is  the  land  birds  in  which  we  take  the  practical  interest; 
the  destroyers  of  insect  pests  destructive  to  vegetation ;  the  real  friends 
of  the  agriculturist.  What  these  insects  are  and  the  special  varieties 
of  birds  which  seem  created  to  assist  in  their  extermination  was  thus 
told  not  long  ago  to  a  State  Farmers'  Institute  by  0.  'Si.  Schantz, 
president  of  the  Illinois  Audubon  Society : 

' '  The  State  of  Illinois  is  378  miles  long  in  its  greatest  length  and 
210  miles  wide.  Owing  to  its  length  and  its  peculiar  position,  it  has 
almost  as  great  a  range  of  climatic  influences,  geographical  influences, 
and  so  on,  as  any  state  in  the  union.  Therefore,  its  flora  and  fauna, 
its  animal  and  vegetable  life  are  extremely  varied.  The  northern  part 
is  entirely  different  in  its  geogi-aphy  and  its  animal  life  from  the 
southern  part.  By  its  location,  part  of  it  touching  Lake  Michigan 
and  the  rest  of  it  being  tributary  to  the  great  Mississippi  Valley,  ex- 
cept for  the  water  fowl  of  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  coasts,  more  migra- 


QLIXL'V  AND  ADAMS  COLXTV  13 

tory  birds  pass  tIiroup:li  the  Mississippi  Valley  than  through  any  other 
part  of  the  United  States. 

"In  the  consideration  of  a  question  of  so  great  importance  to  the 
Illinois  farmer  as  the  relation  of  birds  to  farm  eeonomj',  it  is 
very  necessary  to  make  clear  in  the  most  direct  manner  possible  just 
how  and  why  the  farmer  is  to  be  benefited. 

"The  projicr  time  to  j)laiit,  seasonable  weather  during  the  grow- 
ing season  and  also  for  the  harvesting  of  crops,  are,  naturally  the  most 
evident  factors  in  successful  farming. 

"The  old-fashioned,  iinprogressive  farmer  gave  little  thought  to 
other  and  less  noticeable  handicaps,  such  as  plant  diseases  and  the 
myriads  of  insects  that  were  the  natural  enemies  of  both  his  fruit  and 
cereal  crops.  With  the  rai)id  increase  in  the  value  of  farm  lands,  the 
competition  for  markets,  and  so  forth,  it  has  become  ab.solutely  neces- 
sary for  a  farmer  to  know  every  factor  that  may  enter  farm  economy, 
or  he  fails  to  win  out. 

"The  lax  use  of  powers  of  observation  is  rapidly  disappearing,  and 
today  our  farmers  are  growing  more  and  more  alive  to  the  fact  that  a 
knowledge  of  scientific  farming  is  the  only  way  to  make  150  to  250 
acres  yield  a  profit. 

"The  agricultural  colleges  of  many  states,  and  the  Federal  De- 
partment of  Agriculture,  have  for  many  years  past  conducted  most 
exhaustive  research  a.s  to  the  los.ses  due  to  noxious  insects,  and  the 
most  effective  means  of  curtailing  these  losses. 

"We  have,  by  cultivation  and  removal  of  forests,  disturbed  the  nat- 
ural balance  of  nature.  We  have  made  conditions  extremely  favorable 
for  the  rapid  increase  of  certain  noxious  insects.  Insect  life  increases 
at  such  an  incredible  rate  that  with  no  check  of  any  kind  everything 
green  would  soon  disa]ipear,  and  in  a  sliort  time  the  land  would  be 
uninhabitable. 

"On  the  other  hand,  it  is  a  well  known  fact  that  certain  of  our 
most  useful  birds  incrca.se  as  a  result  of  the  settlement  of  land. 

"Many  birds  are  very  tolerant  of  man,  if  reasonably  protected  and 
allowed  to  rear  their  young  undisturbed. 

"In  the  earlier  years  of  the  settlement  of  the  country,  there  did 
not  exist  the  same  need  for  watchfulness  that  is  necessary  today. 

"The  problem  of  adef|uate  food  supply  for  the  world  is  a  part 
of  the  problem  of  the  United  States.  One  hundred  years  ago,  very 
few  men  devoted  even  a  small  portion  of  their  time  to  the  studj'  of 
insects  in  their  relation  to  the  food  supply,  or  to  the  careful  study  of 
birds  as  the  most  effective  check  on  the  spreading  of  injurious  insects. 
Today  thousands  of  men  and  women  are  preparing  earnestly  for 
these  very  important  studies,  and  the  biological  departments  of  our 
colleges  and  universities  are  of  the  most  importance  and  popular  in 
all  parts  of  the  United  States. 

"The  Illinois  Audubon  Society  was  organized  less  than  twenty 
years  ago  by  a  few  very  earnest  bird  lovers  in  Chicago.  Their  pri- 
mary object  was  no  doubt  a  humane  desire  to  protect  from  dcstruc- 


\ 


14  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

tiou  the  many  beautiful  birds  that  came  in  such  great  numbers  to 
the  woodlands  and  parks  in  and  around  Chicago.  The  time  has  come 
when  a  much  greater  field  is  open  for  it  and  similar  societies,  for  in- 
telligent work  for  the  protection  of  birds,  not  only  for  their  beauty 
and  wonderful  songs,  but  as  a  vital  factor  in  the  economics  of  the 
country's  food  supply. 

' '  The  problem  of  the  city  bird  lover  is  largely  different  from  that 
of  the  farmer  and  the  people  of  the  smaller  cities  and  villages. 

"The  larger  cities,  particularly  Chicago,  are  flooded  with  thou- 
sands of  immigrants,  to  whom  the  United  States  means  all  sorts  of 
liberty.  License  to  kill  birds,  we  understand,  is  in  some  parts  of 
Southern  Europe  held  out  as  a  great  inducement  to  prospective  emi- 
grants in  connection  with  cheaper  living.  Cheap  firearms  are  sold 
everywhere,  and  Sundays  and  holidays  during  the  summer  mouths  see 
each  day  a  veritable  'armed  host'  scouring  the  prairies  and  woodlands 
ready  to  kill  anything  that  flies. 

"Where  transportation  is  cheap,  these  irresponsible  shooters  reach 
the  farms,  and  not  only  trespass  on  the  fields  of  growing  grain,  but 
shoot  thousands  of  the  farmers'  best  friends,  the  birds,  or  if  no  birds 
can  be  found,  his  domestic  chickens,  ducks  or  turkeys. 

"The  problems  of  Illinois  are  those  of  Iowa  and  the  other  adjoin- 
ing prairie  states. 

"No  crop  raised  by  the  farmer  is  immune  from  insect  foes.  Many 
of  these  insects  are  so  minute  that  they  ordinarily  escape  the  notice 
of  the  casual  observer,  yet  the  damage  annually  done  on  a  single  farm 
by  these  inconspicuous  insects  may  run  into  large  sums  of  money. 

' '  The  diif erent  aphides  or  plant  lice,  whose  life  cycle  is  only  a  few 
days,  increase  with  such  astounding  rapidity  that  the  figures  startle. 

"These  soft  small  insects,  of  M-hich  thousands  could  be  held  in 
one's  hand,  frequently  cover  the  stems  of  their  host  plants  completely. 

"The  greatest  enemy  of  the  different  aphides  is  the  warbler  fam- 
ily, which  numbers  among  the  twenty-five  or  thirty  varieties  that  visit 
us  many  of  our  smallest  birds.  The  number  of  insects  that  a  pair  of 
these  little  birds  will  consume  for  a  single  meal  is  almost  beyond 
comprehension. 

"To  better  understand  the  ability  of  birds  to  check  insects,  it  is 
necessary  to  know  something  of  their  marvelous  powers  of  digestion. 
Birds  fill  themselves  to  running  over  with  either  weed  seeds  or  insects 
so  that  frequently  they  are  replete  up  to  the  bill.  The  process  of  diges- 
tion is  so  powerful  and  rapid  that  they  can  eat  almost  without 
stopping,  many  birds  consuming  an  amount  of  food  each  day  equal 
to  about  one-third  of  their  own  weight. 

"The  temperature  of  birds  and  their  circulation  is  much  greater 
than  that  of  other  animals,  consequently  it  is  largely  a  matter  of  fuel 
enough  to  keep  the  machinery  going  properly. 

"Much  painstaking  work  has  been  done  recently  in  the  State  of 
Massachusetts  in  order  to  ascertain  the  effect  that  wild  birds  have  on 


QUIXCY  AXn  ADAMS  COUNTY  15 

the  awful  insect  pests  wliieh  have  become  so  serious  a  piobicui  in 
that  state. 

"While  the  conditions  in  Illinois  are  vastly  different  from  those 
in  Massachusetts,  the  residts  of  the  investigation  should  be  of  great 
interest  to  Illinois  farmers. 

"It  has  been  proven  that  almost  without  exception  all  birds  have 
a  good  balance  to  their  credit  over  and  above  the  damage  they  do ;  that 
even  such  conspicuously  aggressive  birds  as  the  bluejay,  grackle  and 
crow  have  a  large  credit  in  assisting  to  destroj'  both  larvae  and 
adults  of  the  gypsy  and  brown-tailed  moths.  Such  birds  as  feed  on 
fruits — robins,  catbirds,  cedar  birds  and  others — also  devour  enough 
insect  pests  to  have  the  balance  in  their  favor. 

"Many  birds  are  peculiarly  adapted  to  attend  certain  insects,  and 
the  birds  have  been  very  happily  alluded  to  by  one  writer  as  the 
police  of  the  orchard  and  garden. 

"The  seed-eating  birds,  which  include  the  sparrows  and  finches, 
destroy  weeds  by  the  million.  Three  morning  doves'  stomachs  con- 
tained by  actual  count  a  total  of  23,100  weed  seeds,  consumed  at 
one  meal. 

"All  of  the  thrush  family,  of  which  the  robin  and  bluebird  are 
the  best  known  members,  are  valuable  insect  destroyers.  The  fly- 
catchers, headed  by  tlic  kingbird  and  phoebe,  and  containing  about 
eighty  nearly  related  species,  the  .swallows,  martins,  night  hawk  and 
chimneyswifts,  are  policemen  of  the  air. 

"The  towhee  and  many  sparrows  forage  on  the  ground;  the  nut- 
hatches, woodpeckers  and  brown  creepers  take  care  of  the  trunk  and 
branches;  and  the  warblers  and  vireos  examine  the  leaves  and  buds. 
The  entire  tree  or  shrub  is  thoroughly  guarded.  Out  in  the  open,  the 
meadow  lark,  bobolink,  bobwhite,  prairie  chicken  and  many  others 
keep  tab  on  grasshoppers,  crickets  and  myriads  of  other  insects.  No 
insect  family  escapes;  it  has  an  ardent,  relentless  foe  in  some  bird. 

"Now,  what  is  your  duty  to  your  bird  friends?  Make  your  prem- 
ises attractive.  Furnish  bird  boxes  or  nests,  feed  the  birds  in  winter; 
exterminate  .stray  cats;  plant  vines  and  shrubbery  bearing  fruits 
agreeable  to  birds;  help  to  legislate  against  shooting;  train  the  small 
boy  to  respect  and  love  the  birds  and  not  to  collect  birds'  eggs;  teach 
him  also  to  shoot  with  a  field  or  opera  glass.  If  a  bird  helps  itself  to 
a  little  of  your  fruit,  before  destroying  the  bird  look  up  its  record 
and  see  what  insects  he  preys  upon. 

"Observe  closely  the  birds  at  nesting  time  and  note  the  tireless 
energy  with  which  the  young  birds  eat,  and  then  do  a  little  calculat- 
ing by  multiplying  the  number  of  times  fed  by  the  insects  fed  at 
a  meal. 

"Read  literature  on  the  subject  of  bird  conservation.  Result: 
Sure  and  lasting  conversion  to  the  side  of  the  birds. 

"Scientific  men  look  with  alarm'at  the  rapidly  decreasing  bird  pop- 
ulation. The  rapid  increase  of  population,  encroaching  more  and  more 


16  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

on  the  nesting  places,  lessens  the  available  woodland  and  prairie  where 
the  birds  may  nest  and  not  be  disturbed. 

"Intelligent  planting  of  shrubbery  and  vines  along  roadsides,  as 
is  contemplated  by  the  Lincoln  Highway  movement,  will  in  part  over- 
come this  condition. 

"Concerted  efforts  by  states  and  at  Washington  for  better  bird 
protection,  the  education  of  all  classes  as  to  the  beneficial  part  the 
bird  has  in  our  daily  life,  vigorous  prosecution  for  violation  of  our 
present  game  laws,  the  taxing  of  cats,  the  encouragement  of  organiza- 
tions for  bird  study — all  these  are'necessai-y  and  important  features 
of  the  gi'owing  intelligent  effort  for  bird  conservation. 

"See  that  some  one  attends  to  the  purchasing  of  good  bird  books 
for  your  public  library ;  offer  prizes  to  your  children  for  best  observa- 
tions or  well  wi'itten  papei's  about  birds,  their  habits  and  usefulness — 
these  papers,  or  the  best  of  them,  to  be  published  iu  your  local  paper. 

"There  is  no  reason  why,  iu  this  tremendous  state,  a  powerful  and 
concerted  effort  should  not  be  made  for  bird  conservation  and  pro- 
tection which  would  place  the  State  of  Illinois  in  the  first  rank  in 
the  Union  for  such  work. 

"Nowhere  in  the  entire  United  States  is  there  a  greater  and  more 
interesting  bird  migration,  both  spring  and  fall,  than  in  this  state. 
The  state's  length  gives  it  a  wonderfully  interesting  plant  life  and 
variety  of  climate.    This,  in  part,  explains  its  variety  of  bird  life. 

"A  very  small  sum  as  an  individual  contribution,  if  given  by 
enough  people,  would  maintain  a  paid  expert  whose  duty  might  be 
that  of  state  ornithologist. 

"There  is  a  man  in  Massachusetts  who  gives  his  entire  life  and 
energy  to  this  very  important  work,  and  whose  book,  'Useful  Birds  and 
Their  Protection,'  is  the  last  word  in  bird  conservation." 


CHAPTER   II 

WEALTH  BASED  OX  THE  SOIL 

The  Kich  Corx  Belt — Eauly  Attempts  at  Fruit  Raising — Hog 
Raising  and  Pork  Packing — Adams  County  Agricultural  So- 
ciety— County  Farmers'  Institute  Organized — The  County's 
Farm  Adviser — Work  of  the  County  Farm  Improvement  Asso- 
ciation— Present  and  Future  of  Agriculture. 

Numerous  ageucies  have  been  involved  in  the  development  of  the 
industries  of  Adams  County,  based  on  the  natural  riehes  of  its  soil, 
its  good  drainage  and  climatic  advantages.  In  the  earlier  times,  be- 
cause of  the  sparsely  settled  population  and  comparative  poverty  of 
the  pioneers,  all  the  efforts  made  toward  the  improvement  of  agri- 
cultural methods  and  the  betterment  of  farming  conditions  were  put 
forth  by  individuals — each  man  for  himself.  As  the  population  and 
general  prosperity  increased,  agricultural  and  horticultural  societies 
were  organized,  the  live  stock  men  met  and  conferred  as  to  the 
most  approved  ways  of  raising  their  hogs,  cattle  and  sheep ;  fairs 
were  lield  in  different  parts  of  the  county,  attended  by  the  farmei-s 
and  their  families ;  under  Congressional  laws  the  swamp  lands  in 
the  American  bottom  commenced  to  come  into  the  market  and  be 
systematically  drained,  while  the  county  took  up  the  matter,  in 
behalf  of  the  farms,  in  that  and  other  tracts  naturally  subject  to 
overflow,  and  lands  formerly  considered  worthless  were  transformed 
into  valuable  farms;  the  farmers'  institutes  were  founded  ami  ex- 
panded rapidly  as  educational  forces  in  matters  connected  both  with 
farming  and  the  domestic  life  of  rural  communities;  the  good  roads 
movement  was  born  and  developed  in  Adams  County,  first,  tlirough 
rather  dissipated  efforts  of  neighborhoods  and  county  legislation,  and 
finally  under  the  superintendent  of  highways;  telephones  and  auto- 
mobiles became  familiar  objei-ts  to  hundreds  of  hou.sehokls,  so  that 
every  member  of  a  rural  family  was  brought  close  to  his  neighbors 
and  at  the  same  fiine  was  in  constant  healthful  contact  with  Nature, 
and  finally  Ijicle  Sam  himself,  as  he  has  a  hearty  way  of  doing, 
offered  his  warm  hand  and  his  efficient  .services  in  the  widespread  co- 
operative measures  which  hail  been  gathering  force  during  a  period 
of  eighty  years  and  donated  the  county  farm  advi.ser,  with  the  Farm 
Improvement  Association  and  the  Home  Improvement  As.sociation, 
as  a  vital  factor  in  the  great  work  of  extracting  every  advantage  and 
blessing  pnssil)le  from  the  fanner's  effurts  and  the  farmer's  life. 

Vol.  1—2  1  - 


18  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  Rich  Corn  Belt 

Adams  County  is  in  the  geographical  center  of  the  great  corn  belt 
which  extends  across  Northern  and  Central  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
Missouri,  Iowa,  Kansas  and  Nebraska.  The  soil  is  especially  rich  in 
nitrogen,  that  of  the  bottom  lands  containing  nearly  8,000  pounds  per 
acre.  The  bluff  and  prairie  lands  also  carry  about  three-fourths  as 
much  nitrogen ;  so  that  the  county  is  one  of  the  banner  com  sections 
of  the  state.  It  has  been  found  that  by  such  a  rotation  of  crops  as 
corn,  oats,  wheat,  clover,  and  then  "repeat,"  the  soil  may  be  kept 
live  and  fertile  without  applying  commercial  fertilizers  to  any  marked 
extent.    The  average  acreage  of  pasture  lands  is  more  than  50,000. 

Early  Attempts  at  Fruit  Raising 

Fruits  were  cultivated  in  Adams  County  about  as  early  as  corn 
and  as  soon  as  the  first  settlers  commenced  to  raise  hogs;  but  they 


Exhibit  of  Adams  County  Corn 

never  flourished  in  any  marked  degi'ee  as  a  leading  and  standard 
industry  based  on  the  soil.  In  the  spring  of  1820  John  Wood  made 
a  journey  on  foot  to  a  St.  Louis  orchard  and  brought  home  a  pint  of 
apple  seed  for  which  he  paid  a  good  dollar.  He  planted  the  lot  and 
three  of  them  took  root.  Afterwards  he  gathered  seed  from  an 
orchard  owned  by  a  Frenchman  on  the  other  side  of  the  river;  or 
rather  he  extracted  it  from  the  apple  pulp  of  a  cider  mill.  Mr.  Wood 
also  obtained  another  lot  from  a  poor  family  in  the  neighborhood  to 
whom  he  had  given  a  large  quantity  of  maple  sugar.  From  such 
sources  he  started  the  first  orchard  in  the  county  on  land  at  Quincy 
which  he  owned,  between  what  are  now  Twelfth  and  Fourteenth  and 
State  and  Kentucky  streets.     About  the  same  time  he  planted  some 


yriNCY  AND  ADA.MS  (UU-NTV  19 

peach  stones,  which  were  set  out  in  his  orchard  in  1824,  ami  three 
years  afterward  was  gathering  fruit  from  both  varieties  of  trees. 

Before  the  year  1832  Major  Rose,  Willard  Keyes,  James  Dunn, 
Silas  Beehe  and  others  of  the  early  settlers,  including  several  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  county,  had  planted  apple  orchards.  These  trees 
were  all  seedlings,  except  about  a  dozen  in  Mr.  Wood's  orchard,  and 
many  of  them  were  obtained  from  him.  George  Johnson,  of  Coluin- 
•  bus.  Deacon  A.  Scarborough  and  Clark  Chatten,  of  Fall  Creek,  were 
among  the  pioneer  fruit  raisers.  Mr.  Scarborough  introduced  the 
Concord  grape.  Mr.  Chatten  was  for  thirty  years  the  leading  horti- 
culturist in  the  county,  and  in  1867  had  the  largest  orchard  in  the 
state.  At  that  time  he  had  240  acres  devoted  to  apple  trees  and  187 
acres,  to  peaches.  The  largest  nursery  was  owned  and  conducted  by 
"William  Stewart,  of  Paj'son,  who  dealt  in  apple  and  peaeli  trees, 
ornamental  shrubs,  flower  seeds,  etc.  In  1852  he  started  a  branch  at 
Quincy. 

Although  not  large  in  quantity,  Adams  County  fruit  took  pre- 
miums in  exhibits  made  at  the  State  Fair  and  before  the  American 
Pomologieal  Society.  In  the  early  '60s  Clark  Chatten  took  the  first 
J  premium  offered  by  the  Illinois  Agricultural  Society  for  "the  best 

cultivated  orchard,"  and  Henry  Claj'  Cupp,  also  of  Fall  Creek,  shared 
the  honors  with  him  as  the  leading  orehardist  in  the  county. 

The  horticulturists  of  Adams  County,  however,  were  few  as  com- 
pared with  the  fanners  and  raisers  of  live  stock.  Although  several 
made  a  marked  financial  success  at  fruit  raising,  it  was  always  con- 
sidered safer  to  follow  it  as  a  side  line  than  as  a  regular  avocation. 
A  horticultural  society  was  formed  in  1867,  but  it  languished,  and 
later  Jlr.  Cupp  formed  the  Mississippi  Apple  Growers  Association  at 
Quincy. 

Hog  Raising  and  Pork  Packing 

But  from  the  earliest  times,  corn  and  hogs  were  considered  "stand- 
bys."  That  combination  made  Quincy  and  the  county  quite  famous 
as  trade  and  commercial  centers  for  many  years.  The  most  prom- 
inent figure  in  that  field  for  several  years  was  Capt.  Nathaniel  Pease, 
who  came  from  Cleveland  in  1833,  although  his  family  lived  in  Boston. 
He  was  an  energetic,  enterprising  and  popular  Yankee,  and  his  trip 
to  Cleveland  and  Quincy  gave  him  his  first  western  experience.  The 
captain  purchased  300  hogs  at  Quincy,  for  which  he  paid  about 
$15,000.  He  then  had  them  slaughtered  and  packed,  and  sold  the 
pork  in  the  ea.stern  markets  at  a  handsome  profit.  This  was  the  first 
exportation  of  pork  from  Adams  County.  In  the  fall  of  1834  Captain 
Pease  returned  to  Quincy  with  his  family  and  settled  permanently. 
During  the  packing  season  he  put  up  2,500  hogs,  for  which  he  paid 
from  one  to  two  cents  a  pound.  His  death  occurred  in  1836,  and  it 
was  sincerely  mourned  by  the  home  people  with  whom  he  had  gained 
general  respect  and  friendship.     The  next  regular  pork  packer  was 


20  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Joel  Eice,  and  Artemus  Ward  succeeded  him.  A  hog  averaged  about 
200  pounds  in  those  days,  but  gradually  increased  in  weight.  In  the 
fall  of  1836-37  prices  also  advanced,  and  fanners  were  no  longer 
satisfied  with  Bi/o  cents  per  pound  for  their  pork. 

But  other  places  were  destined  to  far  outstrip  Quincy  as  a  packing 
center,  and  in  the  very  heyday  of  her  fame  the  figures  were  not  star- 
tling. The  number  of  hogs  packed  during  the  fifteen  years,  1833-48, 
was  as  follows :  1833-34,  400 ;  1834-35,  3,500 ;  1835-36,  3,000 ;  1836-37, 
5,000;  1837-38,  7,000;  1838-39,  6,000;  1839-40,  10,000;  1840-41, 
10,000;  1841-42,  11,000;  1842-43,  12,000;  1843-44,  18,000;  1844-45, 
10,000;  1845-46,  15,000;  1846-47,  12,000;  1847-48,  20,000. 

Adams  County  Ageicultur.vl  Society 

The  first  organized  movement  among  the  farmers  and  citizens 
of  Adams  County  to  consolidate  their  sentiment  regarding  the  ad- 
vancement of  their  affairs  was  in  January,  1838.  On  the  sixth  of  that 
month  a  meeting  was  organized  at  Columbus  for  the  purpose  of 
forming  an  agricultural  society,  at  which  Maj.  J.  H.  Holton  was 
appointed  president  and  Richard  W.  Starr,  secretary.  Hon  J.  H. 
Ralston  explained  the  object  of  the  meeting  and,  with  Dunbar  Aldrich, 
Daniel  Harrison,  Lytle  Griffing,  Colman  Talbot,  Stephen  Bootlie  and 
James  ^lurphy,  was  named  to  formulate  a  constitution.  It  was  pre- 
sented and  adopted  at  the  same  meeting,  and  the  following  officers 
were  elected:  Maj.  J.  H.  Holton,  president;  J.  H.  Ralston,  Daniel 
Harrison  and  Stephen  Boothe,  vice  presidents ;  R.  W.  Starr  and  Dun- 
bar Aldrich,  secretaries;  Col.  M.  Shuey,  treasurer.  It  would  appear 
that  the  society  was  largely  of  a  social  organization,  and  that  little 
effort  was  at  first  made  to  prepare  exhibits,  as  object  lessons  of 
progress  made  and  suggestions  of  future  improvements,  and  it  was 
not  until  1854  that  the  first  regular  fair  was  held  under  its  auspices. 
On  October  18th  and  19th  of  that  year  a  vacant  tract  between  Sixth 
and  Eighth,  just  north  of  Broadway,  inclosed  with  a  pile  of  fallen 
trees  and  brushwood,  and  closeh-  guarded  against  the  invasion  of  the 
village  boys,  was  opened  to  the  public.  The  exhibits  and  attendance 
were  fully  up  to  expectations,  and  for  a  number  of  years  fairs  were 
held  by  the  society  at  various  points  in  the  county.  But  as  time 
progressed  sectional  jealousies  sapped  the  strength  of  the  society, 
and  the  preponderance  of  the  Quincy  element  brought  about  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Quincy  Fair  Association.  The  latter,  which  pur- 
chased its  own  grounds  many  years  ago,  vii'tually  crowded  out  the 
county  organization. 

County  Farmers'  Institute  Organized 

Tlie  second  striking  advance  in  agricultural  education  was  made 

in  1881  at  the  suggestion  of  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture,  when 

"the  Adams  Count v  Farmers'  Institute  was  organized,  bv  the  election 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


21 


of  George  W.  Dean  as  president,  C.  S.  Hooth,  secretary,  and  A.  K. 
Wallace,  treasurer.  Mr.  Dean  himself  writes  a.s  follows:  "We  had 
no  way  to  support  it  except  by  the  encouragement  of  such  men  as 
P.  S.  Judy  (known  as  "Uncle  Phil"),  A.  K.  Wallace,  W.  A.  Booth. 
S.  N.  Black  and  a  number  of  others.  With  this  support  it  became 
popular,  and  instructive  meetings  were  held  in  October  and  ilay  of 
each  year.  We  used  mostly  home  talent,  securing  an  expert  when 
we  could  do  so.  Our  success  encouraged  other  counties  to  organize 
and  thus  an  interest  was  created  throughout  the  state.  But  being 
satisfied  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  get  the  best  results  from  a 
farmei-s'  institute  at  individual  expense,  a  number  of  interested  farm- 
ers met  at  the  Leland  Hotel,  Springfield.  Illinois,  during  the  Thirty- 


Tk.\ctor  .\t  Work  ox  Adams  County  F\k.m 


ninth  General  Assembly  and  formulated  the  bill  which  chartered  the. 
Illinois  Farmers'  Institute  by  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly.  This 
bill  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  Col.  Charles  F.  Mills  to  look  after 
its  passage.  Colonel  Mills  placed  the  bill  in  charge  of  Hon.  George 
W.  Dean,  then  a  member  of  the  General  As.sembly,  with  instructions 
to  use  all  honorable  means  in  his  power  to  have  it  become  a  law.  The 
bill  was  passed.  It  provided  for  a  Farmers'  Institute  to  be  held  in 
each  county,  not  less  than  two  days  in  each  year.  The  next  General 
As.sembly  appropriated  $50  to  every  county  in  the  state  that  held  an 
institute  and  holds  one  or  more  institutes  each  year.  In  every  state 
in  the  Union  the  farmers'  institute  is  protected  by  law. 

"The  farmers  employ  the  best  available  talent  at  their  institutes, 
which  makes  it  expensive,  costing  from  $30  to  $2")0  each.  Considering 
this,  the  P"'orty-sceond  General  Assembly  increase<l  the  appropriation 


22  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

to  $75  for  each  couut}'.  The  iustitute  works  under  rules  and  regu- 
lations adopted  by  the  Board  of  Directors,  and  there  is  a  rule  that  not 
moi'e  than  one-third  of  the  appropriation  shall  be  paid  to  foreign  in- 
structors. That  means  that  we  can  get  two  speakers  from  the  Agri- 
cultural College  who  instruct  us  on  two  different  agricultural  topics 
each.  They  cost  the  institute  nothing  but  expenses,  as  they  are  sal- 
aried instructors." 

Too  much  credit  cannot  be  given  to  both  the  state  and  the  county 
institutes  for  the  drive  made  by  the  farmers  and  the  rural  communi- 
ties all  along  the  line  in  this  part  of  Illinois  for  the  application  of 
scientific  methods  to  the  practice  of  their  calling  and  the  improvement 
of  their  home  and  living  conditions.  The  splendid  work  of  the  Adams 
County  Farmers'  Institute  was  made  continuous  and  constant  through 
the  organization  of  the  Adams  County  Farm  Improvement  Asso- 
ciation and  the  appointment  of  a  permanent  official  known  as  the 
county  adviser. 

The  County's  Farm  Adviser 

The  idea  of  having  a  farm  adviser  for  Adams  County  originated 
with  J.  E.  Meatheringham,  of  Camp  Point.  He  was  president  of  the 
Adams  County  Farmers'  Institute  at  the  session  held  at  that  place 
in  January,  1914,  and  at  that  time  brought  the  advisability  of  having 
such  an  officer  before  the  body  named.  The  institute  members  were 
so  favorably  impressed  that  some  of  them  were  willing,  then  and 
there,  to  contribute  $100  annually  toward  its  realization.  The  dis- 
cussion resulted  in  the  organization  of  a  Soil  Improvement  Associa- 
tion, which  should  arrange  to  employ  an  adviser.  A  temporary  organ- 
ization was  effected;  but  at  the  mass  meeting  held  in  the  Quincy 
Chamber  of  Commerce  on  June  3,  1914,  the  following  officers  were 
chosen:  H.  F.  Chittenden,  president;  J.  B.  Thomas,  vice  president; 
L.  G.  Hoke,  secretary;  A.  B.  Leeper,  treasurer.  Sixty  members  were 
secured  and  directors  appointed  for  each  township  of  the  county,  who 
were  to  endeavor  to  extend  the  membership.  On  the  8th  of  August 
the  directors  held  a  meeting  at  the  rooms  of  the  Quincy  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  and  their  reports  were  so  encouraging  that  in  the  follow- 
ing month  a  permanent  organization  was  effected  at  the  City  Hall. 
A  constitution  was  adopted  and  from  a  list  of  sixteen  applicants  for 
the  position  of  farm  adviser  was  selected  the  name  of  E.  W.  Rusk. 
Since  April,  1915,  the  organization  has  been  known  under  the  name 
of  the  Adams  County  Farm  Improvement  Association. 

The  reasons  for  the  general  sentiment  in  favor  of  the  movement 
were  well  stated  by  Mr.  Meatheringham — "to  avoid  losses  by  mis- 
application of  scientific  methods ;  to  render  assistance  in  buying  and 
selling ;  to  avoid  undue  margins  of  profits  often  exacted  by  middlemen ; 
often  locating  buyers  for  what  the  farmer  may  have  for  sale ;  organi- 
zation for  efficiency;  making  the  county  practically  the  iinit  instead 
of  the  individual  farm ;  a  means  of  expressing  the  mind  of  the  farmer 


QUIXCV  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY 


2.1 


.  on  all  matters  in  which  the  farmer  is  concerned,  and  which  he  has 
no  other  means  of  expressing  effectively;  in  other  words,  mutual  help- 
fulness and  mutual  protection  eflfected  by  cooperation  through  or- 
ganization." 

Work  of  the  County  F.uim  Improvement  Association 

Generally  speaking,  since  April  1,  1915,  by  which  time  the  work 
of  the  association  under  Mr.  Rusk  was  fairly  under  way,  the  follow- 
ing have  been  the  main  features  of  the  activities  superintended  by 
the  county  adviser:  Early  in  1915  arrangements  were  made  with  the 
State  University  for  hastening  the  work  of  making  a  soil  survey 
of  Adams  County.  This  has  since  been  completed  and  an  original 
copy  of  soil  maps  of  the  townships  has  been  provided  for  the  special 


Demonstration  ilEETiNO  op  County  Farm   Improvement 
Association 


use  of  the  Association.  The  bulletin  for  distribution  will  be  published 
as  soon  as  po.ssible  by  the  university. 

The  principles  of  soil  fertility  and  permanent  agriculture  have 
been  e.xplained  in  farm  visits,  office  calls  and  in  meetings,  to  every 
member  who  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity. 

Some  members  have  been  assisted  in  rearranging  farm  plans,  so 
as  to  put  into  practice  the  established  [irinciples  of  soil  fertility. 
Approximately,  1,007  tons  of  rock  phosphate  have  been  purchased 
through  the  association,  at  a  saving  of  from  25  to  50  cents  per  ton. 
The  diflPerenee  at  present  (spring  of  1918)  between  association  con- 
tract price  and  price  to  non-meinbcrs  is  .$1.00  Approximately  1.652 
tons  of  ground  lime  have  been  purchased  through  the  association,  the 
bulk  of  this  at  a  slight  saving. 

Definite  campaigns  have  been  conducted  along  the  following  lines: 
Alfalfa  production,  soybean  production,  picking  seed  corn,  seed  corn 


24  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

testing,  treatment  for  oat  smut,  spraying  fruit  trees  and  hog  pro- 
duction. 

Demonstrations  have  been  conducted  along  the  following  lines: 
Vai'iety  tests  of  oats;  variety  tests  of  wheat;  relative  fly  resistance 
of  diiferenee  varieties  of  wheat ;  control  of  San  Jose  scale  and  Codling 
moth  by  spraying;  use  of  limestone,  rock  phosphate  and  bonemeal; 
variety  tests  of  soybeans ;  soybeans  in  corn  and  alone ;  testing  seed 
corn ;  various  methods  of  feeding  different  classes  of  live  stock. 

The  following  automobile  tours  have  been  made :  In  1916,  thirty- 
six  people  made  the  trip  to  the  University  of  Illinois,  Frank  Llann's 
farm  in  Iroquois  County  and  other  farms  in  Livingstone,  McLean 
and  Tazewell  coiinties.  This  tour  gave  the  participants  a  splendid 
opportunity  to  study  the  results  of  the  experiment  stations  and  various 
methods  used  by  practical  progressive  farmers  in  the  sections  visited. 
Also,  the  alfalfa  tour  within  the  county;  the  hog  tour  in  the  fall  of 
1917  and  tlie  dairy  tour  during  the  same  season,  as  well  as  local 
tours  made  by  members  in  different  localities. 

The  Adams  County  Farm  Improvement  Association  stands  for 
co-operation  and  has  participated  in  various  co-operative  affairs 
throughout  the  county,  including  County  Farmers'  Institutes  and 
the  Fall  Bound-up  held  in  Quincy  in  1916. 

The  Association  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  Adams  County 
Home  Improvement  Association,  which  in  February,  1918,  employed 
a  woman  adviser,  whose  duties  with  that  organization  correspond 
quite  closely  with  those  which  attach  to  ilr.  Rusk  in  connection  with 
the  Farm  Improvement  Association.  The  woman  adviser  is  Miss 
Helen  Comstock,  and  her  responsibilities  are  especially  heavy  in  these 
times  of  war  foods  and  conservations;  for,  although  the  Government 
issues  a  prodigious  quantity  of  literature  from  Washington  along  these 
lines,  there  are  comparatively  few  women,  either  among  the  city  or 
the  country  people,  who  are  able  to  digest  them  and  apply  the  in- 
structions practically  to  their  households. 

The  Adams  County  Farm  Improvement  Association  is  a  member 
of  the  Illinois  Agricultural  Association  and  co-operates  with  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture,  thus  linking  the  local  members 
through  the  local  organizations  with  the  state  and  national  agricul- 
tural organizations. 

Its  scope  and  purposes  are  thus  defined : 

It  is  the  only  county-wide  organization  of  farmers. 

It  is  associated  with  other  farm  bureaus  in  an  effective  organiza- 
tion through  which  the  will  of  the  farmers  of  the  state  is  being  made 
known. 

It  employs  a  farm  adviser  who  occupies  all  of  his  time  working 
in  the  interest  of  the  agriculture  of  the  county.  He  is  a  man  of 
scientific  training  as  well  as  of  practical  experience,  who  is  at  the 
service  of  the  members  to  assist  in  solving  their  problems. 

It  arranges  for  co-operative  purchase  of  pure  seeds,  phosphate, 
limestone,  tankage,  etc.,  in  large  quantities  at  reduced  prices. 


QUIXCY  AND  A1)A.M8  COLNTV  25 

It  detemiiiios  the  causes  for  high  and  low  yields  of  grains  and 
grasses  and  for  good  and  poor  results  with  live  stock,  and  furnishes 
such  information  to  its  members. 

It  brings  the  membei's  into  close  touch  with  the  reliable  informa- 
tion regarding  soils,  crops,  stock  and  farm  mauagement  which  has 
been  collected  by  state  and  national  experiments  and  investigations 
and  helps  to  apply  sucli  information  to  local  conditions. 

It  holds  demonstration  meetings  on  the  farms  of  its  members  and 
conducts  tours  to  the  state  experiment  station  and  elsewhere  so  that 
the  members  may  see  the  i-esults  of  various  methods  of  farm  practice. 

It  holds  meetings  where  the  members  come  together  and  discuss 
important  subjects. 

It  assists  the  individual  members  to  study  the  busine.ss  side  of  their 
farming  operations  and  enables  some  to  improve  their  methods. 

It  is  managed  by  officers  who  are  practical,  wide-awake  farmers 
who  are  studying  to  make  the  business  of  farming  more  profitable. 

It  publishes  a  weekly  exchange  list  of  live  stock,  seeds,  and  other 
farm  products  for  sale  by  its  members,  free  of  charge. 

It  sends  fre(|uent  letters  to  its  members  giving  results  of  investiga- 
tional work  within  the  county  and  calling  attention  to  timely  iufoi-ma- 
tion  on  various  agricultural  subjects. 

Membership  in  a  Farm  Improvement  Association  identifies  a  man 
with  a  progressive  farmers'  organization. 

Present  .\xd  Future  op  Agriculture 

The  first  three-year  period  of  the  Adams  County  Farm  Improve- 
ment Association  ended  April  1,  1918,  at  which  time  its  membership 
was  about  400.  The  star  townships  were  Melrose,  Houston,  Gilmer, 
Camp  Point,  Clayton  and  Rurton.  Especially  during  the  present 
stressful  period  the  work  of  the  Association  is  of  ^ntal  importance, 
as  it  is  a  rallying  organization  through  which  the  united  patriotism 
of  the  agricultural  element  may  assist  in  pushing  Democracy  on  to 
victory.  As  noted  by  Farm  Adviser  Rusk  in  his  report  for  the  year 
ending  December  1,  1917:  "Our  Government  realizes  the  importance 
of  organization  and  is  strongly  urging  the  farmers  to  organize  through- 
out the  country.  They  are  backing  their  advice  by  offering  financial 
aid  to  assist  in  the  work.  It  is  very  evident  that  the  most  efficient 
work  in  the  support  of  our  Government  in  increasing  the  agricultural 
production  of  the  farm  can  and  will  be  done  through  these  farm 
organizations.  This  is  surely  a  time  for  loyal  farmers  to  work  shoulder 
to  shoulder  in  the  army  behind  the  lines." 

In  the  same  paper  Mr.  Rusk  sets  forth  numerous  subjects  of  such 
practical  interest  and  value,  tending  to  give  not  only  a  clear  idea  of 
the  work  of  the  Association  but  of  the  present  and  future  of  apicul- 
ture in  Adams  County,  that  liberal  extracts  are  taken  from  it. 

"Adams  County,"  ho  say.s,  "is  truly  diversified  in  its  agriculture. 
Along  the  river  on  the  west  side  of  the  county  orcharding  and  gar- 


26 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


deiiing  are  specialties  covering  quite  a  tei-ritory.  In  tlie  neighborhood 
of  Quincy  and  in  other  small  sections  dairying  has  been  developed, 
although  it  is  not  yet  an  important  type  of  farming  so  far  as  numbers 
are  concerned.  A  few  of  our  farmers  are  strictly  grain  farmers,  but 
for  the  most  part,  aside  from  the  gardeners  and  orchard  specialists, 
our  farmers  are  doing  a  general  farming  business,  many  of  them 
specializing  in  live  stock,  especially  hog  production  and  feeding. 

"We  have  within  the  county  fifteen  distinctly  different  types  of 
soil,  with  the  brown  silt  loam  and  yellow  gray  silt  loam  predomi- 
nating. Along  the  western  side  of  the  county  there  is  quite  an  area 
of  yellow  gray  fine  sandy  loam  and  some  brown  fine  sandy  loam. 
Right  next  to  the  river  both  north  and  south  of  Quincy  there  is 
quite  an  area  of  bottom  soil,  some  creek  bottom,  but  mostly  regular 
river  bottom  formation.  With  the  exception  of  some  of  this  bottom 
soil  and  a  relatively  small  area  of  black  clay  loam  in  the  northeastern 


Automatic  Alfalfa  Feeder  for  Hogs 


part  of  the  county,  practically  all  of  the  soil  in  Adams  County  is 
becoming  low  in  organic  matter  and  is  also  in  need  of  limestone  and 
phosphorus. 

' '  The  worst  handicap  to  the  development  of  the  permanent  system 
of  agriculture  in  Adams  County  is  the  lack  of  railroad  facilities  in 
a  large  portion  of  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county.  Practically 
all  of  the  land  in  this  section  of  the  county  is  badly  in  need  of  lime- 
stone and  phosphorus,  and  many  of  the  farmers  would  be  inter- 
ested in  applying  these  materials  to  their  land  if  the  hauling  dis- 
tance was  not  so  great.  A  considerable  territory  is  so  situated  in 
this  regard  as  to  make  the  application  of  these  heavy  materials  al- 
most prohibitive.  Local  mining  and  crushing  of  limestone  has  been 
practiced  to  some  extent  in  these  localities,  but  as  yet  those  who 
have  operated  the  crushers  have  not  been  able  to  do  the  work  reason- 
ably enough  to  create  a  very  great  interest  in  the  matter.  Through 
the  northern  half  of  the  county  and  along  the  entire  western  side 


QriN(  V  AND  ADA.MS  COUXIV  27 

these  conditions  do  not  hold  true,  and  the  bulk  o£  our  rock  phos- 
phate and  limestone  is  being  used  in  these  sections  of  the  county. 

"From  tlie  \evy  IteiL'inning  of  tlie  Kami  liuprovenient  Association 
work  of  Adams  County  the  importance  of  making  practical  appli- 
cation of  the  Illinois  doctrine  of  permanent  agriculture  has  been 
emphasized.  During  the  past  year  I  have  been  able  to  see  the 
results  of  previous  work  along  this  line.  It  has  not  been  necessary 
to  do  as  much  pioneer  work  of  this  sort  in  the  past  year,  and  it  has 
made  it  possible  to  pay  more  attention  to  the  working  out  of  crop- 
ping systems  and  utilization  of  the  crops  and  the  improvement  of 
live  stock  conditions. 

"We  had  our  tirst  dairy  tour  this  year,  and  also  our  first  hog 
tour;  and  this  work  has  been  the  opening  wedge  to  further  special 
work  along  live  stock  lines.  We  have  continued  the  work  started 
a  year  ago  last  spring  in  our  alfalfa  campaign.  This  fall  the  first 
annual  premiums  in  a  three-year  alfalfa  contest  were  distributed. 

"Twenty-five  demonsti-ation  meetings  have  been  held,  covering 
several  different  phases  of  work.  Included  among  these  have  been 
soj'bean,  sweet  clover,  alfalfa,  dairy,  swine,  rock  phosphate,  and 
limestone  demonstrations.  During  the  year  just  past  we  have  not 
held  our  regular  Farmers'  Institute  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  1916-17 
Institute  was  held  early  in  the  fall.  Early  in  the  spring  of  this  year 
several  special  committees  were  appointed,  and  through  these  some 
definite  group  work  has  been  done,  especially  in  planning  for  other 
work.  The  Dairy  Committee,  for  instance,  had  charge  of  the  dairy 
tour,  and  the  Live  Stock  Committee  had  charge  of  the  hog  tour,  and  is 
now  planning  for  the  organization  of  the  live  stock  men  of  the  county. 

"As  stated,  the  principal  needs  of  Adams  County  soils  are  organic 
matter,  limestone  and  phosphorus.  We  have  had  a  number  of  ex- 
cellent demonstrations  to  show  the  extreme  need  of  limestone  in  order 
that  legume  crops  may  be  grown  to  better  advantage,  and  thus  build 
up  nitrogen  and  organic  content  of  the  soil.  A  considerable  area  of 
land  in  Adams  County  is  also  badly  in  need  of  drainage.  Owing  to 
the  fact  that  our  soils  are  underlaid  with  a  fairly  tight  subsoil,  the 
practice  of  tile  draining  the  land  has  not  become  general.  In  fact. 
only  a  very  few  have  installed  adequate  drainage  systems.  While  it 
is  a  fact,  of  course,  that  tile  does  not  work  so  well  where  the  soil  is 
tight  as  where  there  is  a  poorer  subsoil,  yet  we  have  some  very  good 
demonstrations  of  the  value  of  tile  drainage  on  some  of  our  medium 
tight  subsoils. 

"The  practice  of  growing  sweet  clover  is  increasing  in  favor.  partl\ 
due  to  the  drainage  effect  resulting  from  the  deep  growing  clover 
roots.    Interest  in  drainage  is  increasing. 

"As  a  matter  of  course,  a  considerable  amount  of  work  has  been 
done  in  connection  with  the  growing  of  general  and  special  crops.  I 
have  given  considerable  publicity  to  the  subject  of  seed  com  selec- 
tion, especially  this  fall.  I  am  endeavoring  to  locate  a  snflRcient 
quantity  of  good  seed  for  our  own  use  and  believe  we  will  also  hiive 


28  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

seed  to  spare.  It  will  not  be  perhaps  first  class,  but  by  very  careful 
selection  and  testing  we  may  be  able  to  supply  a  considerable  amount 
of  seed.  The  work  along  this  line  is  only  well  begun.  Further  in- 
vestigation of  possible  supplies  of  seed  and  testing  out  of  same  will 
be  one  of  our  specialties. 

"This  spring  through  the  Association  the  Iowa  103  oats  were  in- 
troduced on  a  number  of  farms  in  the  county.  Fairly  accurate  rec- 
ords have  been  kept  of  the  relative  yields  of  this  variety  in  com- 
parison with  other  varieties  common  to  this  section,  with  the  result 
that  without  exception  the  Iowa  103  has  outyielded  the  other  varie- 
ties several  bushels  per  acre,  the  average  being  somewhere  in  the 
neighborhood  of  ten  bushels.  Already  the  seed  is  being  contracted 
for  spring  seeding. 

'  ■  The  work  of  testing  out  varieties  of  wheat  has  been  continued, 
and  in  addition  to  trying  to  get  at  the  relative  yielding  powers  of 
the  different  varieties  for  this  section,  we  are  also  co-operating  witli 
the  State  Entomologist  in  determining  the  relative  fly  resistance  of 
several  different  varieties.  The  work  has  this  year  given  us  some 
very  interesting  results. 

'  ■  The  interest  in  the  growing  of  alfalfa  is  increasing  rather  slowly 
in  Adams  County,  due  to  the  fact  that  the  seasons  have  been  un- 
favorable. Difficulty  in  its  pi'oduction  has  resulted  from  winter- 
killing and  too  much  moisture,  both  due  in  some  instances  to  the  tight 
subsoil  giving  poor  drainage.  Some  of  the  best  results  have  thus  far 
been  obtained  where  sweet  clover  has  been  grown  previous  to  the 
seeding  of  alfalfa.  This  fact,  couj^led  with  the  fact  that  such  good 
results  have  been  obtained  from  sweet  clover  as  a  forage  and  pasture 
crop,  has  stimulated  increased  interest  in  the  production  of  sweet 
clover.  The  acreage  of  this  crop  would  be  increased  rapidly,  indeed, 
if  it  were  not  for  the  fact  that  its  successful  culture  demands  the  use 
of  limestone. 

"As  has  been  the  case  generally  throughout  organized  counties,  the 
interest  in  the  growing  of  soybeans  has  increased  considerably  during 
this  past  year.  The  growing  of  soybeans  has  been  advised  in  Adams 
County  from  the  beginning  of  the  organization,  and  the  interest  in 
the  growing  of  the  crop  has  increased  gradually.  This  year  over 
100  farmers  are  growing  soybeans,  perhaps  twice  as  many  as  were 
growing  them  last  year;  and  three  years  ago  there  were  only  four 
or  five  people  in  the  county  who  grew  soybeans.  Perhaps  the  best 
argument  in  favor  of  the  growing  of  this  crop  in  the  county  is  that 
every  man  who  plants  soybeans  once  continues  to  grow  them.  Pas- 
ture mixtures  made  up  mainly  of  legumes  have  been  tried  out  this 
season  with  considerable  .success. 

"A  year  ago  this  fall  some  demonstration  work  in  the  control  of 
San  Jose  scale  was  put  on  in  two  orchards  in  co-operation  with  the 
State  Entomologist.  This  demonstration  work  was  completed  this 
spring,  when  a  count  of  the  scale  infestation  in  the  various  plots  was 
made.     The  results   of  the  work  showed  that,  practically  complete 


QIIXCV   AM)  ADA.MS  COrXTY 


20 


control  of  scale  in  a  badly  infested  orchard  could  be  accomplished  in 
a  year's  time  by  a  thorough  sprayiufr.  The  various  standard  sprays 
controlled  the  scale  alwut  e<iually  well. 

'■  Considerable  live  stock  work  of  various  kinds  has  been  done  in 
the  county  this  year.  Breeding  animals,  especially  pure  bred  sires, 
as  well  as  stocker  stuff,  have  been  located,  and  the  people  have  been 
assisted  in  the  purchase  and  sale  of  same  in  various  ways.  In  our 
dairy  tour  a  group  of  fifteen  live  dairymen  visited  nine  dairy  herds 
in  an  adjoining  county.  In  the  hog  tour  three  herds  of  pure  bred 
hogs  were  inspected.  This  tour  resulted  directly  in  the  purchase  of 
several  pure  bred  animals  by  members  of  the  as.sociation.  During 
the  year  just  past,  at  least  three  members  of  the  association  have 
started  pure  bred  herds  of  big  type  Poland-Chinas.  Considerable 
information  has  been  given  members  of  the  association  with  regard 


PiRE  Bred  Shorthorns 


to  methods  of  feeding  and  care  of  all  classes  of  live  stock.  Some  work 
has  been  done  in  connection  with  the  control  of  hog  cholera,  including 
a  little  help  in  vaccination.  A  considerable  amount  of  tankage  has 
been  ordered  for  members  of  the  a.ssociation  thi'ough  the  office. 

"A  series  of  meetings  was  held  in  February,  at  which  time  as- 
sistance was  given  members  in  balancing  and  starting  their  Farm 
Account  books.  During  the  past  two  years  a  total  of  117  men  in  the 
association  have  taken  Farm  Account  books.  All  of  them  have  re- 
ceived instruction  by  mail  and  the  majority  have  had  personal  as- 
sistance. 

"Considerable  time  has  been  given  to  the  matter  of  explaining  the 
wor"king  of  the  draft  law  and  assisting  farmers  all  over  the  county, 
whether  members  or  not,  to  a  proper  understanding  of  their  obliga- 
tions in  this  matter.  I  have  also  a.ssisted  pei-sonally  in  the  solicitation 
for  the  sale  of  Liberty  Bonds,  and,  in  every  way  possible,  doing  all 
I  can  to  aid  in  the  carrying  out  of  the  wishes  of  our  Government 


30  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

with  respect  to  the  work  of  the  Food  Administration  and  Council  of 
Defense. 

' '  In  the  spring  I  gave  some  time  to  the  work  of  interesting  the  boys 
and  girls  of  the  city  of  Quincy  in  home  gardens.  This  was  done 
mainly  through  talks  made  to  the  boys  and  girls  in  the  schools,  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  and  club  meetings.  During  the  past 
three  weeks  I  have  conducted  thirteen  public  meetings  for  the  special 
purpose  of  increasing  the  interest  in  hog  production.  This  work 
will  be  continued  until  practically  every  section  of  the  county  has 
been  touched. 

"I  have  done  considerable  work  recently  in  assisting  the  ladies  of 
the  county  in  launching  their  Home  Improvement  organization.  The 
Adams  County  Home  Improvement  Association  is  now  organized. 
The  two  associations  will  co-operate  to  the  fullest  extent." 


CHAPTER  III 

PREDECESSORS  OF  THE  WHITES 

Prehistoric  Mounds  in  the  "American  Bottom" — Archaeological 
Rem^^ins  in  Adams  County — The  Ilunois  Indlvx  Confederacy— 
•'Poor  Old  Kickapoo  Me." 

Primitive  man,  whether  he  be  known  as  mound  builder,  Indian  or 
white,  has  followed  one  general  rule  of  life ;  he  has  clung,  as  closely 
as  possible,  to  the  waterways  of  his  world.  Until  his  kind  has  so  mul- 
tiplied that  he  could  construct  and  keep  safe  the  overland  and  shorter 
routes,  he  has  pitched  his  tent  or  constructed  his  shelter  of  trees  and 
earth,  formed  his  family  circle  and  lighted  his  altar  fires,  within  sight 
of  the  refreshing  and  sustaining  streams  and  lakes  of  the  land.  In 
the  United  States,  the  archaeologist  has  discovered  the  most  nu- 
merous and  impressive  remains  of  the  civilization  which  was  extinct 
when  the  red  man  was  first  known  to  history  in  the  great  basins  em- 
braced by  the  Mississippi  system,  especially  in  the  valleys  of  the  Ohio 
and  its  tributaries  and  along  the  banks  of  the  parent  river. 

The  Ohio  River  system  embraces  the  richest  fields  of  investigation 
for  the  archaeologist,  although  the  Upper  Mississippi  presents  much 
of  interest.  The  mounds  are  scattered  over  many  districts  of  Iowa, 
especially  east  of  the  Des  Moines  River,  along  the  Iowa  River,  near 
Fort  Madison  and  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  state.  The  Iowa 
remains  are  (|uite  similar  to  those  found  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
Mississippi  along  the  strip  of  the  river  bottom  lands. 

Prehistoric  ^Founds  i.v  the  "American  Bottom" 

The  most  famous  collections  of  prehistoric  mounds  in  Illinois  are 
probably  those  in  the  Galena  lead  district  in  the  extreme  north- 
western part  of  the  present  state  and  those  at  and  near  Cahokia,  in 
the  far  southwestern  portion.  Mr.  Breckenridge,  who  examined  the 
antiquities  of  the  West  in  1817,  says  of  the  mounds  in  the  American 
Bottom:  "The  great  number  and  extremely  large  size  of  some  of 
them  may  be  regarded  as  furnishing,  with  other  circumstances,  evi- 
dences of  their  antiquity.  I  have  .sometimes  been  induced  to  think 
that  at  the  period  when  they  were  constructed  there  was  a  popula- 
tion here  as  numerous  as  that  which  once  animated  the  borders  of  the 
Nile  or  Euphrates,  or  of  Mexico.  The  most  numerous,  as  well  as  con- 
siderable, of  these  remains  are  found  in  precisely  those  parts  of  the 

;;i 


32 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


country  where  the  traces  of  a  numerous  population  might  be  looked 
for — namely,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Mississippi  River  to  the  Illinois  River,  and  on  the  west,  from  the 
St.  Francis  to  the  Missouri.  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  that  cities  sim- 
ilar to  those  of  ancient  Mexico,  of  several  hundred  thousand  souls, 
have  existed  in  this  country." 

Abchaeologic.vl  Remains  in  Adams  County 

There  are  no  really  remarkable  mounds,  or  other  archaeological 
remains,  in  Adams  County,  although  those  which  have  given  a  name 
to  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  Quincy  parks  are  quite  striking 
and  worthy  of  note.     The  stately  earthwork  shovni  in  the  illustration 


~4Hi^ 

m^^ 

^   ^^^ 

^  «*»s^:>.:. 

■■^  » <•• 

i^i^^^^  '•"'" 

HjUPfeliii 

-  ^mm^  mm>  ^msf^ 

j^p;.    • 

►  ^^  Jtf'  ilHi^  in^ 

1^  ista^^ 

Arrow  Heads  from  the  Mississippi  Valley 


commands  a  sweeping  view  of  the  city  from  the  south,  with  the  ^lis- 
sissippi  River  in  the  background. 

As  to  these  structures  of  the  days  and  ages  long  gone,  illustrated 
by  local  remains,  the  late  Gen.  John  Tillson,  of  Quincy,  has  written 
as  follows,  his  paper  being  called  forth  by  an  editorial  in  the  Quincy 
Commercial  Review  commenting  on  certain  statements  made  by 
Doctor  Rice  before  the  Wisconsin  Historical  Society:  "Editor  Re- 
view— In  your  issue  of  February  16th  reference  is  made  to  a  report 
of  Doctor  Rice,  of  Wisconsin,  in  regard  to  the  origin  and  use  of  the 
so-ealled  mounds  scattered  throughout  the  Mississippi  Valley,  in 
which  he  asserts  that  the.y  are  the  remains  of  huts — residences — and 
that  their  use  as  places  of  sepulture  was  by  a  later  race  than  that 
which  erected  them.  It  is  also  said  that  this  is  a  new  theory.  There 
is  therefore  a  good  deal  that  is  probable  and  considerable  that  is  in- 
correct. First,  as  to  the  novelty  of  the  theory;  it  is  not  new.  It  has 
been  the  belief  of  the  earlier  examiners  of  these  remains,  long  prior 


QUINCY  AND  ADA3IS  COUNTY  33- 

to  the  birth  of  Doctor  Rice  of  the  Wisconsin  Historical  Society,  that 
the  great  mass  of  the  mouuds  found  in  the  "West  (with  an  exception 
to  be  noted  hereafter)  were  built  for  and  used  as  residences — places 
for  living — with  occasionally  a  larger  one  for  public  use,  such  as  a 
fort,  place  of  worship  or  council. 

"The  material  of  their  construction  may  have  been  wood — now 
completely  decayed — but  much  more  probably  was  of  earth,  as,  near 
most  of  the  mounds,  can  be  observed  an  excavation  like  that  near  a 
brick-kiln  or  a  railroad  embankment,  from  which  the  soil  appears  to 
have  been  removed.  Jlost  of  these  mounds  have  a  depression  in  the 
center,  just  such  as  would  appear  where  tlie  walls  of  a  building  bad 
crumbled  down  and  the  roofs,  of  lighter  material  and  less  bulk,  had 
dropped  when  less  supported.  If  this  theory  is  to  be  considered,  the 
walls  were  of  great  thickness,  for  the  reason  that  they  were  both  the 
Jiouses  and  defenses  of  the  frail,  scattered  fragments  of  an  almost 
exterminated  race — the  race  which  research  has  almost  conclusively 
proven  of  higher  civilization  than  their  successors — swept  from  ex- 
istence by  the  Indian. 

"The  exception  to  which  I  allude  above  is  this:  That  the  iso- 
lated, conical  mounds  on  high  points  of  the  bluffs  were  undoul)tedIy 
for  burial  purposes  only.  They  were  the  monumental  resting  places 
of  honored  and  eminent  men ;  and  Doctor  Rice  is  no  doubt  correct  in 
his  statement  that  the  moldercd  huts  of  these  long-gone  builders  were 
used  by  a  succeeding  race  as  places  of  burial.  This  is  an  Indian  cus- 
tom almost  to  the  present  day.  But  as  to  the  other  mounds,  those  not 
on  the  bluff  peaks,  their  outline,  so  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  is  usually 
rectangular,  with. the  depression  in  the  center  above  named.  Their 
location,  like  those  found  near  Bear  Creek,  Jlill  Creek  and  in  the 
Redmond  field  south  of  Quincy  on  land  just  above  overflow,  was  ac- 
cessible from  the  river  and  yet  concealed  therefrom.  The  utensils 
found  therein,  and  all  the  surroundings,  point  to  the  plausibility  of 
their  having  been  domestic  abodes. 

"Another  feature,  sometimes  noticeable,  is  that  the  tree  growth 
from  these  mounds  is  often  of  a  character  unlike  that  found  in  the 
adjacent  country ;  the  evident  product  of  some  nuts,  seeds  or  vege- 
table l)rought  from  afar  and  left  in  the  hut,  sprouting  and  growing 
clusters  of  trees  not  natural  to  the  soil  around. 

"The  examination  of  these  vestiges  of  a  long-gone  race  made  half 
a  century  or  more  ago  was  more  exhaustive  and  better  based  than  any 
that  can  be  made  now.  It  was  made  by  skilful,  learned  and  curious 
men  who  saw  them  in  far  lietter  preservation  than  they  are  at  pres- 
ent, before  civilization  had  aided  time  in  their  destruction  and  when, 
as  is  not  the  ease  now,  all  the  Indian  traditional  historj*  was  at  hand 
to  throw  its  wavering  light  upon  the  subject.  The  best-based  theory 
heretofore  generally  accepted  as  to  the  past  occupation  of  this  con- 
tinent is  that  races  existed  here  advanced  in  civilization  beyond  any 
that  have  succeeded  them,  until  its  discover^'  by  Europeans;  races 
contemporan-  in  improvement  with  Greece  and  Rome,  but  f;ir  oaMier 


34  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

in  point  of  time;  and  that  they  were  swept  from  supremacy  by  a 
vandalism  such  as  burst  upon  Europe  centuries  ago;  that,  just  as 
theirs  was  inferior  to  European  civilization,  so  more  effectually  have 
their  memorials  been  extinguished  and,  unlike  European  civilization, 
no  sufScient  vitality  remained  to  conquer  their  conquerors. 

"The  mound  builders  were  the  probable  successors  of  a  more 
highly  cultivated  stock,  the  remains  of  whose  existence  are  found 
throughout  Southern  North  America.  In  time,  they  were  swept 
from  the  land  by  the  modern  Indian,  whose  centuries  of  existence, 
even  before  the  withering  presence  of  the  white  man  premonished 
his  extermination,  have  been  marked  by  no  solitary  evidence  of  ad- 
vancement (Not  applicable  to  the  present  statue  of  the  educated 
Indian  of  Oklahoma  and  other  sections  of  the  United  States — Ed- 
itor). That  the  Indian  built  none  of  these  mounds  except  those  on 
the  heights  before  mentioned  is  almost  sure;  that  they  have  made 
use  of  those  built  by  their  predecessors  is  equally  certain;  and  that 
most  of  these  mounds  were  houses  or  forts  is  more  than  probable. ' ' 

It  is  recorded  that  Marquette  and  Joliet  met  many  Indian  tribes 
in  their  journeys  of  discovery  in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  whose  vil- 
lages were  scattered  along  its  high  eastern  bluffs,  and  it  is  certain 
that  about  July,  1673,  the  pious  and  intrepid  priest  at  least  passed 
the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Quincy.  Whether  he  actually  landed 
in  tliat  locality  is  not  known. 

The  Indians  found  in  Illinois  by  Marquette  and  Joliet  belonged 
to  the  Algonquin  family ;  and  there  was  undying  hatred  between  the 
Iroquois  of  the  East  and  Algonquius  of  the  Northwest. 

The  Illixois  Indian  Confederacy 

The  Illinois  Indians  formed  a  loose  confederacy  of  about  half  a 
dozen  tribes,  the  chief  of  which  were  the  Metchigamis,  the  Kaskas- 
kias,  the  Peorias,  the  Cahokias  and  the  Taraaroas.  In  addition,  there 
were  the  Piankashaws,  the  Weas,  the  Kickapoos,  the  Shawnees  and 
probably  other  tribes,  or  remnants,  who  occupied  Illinois  soil  for 
longer  or  shorter  periods.  The  first  iive  tribes  are  probably  all  who 
should  be  included  in  the  Illinois  Confederacy. 

The  Metchigamies  were  found  along  the  Mis.sissippi  River.  Their 
principal  settlement  was  near  Fort  Chartres.  They  also  lived  in  the 
vicinity  of  Lake  Michigan,  to  which  they  gave  their  name.  They 
were  allies  of  Pontiac  in  the  war  of  1764,  and  perished  with  other 
members  of  the  Illinois  Confederacy  on  Starved  Rock,  in  1769. 

The  Kaskaskias  were  originally  found  along  the  upper  courses 
of  the  Illinois  River,  and  it  was  among  the  members  of  this  tribe  that 
Marquette  planted  the  first  mission  in  Illinois.  They  moved  from 
the  upper  Illinois  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kaskaskia  River  in  1700,  and 
founded  there  the  old  City  of  Kaskaskia,  which  eventually  became 
the  center  of  French  life  in  the  interior  of  the  continent.  During 
the  following  century  the  Kaskaskias   occupied  the  region   at   and 


Illinois  Indians  at  Beginning  of  the  Nineteenth  Century 


36  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

about  their  city,  but  in  1802  were  almost  exterminated  by  the  Shaw- 
nees  at  the  battle  near  the  Big  Muddy,  Saline  County.  The  Kaskas- 
kias  afterward  moved  to  a  reservation  on  the  lower  Big  Muddy,  and 
eventually  to  the  Indian  Territory.  The  Cahokia  and  Tamaroa  ti-ibes 
were  merged  with  the  Kaskaskias  under  one  chief. 

The  Peorias  made  their  home  in  the  region  of  Lake  Peoria  and 
were  always  quiet  and  peaceable.  The  Piaukashaws,  a  small  tribe 
of  the  iliami  confederation,  first  resided  in  Southeastern  Wisconsin, 
and  after  the  misadventure  at  Starved  Rock  moved  to  the  Wabash 
River,  and  eventually  to  a  Kansas  reservation  and  to  the  Indian 
Territory.     They  were  alwaj's  very  friendly  to  the  white  settlers. 

Although  the  Miamis  and  the  Pottawatomies  were  familiar  to 
the  early  settlers  of  Western  Illinois  and  Adams  County,  they  were 
not  settled  representatives  of  the  red  men  in  those  sections  of  the 
state,  but  rather  made  their  appearance  as  warriors  or  hunters. 

The  Kickapoos  seemed  to  have  been  intimatelj-  associated  with 
the  Miamis  and  Pottawatomies  in  the  Indian  campaigns  against  St. 
Clair,  Wayne  and  Taylor.  They  were  bold  marauders  and  warriors, 
and  were  in  special  force  at  the  batttle  of  Tippecanoe.  They  were 
scattered  throughout  the  Illinois  country,  but  for  fifty  years  before 
the  Edwardsville  treaty  of  1819  held  strong  sway  over  the  eastern 
part  of  what  is  now  the  state,  and  in  the  late  '20s,  when  the  bulk 
of  the  first  permanent  white  settlers  were  arriving  in  the  present 
Adams  County,  still  occupied  the  soil  of  that  region  with  undis- 
puted title  to  its  possession  among  the  people  of  their  own  race. 
They  were  also  located  at  some  localities  along  the  Mississippi. 

The  Kickapoos,  as  a  tribe,  first  acknowledged  the  authority  of 
the  United  States  at  the  treaty  mentioned,  which  was  signed  July  30, 
1819.  A  month  later,  the  Government  concluded  a  treatj^  at  Vin- 
eennes  with  a  smaller  division  of  the  Kickapoos,  known  as  the  tribes 
of  the  Vermilion  River,  who  chiefly  claimed  territoi'y  embracing  the 
county  by  that  name.  Thus  relinquishing  all  title  to  their  lands  in 
Illinois,  the  Kickapoos  honorably  observed  their  contracts  and  moved 
as  a  body  to  their  western  lands,  although  weak  remnants  of  the  tribe 
lingered  until  the  early  '30s  on  several  favorite  camping  grounds.  A 
few' of  them  were  also  found  wandering  along  the  shores  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi. 

The  location  of  the  mounds  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Quiney 
bluffs  points  to  the  facts  that  its  commanding  site  gave  it  favor  as  a 
residence  and  center  of  primitive  people.  When  the  first  settlers 
commenced  to  locate  in  the  early  '20s  the  Indians  were  quite  nu- 
merous in  the  neighborhood,  and  some  time  before  they  had  quite  a 
village  there.  It  had  been  often  sighted  by  the  lumbermen  as  they 
floated  past  on  their  rafts  as  well  as  by  half-breed  boatmen  and  their 
Indian  crews.  The  latter  were  usually  composed  of  Sacs  and  Kicka- 
poos. It  is  probable  that  the  Indian  village  on  the  site  of  Quiney 
consisted  largely  of  Kickapoos, 


Ql'IXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  '  37 

"Poor  One  Kickapoo  Me" 

A  story  is  told  by  one  of  the  early  river  men  who  frequeuted  the 
locality  before  Quiiicy  was  placed  on  the  map  that  upon  one  occasion 
in  coming  up  the  Mississippi  River,  about  opposite  the  present  site 
of  the  place,  the  Sac  boatmen  (and  they  were  all  of  that  tribe,  ex- 
cept one  Kickapoo)  heard  that  one  of  their  people  had  been  killed 
by  the  Kickapoos.  It  was  solemnly  decided  by  the  Saukces  that  the 
solitary  Kickapoo  among  them  must  be  killed  in  retaliation.  So  they 
informed  the  trembling  Indian  that  be  must  die.  He  was  allowed 
to  go  into  the  woods  (the  boat  then  being  tied  up  at  the  shore)  and 
sing  his  death  song,  his  captors  watching  him  closely  to  be  sure  that 
he  did  not  escape.  The  white  man,  who  was  the  owner  of  the  cargo 
of  goods  and  who  told  the  story,  said  that  he  never  heard  such  doleful 
strains  as  came  from  the  poor  Kickapoo,  who  supposed  he  was  sing- 
ing his  death  song.  The  words,  in  broken  English,  were  mainly 
these:  "O-o-o.  poor  one  Kickapoo  mc;  whole  heap  of  Saukcel  O-o-o, 
poor  one  Kickapoo  me,  whole,  whole  heap  of  Saukee !  O-o-o,  poor 
one  Kickapoo  me,  whole,  whole,  whole  heap  of  Saukee!"  The  nar- 
rator did  not  at  first  realize  the  bloody  intentions  of  the  Sacs,  but, 
when  he  did,  managed  to  effect  the  escape  of  "poor  one  Kickapoo 
me."  Commenting  on  this  story,  a  writer  sympathetically  adds:  "I 
have  never,  since  hearing  tliis  story,  seen  a  crowd  set  upon  one  man 
without  any  justification,  but  what  I  have  thought  of  that  one  poor 
Kickapoo  surrounded  by  a  whole  heap  of  Saukees." 


CHAPTER  IV 

COUNTY  HISTORY  IX  THE  MAKING 

Under  French  Dominion — Joleet  and  I\Iarquette  on  Illinois  Soil 
— ^Legendary  I\Ionsters  of  the  Mississippi  Valley — The  "Piasa" 
Bird — Marquette  and  Joliet  Get  Desired  Information — Return 
Via  the  Illinois  River — Last  Days  op  RLvrquette — La  S^ille 
Consolidates  French  Empire  in  America — Brave  and  F^uthful 
ToNTi — Commercial  Venture  into  Illinois  Country — Afloat  on 
THE  Kankakee — La  Salle  Meets  the  ILvskaskia  Indians — 
Builds  Fort  Crevecoeur  Below  Peoria— Sends  Father  Henne- 
pin to  Upper  IMississippi — The  Disasters  at  Starved  Rock 
and  Fort  Crevecoeur — La  Salle's  Second  Voyage — At  the 
Mouth  of  the  Mississippi — Messenger  Sent  to  France — Deaths 
of  La  Salle  and  Tonti — Permanent  Pioneer  Settlements  of 
Illinois — Fort  Chartres,  Center  of  Illinois  District — First 
Land  Grant  in  District — Life  at  the  Pioneer  French  Illinois 
Settlements — Under  the  Crown  and  the  Jesuits — Kaskaskia, 
Illinois  Jesuit  Center — Fortunate  and  Progressive  Illinois 
— The  English  Invade  the  Ohio  V.u^ley — French  Rebuild 
Fort  Chartres — Illinois  Triumphs  Over  Virginl\ — New  Fort 
Chartres  in  British  Hands — First  English  Court  of  Law  in 
Illinois  Country — Pontiac  Buried  at  St.  Louis — L.vst  of  Fort 
Chartres — "Long  Knives"  Capture  Kaskaskia — Did  Not  War 
on  "Women  ^ustd  Children" — Bloodless  Capture  op  Cahokia 

AND  VlNCENNES — ClARk's   LiTTLE  ArMY  REORGANIZED COMBINED 

Military  and  Civil  Jurisdiction — County  of  Illinois,  West  of 
the  Ohio  River — Col.  John  Todd,  County  Lieutenant- 
American  Civil  Government  Northwest  of  the  Ohio — Illinois 
as  a  Territory — Bond  Law  Protect^  Home  Seekers — State  Ma- 
chinery Set  in  IMotion — Illinois  Counties  in  1818 — Wild  Cat 
Banking — Slavery  Question  Again — The  Famous  Sangamon 
Country — Duncan  and  the  Free  School  Law — Illinois  Inter- 
nal Improvements — Capital  Moved  to  Springfield — Remains  of 
Internal  Improvement  System — Constitution  of  1848 — Legis- 
lative Lessons  Through  Experience — Real  Wild  Cat  Banks — 
National  Banks  Force  Out  Free  Banks — The  Constitution  of 
1870. 

As  tlie  greater  includes  the  less,  the  past  enlightens  the  present  and, 
with  the  enveloping  background  kept  in  mind,  the  present  is  prophetic 
of  the  future,  the  study  even  of  somewhat  restricted  history  has  gath- 

38 


QUIXCY  AXU  ADAilS  COUNTY  39 

ercd  both  dignity  and  charm.  Therefore  it  is  that  to  fully  uiuicrstaiid 
the  storj'  of  Adams  County  development,  the  writer  of  today  feels 
called  upon  to  preface  it  by  creating  a  background  of  general  history 
dealing  with  the  explorations  and  discoveries  of  the  Mississippi  Valley, 
and  the  evolution  therein  of  French,  English  and  American  phases  of 
civilization.  Thus  the  Illinois  Country,  Illinois  County,  Illinois  Ter- 
ritorj',  Illinois  State  and  Adams  County  gradually  evolve,  and  the 
reader  is  prepared  to  consider  the  details  of  that  section  of  the  com- 
monwealth with  broad  understanding  and  a  deeper  interest  than  if  he 
had  been  suddenly  cast  into  the  minutise  of  the  subject. 

Under  French  Dominion 

What  was  the  old  Northwest  Territory,  between  the  Ohio  and  the 
Mississippi  rivers,  and  what  are  now  the  State  of  Illinois  and  Adams 
County  remained  under  French  dominion  for  nearly  a  century — from 
the  historic  voyages  of  ^larquette  and  Joliet,  in  1672-73,  to  the  sur- 
render of  Fort  Chartres  to  the  English  in  1765.  These  pioneers  of 
French  discovery  revealed  to  the  world  two  great  waterways  from 
their  northern  domain  to  the  portentous  Father  of  Watei-s,  which 
was  discovered  to  cleave  a  new  continent  in  twain,  instead  of  being 
either  diverted  to  the  South  Seas  or  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  Their  as- 
cent of  the  Illinois,  on  their  return  voyage,  as  a  shorter  and  easier 
route  between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Great  River,  was  significant 
of  the  commencement  of  an  era  which  marked  the  trend  of  the  most 
wonderful  development  in  North  America  of  everj-  material  and  in- 
tellectual force  which  advances  the  civilization  of  the  white  man  of 
the  "Western  Hemisphere. 

The  grand  march  of  French  exploration  and  discover}'  up  the 
valley  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  through  Cartier  and  Cliamplain;  around 
the  fringes  of  the  upper  Great  Lakes  and  gradually  into  the  out- 
lying country  by  the  same  far-seeing,  brave  and  patriotic  Chaini)laiii ; 
the  wonderful  combination  of  church  and  state,  which  penetrated 
the  wilderness,  subdued  its  savages  both  by  the  mysteries  of  Catholi- 
cism, gentle  and  brotherly  offices  and  the  pageantry  of  a  gorgeous 
government — all  these  successive  steps  leading  to  the  voyages  of  Mar- 
quette and  Joliet  which  drove  the  wedge  into  the  very  center  of  the 
American  continent  and  commenced  to  let  in  the  light  of  the  world, 
have  been  so  often  told  that  they  comprise  the  common  knowledge  of 
the  reading  universe. 

Joliet  .\nd  ^I.vrquette  on  Illinois  Soil 

A  landing  on  Illinois  soil  wa.s  effected  on  their  trip  down  the 
Mississippi,  in  June,  1673.  On  the  17th  of  that  month  their  canoes, 
containing  Joliet,  Marquette,  five  French  l)oatmen,  or  voyagours,  and 
two  Indian  guides,  shot  from  the  mouth  of  th<'  Wiseonsin  into  the 
broad  Mississippi.     The  voyagers  were  filled  with  a  joy  unspeakable. 


^Iarquettk  in  the  Illinois  (.uuntky 


QUIXCY  AND  ADA^klS  COUNTY  41 

The  jouruey  now  begau  down  the  stream  without  any  ceremony. 
Marquette  made  accurate  observations  of  the  lay  of  the  land,  the 
vegetation  and  the  animals.  Among  the  animals  he  mentions  are 
deer,  moose,  and  all  sorts  of  tisli,  turkeys,  wild  cattle,  and  small  game. 

Somewhere,  probably  below  Rock  Island,  the  voyagers  discovered 
footprints  and  they  knew  that  the  Illinois  were  not  far  away.  Mar- 
quette and  Joliet  left  their  boats  in  the  keeping  of  the  live  French- 
men and  after  prayers  they  departed  into  the  interior,  following  the 
tracks  of  the  Indians.  They  soon  came  to  an  Indian  village.  The 
chiefs  received  the  two  whites  with  very  great  ceremony.  The  peace 
pipe  was  smoked  and  Joliet,  who  was  trained  in  all  the  Indian  lan- 
guages, told  them  of  the  purpose  of  their  visit  to  this  Illinois 
country.  A  chief  responded  and  after  giving  the  two  whites  some 
presents,  among  which  were  a  calumet  and  an  Indian  slave  boy,  the 
chief  warned  them  not  to  go  further  down  the  river,  for  great  dan- 
gers awaited  them.  ^larquette  replied  that  they  did  not  fear  death 
and  nothing  would  please  them  more  than  to  lose  their  lives  in  God's 
sers'ice. 

After  promising  the  Indians  they  would  come  again,  they  retired 
to  their  boats,  accompanied  by  600  warriors  from  the  village.  They 
departed  from  these  Indians  about  the  last  of  June  and  were  soon 
on  their  journey  down  the  river. 

Legendary  Monsters  op  the  Mississippi  V.vlley 

As  they  moved  southward  the  bluffs  became  quite  a  marked  feature 
of  the  general  landscape.  After  passing  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois 
River,  they  came  to  unusually  high  bluffs  on  the  Illinois  side  of  the 
Mississippi.  At  a  point  about  six  miles  above  the  present  City  of 
Alton,  they  discovered  on  the  high  smooth-faced  bluffs  a  very  strange 
object,  which  Marquette  describes  as  follows:  "As  we  coasted  along 
the  rocks,  frightful  for  their  height  and  length,  we  saw  two  monsters 
painted  on  these  rocks,  which  startled  us  at  tirst,  and  on  which  the 
boldest  Indian  dare  not  gaze  long.  They  are  as  large  as  a  calf,  with 
horns  on  the  head  like  a  deer,  a  frightful  look,  red  eyes,  bearded  like 
a  tiger,  the  face  somewhat  like  a  man's,  the  body  covered  with  scales 
and  the  tail  so  long  that  it  twice  makes  the  turn  of  the  body,  passing 
over  the  head  and  down  between  the  legs,  and  ending  at  last  in  a 
fish's  tail.  Green,  red,  and  a  kind  of  black  are  the  colors  employed. 
On  the  whole,  these  two  monsters  are  so  well  painted  that  we  could 
not  believe  any  Indian  to  have  been  the  designer,  as  good  painters 
in  France  would  find  il  hard  to  do  as  well ;  besides  this,  they  are  so 
high  upon  the  rock  that  it  is  hard  to  get  conveniently  at  them  to 
paint  them." 

The  "Pias.v"  Bird 

In  an  early  day  in  Illinois,  the  description  of  these  monsters  was 
quite  current  in  the  western  i)art  "f  the  state.     So  also  was  a  tra- 


42 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


dition  that  these  monsters  actually  inhabited  a  great  cave  near.  It 
described,  however,  but  a  single  monster  and  but  a  single  picture. 
The  tradition  said  that  this  monster  was  a  hideous  creature  with 
wings,  and  great  claws,  and  great  teeth.  It  was  accustomed  to  devour 
every  living  thing  which  came  within  its  reach;  men,  women,  and 
children,  and  animals  of  all  kinds.  The  Indians  had  suffered  great 
loss  of  their  people  from  its  i-avages,  and  a  council  of  war  was  held 
to  devise  some  means  by  which  its  career  might  be  ended.  Among 
other  schemes  for  its  extermination  was  a  proposition  by  a  certain 
young  warrior  to  the  effect  that  upon  the  departure  of  the  beast  on 
one  of  its  long  flights  for  food  he  would  volunteer  to  be  securely 
tied  to  stakes  on  the  ledge  in  front  of  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  and 
that  a  sufficient  number  of  other  warriors  of  the  tribe  should  be  sta- 
tioned near  with  their  poisoned  arrows  so  that  when  the  bird  should 
return  from  its  flight  they  might  slay  it. 


The  Piasa  Bird 


This  proposition  was  accepted  and  on  a  certain  day  the  bird  took 
its  accustomed  flight.  The  young  warrior  who  offered  to  sacrifice  his 
life  was  securely  bound  to  strong  stakes  in  front  of  the  mouth  of 
the  cave.  The  warriors  who  were  to  slay  the  beast  were  all  safely 
hidden  in  the  rocks  and  debris  near.  In  the  afternoon  the  monster 
was  seen  returning,  from  its  long  journey.  Upon  lighting  near  its 
cave,  it  discovered  the  young  warrior  and  immediately  attacked  him, 
fastening  its  claws  and  teeth  in  his  body.  The  thongs  held  him 
securely  and  the  more  it  strove  to  escape  with  its  prey  the  more  its 
claws  became  entangled  in  the  thongs. 

At  a  concerted  moment  the  warriors  all  about  opened  upon  the 
monster  with  their  poisoned  arrows,  and  before  the  beast  could  extri- 
cate itself,  its  life  blood  was  ebbing  away.  Its  death  had  been  com- 
passed. 

The  warriors  took  the  body  and,  stretching  it  out  as  to  get  a 
good  picture  of  it,  marked  the  form  and  painted  it  as  it  was  seen 
by   Marquette.     Because   the   tribes   of   Indians   had   suffered   such 


QIIXCV  AND  ADA.MS  COUNTY  43 

destruction  of  life  by  tiiis  monster,  an  edict  went  forth  that  every 
warrior  who  went  by  this  bluff  should  discharge  at  least  one  arrow 
at  the  painting.  This  the  Indians  continued  religiously  to  do.  In 
later  yeai-s  when  guns  displaced  the  arrows  among  the  Indians,  they 
continued  to  shoot  at  the  painting  as  they  passed  and  thus  it  is  said 
the  face  of  the  painting  was  greatly  marred. 

Judge  Joseph  Gillespie,  of  Kdwardsville,  Illinois,  a  proliHe  writer 
and  a  man  of  unimpeachable  character  wrote  in  1883  as  follows:  "I 
saw  what  was  called  the  picture  sixty  years  since,  long  before  it 
was  marred  by  quarrymen  or  the  tooth  of  time,  and  I  never  saw  any- 
thing which  would  have  impressed  my  mind  that  it  was  intended  to 
represent  a  bird.  I  saw  daubs  of  coloring  matter  that  I  supposed 
exuded  from  the  rocks  that  might,  to  very  impressible  people,  bear 
some  resemblance  to  a  bird  or  a  dragon,  after  they  were  told  to  look 
at  it  in  that  light,  just  as  we  fancy  in  certain  arrangements  of  the 
stars  we  see  animals,  etc.,  in  the  constellations.  I  did  see  the  marks 
of  the  bullets  shot  by  the  Indians  against  the  rocks  iu  the  vicinity 
of  the  so-called  picture.  Their  object  in  shooting  at  this  I  never 
could  comprehend.  I  do  not  think  the  story  had  its  origin  among  the 
Indians  or  was  one  of  their  supei-stitions,  but  was  introduced  to  the 
literary  world  by  John  Russell,  of  Bluff  Dale,  Illinois,  who  wrote 
a  beautiful  story  about  it." 

The  bluff  has  long  since  disappeared  through  the  use  of  the  stone 
for  building  purposes. 

Marquette  .\xd  Joliet  Get  Desired  Ixform.vtion 

As  Marquette  and  Joliet  proceeded  down  the  river  they  passed  the 
mouth  of  the  Missouri,  which  at  that  time  was  probably  subject  to  a 
great  flood.  When  considerably  below  the  mouth  of  the  Kaskaskia 
River  they  came  to  a  very  noted  object — at  least  the  Indians  had  many 
stories  about  it.  This  is  what  is  known  today  as  the  Grand  Tower. 
This  great  rock  in  the  Mississippi  causes  a  gi'cat  commotion  in  the 
water  of  the  river  and  probabh-  was  destructive  of  canoes  in  those 
days. 

On  they  went  down  the  river  past  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  into  the 
region  of  semi-tropical  sun  and  vegetation.  The  cane-brakes  lined 
the  banks,  and  the  mosquitoes  became  plentiful  and  very  annoying. 
Here  also,  probably  in  the  region  of  ^reinphis,  they  stopped  and  held 
councils  with  the  Indians.  They  found  the  Indians  using  guns,  axes, 
Iioes,  knives,  beads,  etc.,  and  when  questioned  as  to  where  they  got 
these  articles,  they  said  to  the  eastward.  These  Indians  told  the  trav- 
elers that  it  was  not  more  than  ten  days'  travel  to  the  mouth  of  the 
river.  They  proceeded  on  down  the  river  till  they  reached  Choctaw 
Bend,  in  latitude  33  degrees  and  40  mimites.  Here  they  stopped, 
held  a  conference,  and  decided  to  go  no  fuither. 

They  justified  their  return  in  the  following  maimer:  First,  they 
were  satisfied  that  the  Missis-sippi  emptied  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 


44  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  not  into  the  Gulf  of  California,  nor  the  Atlantic  Ocean  in  Vir- 
ginia. Second,  they  feared  a  conflict  with  the  Spaniards,  who  occu- 
pied and  claimed  the  Gulf  coast.  Third,  they  feared  the  Indians  of 
the  Lower  Mis.sissippi,  for  they  used  firearms  and  might  oppose  their 
further  progress  south.  Fourth,  they  had  acquired  all  the  informa- 
tion they  started  out  to  obtain. 

Return  via  the  Illinois  River 

And  so,  on  the  17th  of  July,  1674,  they  turned  their  faces  home- 
ward. They  had  been  just  two  months,  from  May  17th  to  July  17th, 
on  their  journey.  They  had  traveled  more  than  a  thousand  miles. 
They  had  faced  all  forms  of  danger  and  had  undergone  all  manner  of 
hardships.  Their  provisions  had  been  obtained  en  route.  France 
owed  them  a  debt  of  gratitude  which  will  never  be  fully  paid.  Indeed 
not  only  France,  but  the  world  is  their  debtor. 

Nothing  of  interest  occurred  on  their  return  journey  until  they 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  River.  Here  they  were  told  by  some 
Indians  that  there  was  a  much  shorter  route  to  Green  Bay  than  by 
way  of  the  Upper  Mississippi  and  the  Wisconsin  and  Fox  portage. 
This  shorter  route  was  up  the  Illinois  River  to  the  Chicago  poi'tage, 
thence  along  Lake  Michigan  to  Green  Bay. 

Marquette  and  Joliet  proceeded  up  the  Illinois  River.  When 
passing  by  Peoria  Lake  they  halted  for  three  days.  While  here 
Marquette  preached  the  gospel  to  the  natives.  Just  as  Marquette 
was  leaving  they  brought  him  a  dying  child  which  he  baptized. 
When  in  the  vicinity  of  Ottawa,  they  came  to  a  village  of  the  Kas- 
kaskia  Indians.  Marquette  says  there  were  seventy-four  cabins  in 
the  village  and  that  the  Indians  received  them  kindly.  They  tarried 
but  a  short  time  and  were  escorted  from  this  point  up  the  Illinois  and 
over  the  Chicago  portage  by  one  of  the  Kaskaskia  chiefs  and  several 
young  warriors. 

While  in  the  village  of  the  Kaskaskias,  Marquette  told  the  story 
of  the  Cross  to  the  natives,  and  they  were  so  well  pleased  with  it  that 
they  made  him  promise  to  return  to  teach  them  more  about  Jesus. 
Marcjuette  and  Joliet  reached  Green  Bay  in  the  month  of  September, 
1673.  Probably  they  both  remained  here  during  the  ensuing  winter. 
In  the  summer  of  1674,  Joliet  returned  to  Quebec  to  make  his  report 
to  the  governor.  On  his  way  down  the  St.  Lawrence,  his  boat  upset 
and  he  came  near  losing  his  life.  He  lost  all  his  maps,  papers,  etc., 
and  was  obliged  to  make  a  verbal  report  to  the  governor. 

Last  Days  op  Marquettte 

Father  Marquette  remained  in  the  mission  of  St.  Francois  Xavier 
through  the  summer  of  1674;  and  late  in  the  fall  started  on  his 
jouniey  back  to  Kaskaskia.  The  escort  consisted  of  two  Frenchmen 
and  some  Indians.     They  reached  the  Chicago  portage  in  the  midst 


Ql'INCY  AND  ADA.MS  COUNTY  4.3 

of  discouraging  uiriumstaneo.s.  The  weather  was  severe  and  Father 
Marquette,  sick  uuto  death,  was  unable  to  proceed  further.  On  the 
banks  of  the  Chicago  Kivcr  they  built  some  huts  and  here  the  part}' 
remained  till  spring.  During  the  winter  Father  Marquette  did  not 
suffer  for  want  of  attention,  for  he  was  visited  bj-  a  number  of 
Indians  and  iiy  at  least  two  prominent  Frenchmen. 

By  the  la.st  of  ]\Iarch  he  was  able  to  travel.  He  reached  the  Kas- 
kaskia  Village  .Monday,  April  8,  1675.  He  was  received  with  gi-eat 
joy  by  the  Indians.  He  established  the  mission  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  Seeing  he  could  not  possibly  live 
long,  he  returned  to  St.  Iguace  by  way  of  the  Kankakee  portage. 
He  never  lived  to  reach  Mackinaw.     He  died  the  18th  of  ^May,  1675. 

This  expedition  by  ilarquette  and  Joliet  had  carried  the  lilies  of 
France  nearly  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  Indians  in  the  great  plains 
between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  gnlf  had  been  visited  and  the  re- 
sources of  the  countrj-  noted.  There  remained  but  a  slight  strip  of 
territory  over  which  the  banner  of  France  had  not  floated,  from 
the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  If  this  short  dis- 
tance were  explored,  then  the  French  government  would  have  com- 
pletely surrounded  the  English  colonies  in  North  America. 

Chevalier  de  La  Salle  came  to  America  in  the  year  1667.  Shortly 
after  arriving  in  this  country  he  established  himself  as  a  fur  trader 
at  a  trading  post  called  La  Chine,  on  the  Island  of  Jlontreal.  Here 
he  came. in  contact  with  the  Indians  from  the  Far  West.  Within 
two  years  he  had  departed  on  an  exploration.  For  the  next  two  or 
three  years  he  had  probably  visited  the  Ohio  River  and  had  become 
quite  familiar  with  the  country  to  the  south  and  west  of  the  Great 
Lakes. 

L.\    S-VLLE    CONSOLID.MES    FrENCH    EmPIRE    IX    AMERIC.V 

Count  Frontenac  built  a  fort  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Ontario  where 
the  lake  sends  its  waters  into  the  St.  Lawrence  River.  La  Salle  was 
put  in  charge  of  this  fort.  He  named  it  Fort  Frontenac.  The  pur- 
pose of  this  fort  was  to  control  the  fur  trade,  especially  that  from  up 
the  Ottawa,  and  prevent  it  from  going  to  New  York.  In  1674  La  Salle 
went  to  France  and  while  there  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  nol)le. 
The  king  was  greatly  pleased  with  the  plans  of  La  Salle  and  readily 
granted  him  the  seigniory-  of  Fort  Fi-ontenae,  together  with  a  large 
quantity  of  land.  For  all  this  La  Salle  promised  to  keep  the  fort  in 
repair,  to  maintain  a  garrison  equal  to  that  of  Montreal,  to  clear  the 
land,  put  it  in  a  state  of  cultivation,  and  continually  to  keep  arms, 
ammunition  and  artillery  in  the  fort.  He  further  agived  to  pay 
Count  Frontenac  for  the  erection  of  the  fort,  to  build  a  church,  attract 
Indians,  make  grants  of  land  to  settlers  and  to  do  all  for  the  ultimate 
purpose  of  furthering  the  interest  of  the  French  government. 

La  Salle  returned  from  France  and  was  perhaps  at  Fort  Frontenac 
when  Joliet  passed  down  the  lakes  in  the  summer  of  1674.    The  next 


46  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

year  he  began  the  improvement  of  his  fort.  For  two  years  he  pros- 
ecuted a  thriving  trade  with  the  Indians  and  also  engaged  in  farming, 
ship-building,  cattle-raising,  and  study. 

The  fall  of  1678  found  him  in  France  with  a  request  that  the 
king  grant  him  permission  to  explore  the  western  part  of  New  France 
and  if  possible  find  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  River.  La  Salle  had 
matured  plans  by  which  New  France  was  to  be  connected  with  the 
western  country  by  a  line  of  strong  fortifications.  Fort  Prontenac 
was  the  first  step  in  this  plan.  He  there  explained  how  easy  it  would 
be  to  reach  the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes  by  the  St.  Lawrence  route  or 
by  the  Mississippi.  There  is  no  doubt  that  both  Frontenac  and 
La  Salle  wished  to  transfer  the  emphasis  from  the  converting  of  the 
Indians  to  that  of  the  conquest  of  teri-itory  for  France,  and  to  the 
more  profitable  business,  as  they  saw  it,  of  commerce.  Frontenac 
had  therefore  strongly  endorsed  La  Salle  and  his  plans.  Through 
Colbert  and  his  son.  La  Salle  succeeded  in  getting  his  patent  from 
the  king. 

Brave  and  Faithful  Tonti 

While  in  France  La  Salle  met  Henri  de  Tonti,  an  Italian  who 
had  just  won  distinction  in  the  French  army.  His  father  had  been 
engaged  in  an  insurrection  in  Italy  and  had  taken  refuge  in  France 
where  he  became  a  great  financier,  having  originated  the  Tontine 
system  of  life  insurance.  Henri  de  Tonti  had  lost  a  hand  in  one  of 
the  campaigns,  but  he  was  nevertheless  a  man  of  great  energj',  and 
destined  to  win  for  himself  an  honored  name  in  the  New  World. 

La  SaUe  returned  to  New  France  in  1678,  bringing  with  him 
about  thirty  craftsmen  and  mariners,  together  with  a  large  supply 
of  military  and  naval  stores.  It  can  readily  be  seen  that  La  Salle 
would  be  opposed  by  the  merchants  and  politicians  in  the  region  of 
Quebec  and  Montreal.  He  had  risen  rapidly  and  was  now  ready  to 
make  one  of  the  most  pretentious  eiforts  at  discovery  and  exploration 
that  had  been  undertaken  in  New  France. 

Late  in  the  fall  of  1678,  probably  in  December,  he  sent  Captain 
La  Motte  and  sixteen  men  to  select  a  suitable  site  for  the  building  of 
a  vessel  with  which  to  navigate  the  upper  lakes.  Captain  La  Motte 
stopped  at  the  rapids  below  Niagara  Falls  and  seems  to  have  been 
indifferent  to  his  mission.  La  Salle  and  Tonti  arrived  the  8th  of 
January,  1679.  The  next  day  La  Salle  went  above  the  falls,  probably 
at  Tonawanda  Creek,  and  selected  a  place  to  construct  the  vessel. 

Tonti  was  charged  with  building  the  vessel.  It  was  launched  in 
May,  1679,  and  was  christened  the  Griffin  (Griffon).  It  was  forty- 
five  to  fifty  tons  burden  and  carried  a  complement  of  five  cannon, 
and  is  supposed  to  have  cost  about  $10,000. 

An  expedition  of  traders  had  been  dispatched  into  the  Illinois 
country  for  the  purpose  of  traffic,  in  the  fall  of  1678.  Tonti  and  a 
small  party  went  up  Lake  Erie  and  were  to  await  the  coming  of  the 


La  Salle  Starts  for  the  Illinois  CouNTRy 


48  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Griffin  at  the  head  of  the  lake.  The  Griffin  weighed  anchor  August  7, 
1679,  amid  the  booming  of  cannon  and  the  chanting  of  the  Te  Deum. 
It  arrived  at  what  is  now  Detroit  on  the  10th,  and  there  found  Tonti 
and  his  party.  The  vessel  reached  Mackinaw  on  the  27th  of  August. 
Here  La  Salle  found  the  men  whom  he  had  dispatched  the  year  before 
to  traffic  with  the  Indians.  He  found  they  had  been  dissuaded  from 
proceeding  to  the  Illinois  country  by  the  report  that  La  Salle  was 
visionary  and  that  his  ship  would  never  reach  Mackinaw.  Tonti  was 
given  the  task  of  getting  these  men  together,  and  while  he  was  thus 
engaged,  La  Salle  sailed  in  the  Griffin  for  Green  Bay. 

Green  Bay  had  been  for  several  years  a  meeting  place  between 
white  traders  and  explorers,  and  the  Indians.  When  La  Salle 
reached  the  point,  he  found  some  of  the  traders,  whom  he  had  sent 
ahead  the  year  before.  These  traders  had  collected  from  the  Potta- 
watomies  large  quantities  of  furs.  For  these  furs  La  Salle  exchanged 
a  large  stock  of  European  goods  with  Vhich  the  Griffin  was  loaded. 
It  is  said  that  he  made  a  large  sum  of  money  in  this  transaction.  The 
Griffin  was  loaded  with  these  furs  and  made  ready  to  return  to  the 
warehouses  at  Niagara.  « 

Commercial  Venture  into   Illinois   Country 

On  September  18th,  the  Gi'iffiu,  in  charge  of  a  trusted  pilot,  a 
supercargo  and  five  sailors,  started  on  the  return  voyage.  La  Salle 
on  the  19th  of  September,  1679,  with  a  company  of  fourteen  persons 
in  four  birch  bark  canoes,  loaded  with  a  blacksmith's  forge,  car- 
penter's tools,  merchandise,  arms,  provisions,  etc.,  started  on  his 
journey  for  the  Illinois  country.  He  coasted  along  the  western 
shore  of  Lake  iliehigau.  Their  provisions  were  exhausted  before 
they  reached  the  present  site  of  Milwaukee.  They  had  been  forced 
ashore  three  times  to  save  their  boats  and  their  lives.  They  now 
went  in  search  of  food  and  fortunately  found  a  deserted  Indian 
village  with  plenty  of  corn.  They  appropriated  the  corn,  but  left 
some  articles  as  pay.  The  next  day  the  Indians  returned  and  fol- 
lowed the  whites  to  their  boats  and  it  was  only  by  presenting  the 
calumet  that  La  Salle  was  able  to  appease  them. 

From  Milwaukee  they  coasted  south  past  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago 
River  and  following  the  southerly  bend  of  the  lake  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  St.  Joseph  River  November  1,  1679. '  This  had  been  appointed 
as  the  meeting  place  of  the  two  expeditions — the  one  under  La  Salle 
and  the  one  under  Tonti.  La  Salle  was  anxious  to  get  to  the  Illinois 
country,  but  he  also  desired  the  help  of  Tonti,  and  as  the  latter  had 
not  yet  arrived,  La  Salle  occupied  the  time  of  his  men  in  building  a 
palisade  fort  which  he  named  Fort  Miami.  Near  by,  he  erected  a 
bark  chapel  for  the  use  of  the  priests,  and  also  a  storehouse  for  the 
goods  which  the  Griffin  was  to  bring  from  Niagara  on  its  return. 

Tonti  arrived  at  Fort  Miami  on  the  12th  of  November  with  only 
a  portion  of  his  company,  the  rest  remaining  behind  to  bring  word 


QUIXCY  AND  AD.\iIS  COUNTY  49 

of  the  GriflSn.  La  Salle  was  not  impatient  to  proceed,  and  dispatch- 
ing Tonti  for  the  rest  of  his  crew  waited  for  his  return.  The  ice 
began  to  form  and  fearing  the  freezing  over  of  the  river,  La  Salle 
ascended  the  St.  Joseph  in  search  of  the  portage  between  the  Kan- 
kakee and  the  St.  Joseph.  He  went  up  the  St.  Joseph  beyond  the 
portage  and  while  searching  for  it  was  overtaken  by  a  courier  who 
told  him  Tonti  and  his  party  were  at  the  portage  farther  down  the 
river.  This  point  is  supposed  to  have  been  near  the  present  city  of 
South  Bend,  Indiana.  Here  was  now  assembled  the  party  which 
was  to  become  a  very  historic  one.  There  were  in  all  twenty-nine 
Frenchmen  and  one  Lidian.  Among  them  were  La  Salle,  De  Tonti, 
Fatliers  Louis  Hennepin,  Zonobc  :Membre,  Gabriel  de  La  Ribourde, 
La  Metairie  (a  notary)  and  De  Loup,  the  Indian  guide.  They  crossed 
the  portage  of  three  or  four  miles  under  great  difficulties,  dragging 
their  canoes  and  their  burdens  on  sledges.  The  ice  was  getting  thick 
and  a  heavy  snow  storm  was  raging. 

Afloat  on  the  Kank.vkee 

By  the  6th  of  December.  1679,  the  expedition  wa.s  afloat  on  the 
Kankakee.  For  many  miles  the  eountiy  was  so  marshy  that  scarcely 
a  camping  place  could  be  found,  but  soon  its  members  emerged  into 
an  open  region  of  the  country,  with  tall  grass  and  then  they  knew 
they  were  in  the  Illinois  eountrj-.  They  suffered  from  lack  of  food, 
having  killed  only  two  deer,  one  buffalo,  two  geese,  and  a  few  swans. 
As  they  journeyed  on  they  pas.sed  the  mouths  of  the  Iroquois,  the 
Des  Plaines,  and  the  Fox.  They  passed  the  present  site  of  Ottawa 
and  a  few  miles  below  they  came  to  the  Kaskaskia  village  where  ilar- 
quette  had  planted  the  mission  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  in  the 
summer  of  1675.  Father  Allouez  had  succeeded  Marquette  and  had 
spent  some  time  at  the  Ka.skaskia  village  in  1676.  and  in  1677  he 
returned.  But  on  the  approach  of  La  Salle,  Allouez  had  departed, 
for  it  was  understood  that  almost  all  of  the  Jesuit  priests  were 
opposed  to  La  Salle's  plans  of  commercializing  the  interior  of  North 
America.  The  Kaskaskia  Indians  were  themselves  alisent  from  the 
village  on  an  expedition  to  the  Southland,  as  was  their  winter  custom. 

La  Salle  Meets  the  Kaskaskia  Ixdiaxs 

This  Kaska.skia  village  of  four  hundred  lodges  was  uninhabited. 
The  huts  were  built  by  covering  a  long  arbor-like  frame  work  with 
mats  of  woven  rushes.  In  each  lodge  there  was  room  for  as  many  as 
ten  families.  In  their  hiding  places,  the  Indians  had  secreted  large 
quantities  of  corn  for  the  spring  planting  and  for  sustenance  until 
another  crop  could  be  raised.  La  Salle's  party  was  so  sorely  in  need 
of  this  com  that  he  decided  to  appropriate  as  much  as  they  needed. 
This  he  did.  taking  30  minots.  On  January  1.  1680.  after  ma.ss  by 
Father  Hennepin,  they  departed  do\ni  the  Illinois  River.     On  the 

Vol.  1-4 


50  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

morning  of  the  5th  they  had  arrived  at  the  outlet  of  what  we  call 
Peoria  Lake.  Here  they  saw  large  numbers  of  boats  and  on  the 
banks  wigwams  and  large  numbers  of  Indians.  The  Indians  were 
much  disconcerted  upon  seeing  La  Salle's  party  land,  and  many  fled 
while  a  few  held  communication  with  the  new  comers.  La  Salle  held 
a  consultation  with  the  chiefs  and  told  them  of  his  taking  their  corn 
and  said  that  if  he  were  compelled  to  give  up  the  com  he  would  take 
his  blacksmith  and  his  tools  to  the  next  tribe,  the  Osages,  whereupon 
the  Indians  gladly  accepted  pay  for  the  corn  taken  and  offered 
more. 

La  Salle  told  them  he  wished  to  be  on  friendly  terms  with  them, 
but  that  they  must  not  expect  him  to  engage  in  conflicts  with  the 
Iroquois  whom  his  king  regarded  as  his  children.  But  if  they  would 
allow  him  to  build  a  fort  near,  that  he  would  defend  them,  the  Kas- 
kaskias,  against  the  Iroquois  if  they  were  attacked.  He  also  told 
them  he  wished  to  know  whether  he  could  navigate  a  large  boat  from 
that  point  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  River,  since  it  was  very 
difficult  as  well  as  dangerous  to  bring  such  European  goods  as  the 
Indians  would  like  to  have  from  New  France  by  way  of  the  Great 
Lakes,  and  that  it  could  not  well  be  done  by  coming  across  the  Iroquois 
country,  as  they  would  object,  since  the  Illinois  Indians  and  the 
Iroquois  were  enemies. 

The  Kaskaskia  chiefs  told  La  Salle  that  the  mouth  of  the  Missis- 
sippi was  only  twenty  days'  travel  away  and  that  there  were  no, 
obstructions  to  navigation.  Certain  Indian  slaves  taken  in  battle 
said  that  they  had  been  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  that  they  had 
seen  ships  at  sea  that  made  noises  like  thunder.  This  made  La  Salle 
more  anxious  to  reach  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  take  possession  of 
the  country.  The  chiefs  gave  consent  to  the  construction  of  the  fort 
and  La  Salle  had  a  bright  vision  before  him.  This  vision  was  sadly 
clouded  on  the  morrow  when  an  Indian  revealed  to  him  the  visit 
to  the  chiefs,  on  the  night  before,  of  a  Miami  chief  by  the  name  of 
Monso  who  tried  to  undermine  the  influence  of  La  Salle.  He  said 
La  Salle  was  deceiving  them.  In  a  council  that  day  he  revealed  his 
knowledge  of  the  visit  of  ^lonso  and  by  great  diplomacy  won  the 
Kaskaskia  chief  to  his  cause  the  second  time.  It  was  supposed  this 
chief  Monso  was  sent  at  the  suggestion  of  Father  Allouez.  Four  of 
La  Salle's  men  deserted  him  and  returned  to  the  region  of  Lake 
Michigan. 

Builds  Fort  Crevecoeur  Below  Peori.\ 

La  Salle,  fearing  the  influence  of  the  stories  among  the  Indians, 
upon  his  men,  decided  to  separate  from  them  and  go  further  down  the 
river  where  he  could  construct  his  fort  and  built  his  boat.  On  the 
evening  of  the  15th  of  January,  1680,  La  Salle  moved  to  a  point  on 
the  east  side  of  the  river  three  miles  below  the  present  site  of  Peoria. 
There  on  a  projection  from  the  bluffs  he  built  with  considerable  labor 


Ql'INCY  AND  ADAMS  COUXTY  51 

a  fort  whicli  received  the  name  of  Creveeoeur.  This  was  the  fourth 
of  the  great  chain  of  forts  which  La  Salle  had  constructed,  namely: 
Fort  Frontenac  at  the  outlet  of  Lake  Ontario;  Fort  Tonti  on  the 
Niagara  River;  Fort  ^liami  at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Joseph  River,  and 
Creveeoeur  below  Lake  Teoria  on  the  Illinois  River. 

Fort  Creveeoeur  is  currently  believed  to  have  been  so  named 
because  of  the  disheartened  frame  of  mind  of  La  Salle,  but  this 
would  not  be  complimentary  to  the  character  of  the  man.  It  is  now 
rather  believed  to  have  been  so  named  in  honor  of  Tonti,  since  as  a 
soldier  in  the  Netherlands  he  took  part  in  the  destruction  of  Fort 
Creveeoeur  near  the  Village  of  Bois  le  Due  in  the  year  1672. 

In  addition  to  the  building  of  the  fort,  La  Salle  began  the  con- 
struction of  a  vessel  with  which  to  complete  his  journey  to  the  mouth 
of  the  river.  The  lumber  was  sawed  from  the  timber  and  rapid 
progress  was  made.  The  keel  was  42  feet  long,  and  the  beam  was 
12  feet.  While  this  work  was  in  progress  and  during  the  month 
of  Februarj'  several  representatives  of  tribes  from  up  the  ^lissis-sippi 
and  down  the  Mississippi,  as  well  as  from  the  ^liamis  to  the  North- 
east, came  to  consult  with  La  Salle.  His  presence  in  the  Illinois 
country  was  known  near  and  far.  The  Indians  from  the  Upper 
Mississippi  brought  tempting  descriptions  of  routes  to  the  western 
sea,  and  al.so  of  the  wealth  of  beaver  with  which  their  country 
abounded. 

Sends  Father  Hennepin  to  Upper  Mississippi 

La  Salle  desired  to  make  a  visit  to  Fort  Frontenac  for  sails, 
cordage,  iron,  and  other  material  for  his  boat;  besides  he  was  very 
an.xious  to  hear  something  definite  about  the  Griflfin  and  its  valuable 
cargo.  But  before  embarking  on  his  long  journey  he  fitted  out  an 
expedition  consisting  of  IMichael  Ako,  Antony  Auguel,  and  Father 
Hennepin,  to  explore  the  Upper  Mississippi.  Michael  Ako  was  the 
leader.  They  started  February  29th,  passed  down  the  Illinois  River 
and  thence  up  the  Mississippi.  They  carried  goods  worth  a  thou- 
sand livre.s,  which  were  to  be  exchanged  for  furs.  Father  Hennepin 
took  St.  Anthony  for  his  patron  saint,  and  when  near  the  falls  which 
we  know  by  that  name  he  set  up  a  post,  upon  which  he  engraved 
the  cross  and  the  coat  of  arms  of  France.  He  was  shortly  captured 
by  the  Indians,  and  was  later  released  by  a  French  trader,  De  Lhut. 
He  then  returned  to  France. 

The  Dis.vster  .\t  St.\rved  Rock  .\nd  Fort  CRE^'EcoEt'R 

Before  starting  for  Frontenac,  La  Salle  commissjoiifd  Tonti  to 
have  charge  of  the  Creveeoeur  fort,  and  also  to  build  a  fort  at  Starved 
Rock.  On  March  1st,  the  day  following  the  departure  of  Ako  and 
Hennepin  for  the  Tapper  Mississippi,  La  Salle  departed,  with  three 
companions,  for  Fort  Frontenac.     This  was  a  long,  dangerous,  and 


52  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

discouraging  journey.  Every  venture  wliieli  he  had  engaged  in 
seems  to  have  failed.  After  finally  getting  together  supplies  such 
as  were  needed  he  started  on  his  return  journey.  He  was  continually 
hearing  stories  from  the  travelers  of  the  desertion  of  Crevecoeur. 
When  he  came  within  a  few  miles  of  the  Kaskaskia  village  he  began 
to  see  signs  of  destruction.  On  arriving  at  the  village,  nothing  but 
a  few  blackened  posts  remained.  The  Iroquois  Indians  had  made 
a  campaign  against  the  Illinois  Indians,  aud  their  trail  could  be 
traced  by  death  and  destruction. 

When  La  Salle  left  the  locality  of  Starved  Rock  for  Fort  Creve- 
coeur, on  his  way  from  Canada,  he  passed  the  Iroquois  on  one  side 
of  the  river,  and  the  Illinois  on  the  other.  He  searched  everywhere 
for  Tonti,  but  could  find  no  trace  of  him.  He  came  to  Crevecoeur 
about  December  1,  1680,  and  found  the  fort  deserted  and  the  store- 
house plundered;  the  boat,  however,  was  without  damage.  La  Salle 
went  to  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  River  in  search  of  Tonti,  but  with- 
out success.  He  returned  to  Fort  Miami  in  the  spring  of  1681.  Here 
he  began  the  organization  of  all  the  Indian  tribes  into  a  sort  of 
confederation. 

La  S-^lle's  Second  Voyage 

Upon  the  approach  of  the  Iroquois,  shortly  after  the  departure 
of  La  Salle  from  Fort  Crevecoeur,  in  March,  1680,  Tonti  and  his 
party  were  scattered  far  and  near.  Tonti  and  Father  Membre  made 
their  way  to  Green  Bay,  and  from  there  to  Mackinaw.  La  Salle 
heard  of  them  here  and  went  immediately  to  them.  Another  expedi- 
tion was  organized.  La  Salle,  Father  Membre  and  Tonti  visited  Fort 
Frontenac,  where  supplies  were  procured,  and  late  in  December,  1681, 
the  expedition  had  crossed  the  Chicago  portage.  There  were  in 
this  company  fifty-four  people — twenty-three  Frenchmen  and  thirty- 
one  Indians. 

They  passed  the  Kaskaskia  Village  near  Starved  Rock,  but  it  was 
in  ruins.  On  January  25,  1682,  they  reached  Fort  Crevecoeur.  The 
fort  vtSLS  in  fair  condition.  Here  they  halted  six  days,  while  the 
Indians  made  some  linn  bark  canoes.  They  reached  the  Mississippi 
February  6th.  After  a  little  delay  the}'-  proceeded  down  the  river, 
passed  the  mouth  of  the  ^Missouri,  and  shortly  after  that  a  village 
of  the  Tamaroa  Indians.  The  village  contained  120  cabins,  but  they 
were  all  deserted.  La  Salle  left  presents  on  the  posts  for  the  villagers 
when  they  returned.     Grand  Tower  was  passed;  later,  the  Ohio. 

At  the  Mouth  op  the  Mississippi 

The  trip  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  was  without  special 
interest.  They  reached  the  mouth  of  the  river  in  April,  and  on 
the  9th  of  that  month  erected  a  post,  upon  which  they  nailed  the 
arms  of  France  wrought  from  a  copper  kettle.     A  proclamation  was 


QUINCY  AND  ADAilS  COUNTY  53 

prepared  by  the  notary,  Jacques  de  la  Mctairie,  and  read.  It  recited 
briefly  their  journey  to  the  country  drained  by  tlie  Mississippi  and 
its  tributaries. 

On  April  10th  the  party  began  the  return  journey.  La  Salle 
was  stricken  with  a  severe  illness  and  was  obliged  to  remain  at  Fort 
Prudhomme.  whicli  liad  been  erected  on  the  Chickasaw  blulTs,  just 
above  Vicksburg.  Touti  was  sent  forward  to  look  after  his  leader's 
interests.  He  went  by  Fort  Miami,  but  found  everything  in  order. 
He  reached  Mackinaw  July  22d. 

Messenger  Sent  to  Fr.\nce 

La  Salle  reached  Creveeoeur  on  his  way  north.  He  left  eight 
Frenchmen  here  to  hold  this  position.  He  reached  Fort  Miami,  and 
thence  passed  on  to  ^lackinaw.  He  then  sent  Father  ^loubre  to 
France  to  report  his  discovery  to  the  king,  while  he  himself  set  about 
the  building  of  Fort  St.  Louis,  at  Starved  Rock,  on  the  Illinois.  The 
detachment  left  by  La  Salle  at  Creveeoeur  was  ordered  north  to 
Fort  St.  Louis,  and  he  began  to  grant  his  followers  small  areas  of 
land  in  recognition  of  their  services  with  him  in  the  past  few  years. 
The  fort  was  completed  and  in  March,  1683,  the  ensign  of  France 
floated  to  the  breeze.  The  tribes  for  miles  in  circuit  came  to  the 
valley  about  the  fort  and  encamped.  La  Salle  patiently  looked  for 
French  settlers  from  New  France,  but  they  did  not  come. 

During  the  absence  of  La  Salle  at  the  mouth  of  the  ^lississippi, 
Count  Frontenae  had  been  superseded  by  Sieur  de  la  Barre,  who 
had  assumed  the  duties  of  his  office  October  9,  1782.  He  was  not 
friendly  to  La  Salle's  schemes  of  extpnding  the  possessions  of  France 
in  the  New  World.  La  Salle  suspected,  in  the  summer  of  1683,  that 
the  new  governor  was  not  in  sympathy  with  him.  After  a  great 
deal  of  fruitless  correspondence  with  the  new  governor,  La  Salle 
repaired  to  France  to  lay  before  the  king  his  new  discoveries,  as 
well  as  plans  for  the  future. 

De.\ths  op  La  Salle  and  Tonti 

Tonti  was  displaced  as  commander  at  Fort  St.  Louis  and  ordered 
to  Quebec.  La  Salle  not  only  secured  a  fleet  for  the  trip  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  but  also  had  Tonti  restored  to  command 
at  Fort  St.  Louis.  La  Salle  sailed  to  the  Gulf  in  the  spring  of  1685. 
He  failed  to  find  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  landed  in  what  is  now 
Texas.  After  hardships  and  discouragements  almost  beyond  belief, 
he  was  murdered  by  some  of  his  own  men  the  latter  part  of  March, 
1687. 

La  Salle  went  to  France  in  the  summer  of  168.3  and  left  Tonti 
in  charge  of  his  interests  in  the  Illinois  country.  Tonti  was  active 
in  the  defense  of  his  superior's  interests.  In  this  duty  he  was  forced 
to  defend  the  Illinois  country  against  the  Iroquois  and  to  struggle 


54  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

against  La  Salle's  fenemies  iii  New  France.  He  made  expeditions 
of  trade  and  exploration  throughout  all  the  western  country,  took 
part  in  a  great  campaign  against  the  Iroquois,  and  was  the  life  of 
a  growing  community  around  Fort  St.  Louis. 

The  death  of  La  Salle  occurred  in  the  spring  of  1687.  Just  one 
year  previous  to  this  Tonti  had  made  a  trip  to  the  Gulf  in  search 
of  La  Salle,  but,  failing  to  find  him,  returned  sorrowfully  to  Fort 
St.  Louis.  In  September,  1688,  Tonti  heard  definitely  of  the  death 
of  La  Salle.  In  December  of  that  year  he  organized  an  expedition 
to  rescue  the  colonists  whom  La  Salle  had  left  on  the  coast  of  the 
Gulf.  This  expedition  also  proved  a  failure.  For  the  next  ten  years 
Tonti  remained  in  the  region  of  the  lakes,  but  when  Bienville  began 
planting  new  settlements  near  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  River, 
Tonti  abandoned  Fort  St.  Louis  and  joined  the  new  settlements. 
He  died  near  Mobile  in  1704. 

Permanent  Pioneer  Settlements  of  Illinois 

The  death  of  La  Salle  in  1687  and  of  Tonti  in  1704  concluded 
the  most  romantic  chapter  of  the  early  French  explorations  which 
prepared  the  way  for  permanent  settlement  and  the  solid  satisfac- 
tion of  home-building.  Without  going  into  the  rather  intricate  claims 
as  to  the  priority  of  the  pioneer  settlements  of  Illinois  which  assumed 
permanence,  it  will  be  conceded  that  Kaskaskia  was  for  several 
generations  the  most  notable.  The  Mission  of  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception founded  there  by  Father  Marquette,  with  the  fertile  lands 
in  that  region,  eventuated  in  drawing  thither  not  only  the  soldiers 
of  the  cross,  but  French  traders  and  agriculturists.  The  Indians 
and  Frenchmen  who  came  to  Kaskaskia  in  the  eighteenth  century 
built  their  huts  by  weaving  grasses  and  reeds  into  frameworks  of 
upright  poles  set  in  rectangular  form.  The  roofs  were  thatched.  The 
ground  was  very  rich,  and  a  sort  of  rude  agriculture  was  begun. 
In  those  days  the  French  were  just  taking  possession  of  the  mouth 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  Kaskaskia  became  quite  an  important  inter- 
mediate port  of  call  for  fresh  supplies.  The  trading  with  the  Indians 
was  also  a  large  factor  in  the  building  up  of  the  place,  which  was 
located  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Kaskaskia,  six  miles  from  the 
IMississippi. 

Cahokia,  its  rival,  situated  a  short  distance  below  the  present 
city  of  East  St.  Louis,  was  also  a  mission  and  a  trading  post,  but 
it  met  with  a  setback  quite  early  in  its  history.  The  village  was 
first  built  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  on  a  little  creek  which 
flowed  across  the  rich  alluvial  bottoms,  but  by  1721  the  river  had 
carved  a  new  channel  westwai-d,  leaving  the  village  half  a  league 
from  free  water  communication.  The  little  creek  also  took  another 
course,    and   Cahokia  was  left   decidedly  inland. 

The  Mississippi  River  has  swept  away  even  the  site  of  Kaskaskia, 
and  Cahokia  is  little  more  than  a  name. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAilS  COUNTY  55 

Fort  Ciiartres.  Center  of  Illinois  District 

Fort  Chai'tres,  which  was  situated  sixteen  miles  nortliwest  of 
Kaskasia,  was  founded  in  1718  and  became  the  military  and  the 
civil  center  of  the  Illinois  district  of  Louisiana,  and  so  continued 
for  nearly  half  a  century.  As  completed,  its  outer  structure  con- 
sisted of  two  rows  of  parallel  logs  tilled  between  with  earth  and 
limestone,  the  latter  quarried  from  an  adjacent  cliff.  It  was  sur- 
rounded on  three  sides  l)y  this  two-foot  wall,  and  on  the  fourth  by 
a  ravine,  which  during  the  springtime  was  full  of  water. 

The  fort  was  barely  completed  when  there  arrived  one  Renault, 
a  representative  of  the  Company  of  the  West  (a  creation  of  the 
famous  John  Law),  the  director-general  of  the  mining  operations 
of  that  concern,  which  were  designed  to  reinforce  the  uncertain 
finances  of  France,  laborers,  and  a  full  complement  of  mining  utensils. 
Among  his  force  were  also  several  hundred  San  Domingo  negroes, 
whom  he  had  bought  on  his  way  to  Louisiana  to  work  the  mines  and 
plantations  of  the  province.  Those  whom  he  brought  to  the  Illinois 
district  were  the  original  slaves  of  the  State  of  Illinois. 

Renault  made  Fort  Chartres  his  headquarters  for  a  short  time, 
and  from  here  he  sent  his  expert  miners  and  skilled  workmen  in 
every  direction,  hunting  for  the  precious  metals.  The  bluffs  skirt- 
ing the  American  Bottoms  on  the  east  w'ere  diligently  searched  for 
minerals,  but  nothing  encouraging  was  found.  In  what  is  now 
Jackson,  Randolph,  and  St.  Clair  counties  the  ancient  traces  of 
furnaces  were  visible  as  late  as  1850.  Silver  Creek,  which  runs 
south  and  through  iladison  and  St.  Clair  counties,  was  so  named 
on  the  supposition  that  silver  metal  was  plentiful  along  that  stream. 

Failing  to  discover  any  metals  or  precious  stones,  Renault  turned 
his  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  the  land  in  order  to  support  his 
miners. 

First  Land  Grant  in  District 

On  May  10.  1722,  the  military  commandant.  Lieutenant  Bois- 
briant,  representing  the  king,  and  Des  Usins,  representing  the  Royal 
Indies  Company  (the  Company  of  the  West),  granted  to  Charles 
Davie  a  tract  of  land  five  arpents  wide  (58.35  rods)  and  reaching 
from  the  Kaskaskia  on  the  east  to  the  Jlississippi  on  the  west.  This 
is  said  to  have  been  tlie  fii-st  grant  of  land  made  in  the  Illinois  district 
in  Louisiana. 

The  next  year,  June  14th,  the  same  officials  made  a  grant  to 
Renault  of  a  tract  of  land  abutting  or  facing  on  the  Mississippi 
more  than  three  miles.  This  tract  contained  more  than  13.000  acres. 
It  reached  back  to  the  bluffs,  probably  four  to  five  miles.  It  is  said 
the  grant  was  made  in  consideration  of  the  labor  of  Renault's  slaves, 
probably  upon  some  work  belonging  to  the  Company  of  the  West. 
This  grant  was  up  the  Jlissi.ssippi  three  and  a  half  miles  above  Fort 


56  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Chartres.    The  village  of  St.  Phillipe  was  probably  started  before  the 
grant  was  made — at  least,  the  village  was  on  the  grant. 

As  soon  as  Fort  Chartres  was  complete  there  grew  up  a  village 
near  by,  which  usually  went  by  the  name  of  New  Chartres.  About 
the  year  1722  the  village  of  Prairie  du  Kocher  was  begun.  It  was 
located  near  the  bluffs,  due  east  from  Fort  Chartres  about  three 
and  a  half  miles.  It  is  said  that  some  of  the  houses  were  built  of 
stone,  there  being  an  abundance  of  that  material  in  the  bluffs  just 
back  of  the  village.  To  this  village  there  was  granted  a  very  large 
"common,"  which  it  holds  to  this  day.  The  common  is  about  three 
miles  square  and  lies  back  of  the  village,  upon  the  upland. 

There  were  probably,  as  early  as  1725,  five  permanent  French 
villages  in  the  American  Bottom,  namely :  Cahokia,  settled  not  earlier 
than  1698,  and  not  later  than  1700;  Kaskaskia,  settled  in  the  later 
part  of  the  year  1700  or  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1701 ;  New 
Chartres,  the  village  about  Fort  Chartres,  commenced  about  the 
same  time  the  fort  was  erected,  1720;  Prairie  du  Rocher,  settled 
about  1722,  or  possibly  as  late  as  the  grant  to  Boisbriant,  which  was 
in  1733;  St.  Phillipe,  settled  very  soon  after  Renault  received  the 
grant  from  the  Western  Company,  which  was  1723. 

The  villages  were  all  much  alike.  They  were  a  straggling  lot  of 
crude  cabins,  built  with  little,  if  any,  reference  to  streets,  and  con- 
structed with  no  pretension  to  architectural  beauty.  The  inhabitants 
were  French  and  Indians  and  negroes. 

Life  at  the  Pioneer  French  Illinois  Settlements 

The  industrial  life  of  these  people  consisted  of  fishing  and  hunt- 
ing, cultivation  of  the  soil,  commercial  transactions,  some  manu- 
facturing, and  mining.  The  fishing  and  hunting  were  partly  a  pas- 
time, but  the  table  was  often  liberally  supplied  from  these  sources. 
The  soil  was  fertile  and  j-ielded  abundantlj^  to  a  very  indifferent 
cultivation.  Wheat  was  grown  and  the  grain  ground  in  crude  water 
mills,  usually  situated  at  the  mouths  of  the  streams  as  they  emerged 
from  the  bluffs.  And  it  is  said  one  windmill  was  erected  in  the 
bottom.  They  had  swine  and  black  cattle,  says  Father  Charlevoix, 
in  1721.  The  Indians  raised  poultry,  spun  the  wool  of  the  buffalo 
and  wove  a  cloth,  which  they  dyed  black,  yellow,  or  red. 

In  the  first  thirty  or  forty  years  of  the  eighteenth  century  there 
was  considerable  commerce  carried  on  between  these  villages  and 
the  mouth  of  the  river.  New  Orleans  was  established  in  1718  and 
came  to  be  in  a  very  early  day  an  important  shipping  point.  The 
gi-ist  mills  gi'ound  the  wheat  which  the  Illinois  farmers  raised  on 
the  bottom  lands,  and  the  flour  was  shipped  in  keel  boats  and  flat- 
boats.  Fifteen  thousand  deer  skins  were  sent  in  one  year  to  New 
Orleans.  Buffalo  meat  and  other  products  of  the  forest,  as  well  as 
the  produce  of  the  farms,  made  up  the  cargoes.  Considerable  lead 
was  early  shipped  to  the  mother  country.    The  return  vessel  brought 


&t  Uutil 


// 


kr-^^ 


yi.u-  OF  Amekicax  Buttum  and  Old  French  Villages 


58  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  colomsts  rice,  sugar,  coffee,  mauufactured  articles  of  all  kiuds, 
tools,  implements,  and  munitions  of  war. 

Under  the  Crown  and  the  Jesuits 

In  1720  a  financial  i^anic  struck  France,  and  John  Law  was 
forced  to  flee  from  the  country.  The  Company  of  the  Indies  kept 
up  a  pretense  of  carrying  on  its  business,  but  in  1732,  upon  petition 
by  the  company,  the  king  issued  a  proclamation  declaring  the  com- 
pany dissolved  and  Louisiana  to  be  free  to  all  subjects  of  the  king. 
There  were  at  this  time  (1732)  about  7,000  whites  and  2,000  negro 
slaves  within  the  limits  of  the  Louisiana  territory.  The  rules  of 
the  "Western  Company  had  been  so  exacting  that  many  of  the  activities 
of  the  people  had  been  repressed.  Every  one  seems  to  have  been 
held  in  a  sort  of  vassalage  to  the  company.  Now  the  territory  was 
to  come  directly  under  the  crown. 

In  1721  the  whole  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  had  been  divided 
into  nine  civil  jurisdictions,  as  follows :  New  Orleans,  Biloxi,  Mobile, 
Alabama,  Natchez,  Yazoo,  Natchitoches,  Arkansas,  and  Illinois. 
"There  shall  be  at  the  headquarters  in  each  district  a  commandant 
and  a  judge,  from  whose  decisions  appeals  may  be  had  to  the  superior 
council  established  at  New  Biloxi."  Breese's  "Histoiy  of  Illinois" 
gives  a  copy  of  an  appeal  of  the  inhabitants  of  Kaskaskia  to  the  pro- 
vincial commandant  and  judge  relative  to  the  grants  of  lands  to 
individuals  and  to  the  inhabitants  as  a  whole. 

The  religious  life  of  Kaskaskia,  Cahokia,  and  other  French  vil- 
lages was  quite  free  from  outside  influence.  By  the  third  article 
of  the  ordinance  issued  by  Louis  XV  in  1724,  all  religious  beliefs 
other  than  the  Catholic  faith  were  forbidden.  The  article  reads 
as  follows :  ' '  We  prohibit  any  other  religious  rites  than  those  of 
the  Apostolic  Roman  Catholic  Church;  requiring  that  those  who 
violate  this  shall  be  punished  as  rebels,  disobedient  to  our  com- 
mands." This  ordinance  also  made  it  an  offense  to  set  over  any 
slaves  any  overseers  who  should  in  any  way  prevent  the  slaves  from 
professing  the  Roman  Catholic  religion. 

Kaskaskia,  Illinois  Jesuit  Center    ' 

By  an  ordinance  issued  in  1722  by  the  council  for  the  company, 
and  with  the  coasent  of  the  Bishop  of  Quebec,  the  province  of 
Louisiana  was  divided  into  three  spiritual  jurisdictions.  The  first 
comprised  the  banks  of  the  ilississippi  from  the  Gulf  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Ohio,  and  including  the  region  to  the  west.  The  Capuchins 
were  to  officiate  in  the  churches,  and  their  superior  was  to  reside  in 
New  Orleans.  The  second  spii'itual  district  comprised  all  the  terri- 
tory noi'th  of  the  Ohio,  and  was  assigned  to  the  charge  of  the  Jesuits, 
whose  superior  should  reside  in  the  Illinois,  presumably  at  Kaskaskia. 
The  third  district  lay  south  of  the  Ohio  and  east  of  the  Mississippi 


QUIXCY  AND  ADA^ilS  COUNTY  59 

River,  and  was  assigned  to  tlie  Carmelites,  the  residence  of  tlie  supe- 
rior being  at  Jlobile.  Each  of  the  three  superiors  was  to  be  a  grand 
vicar  of  tho  Bishop  of  Quebec.  The  Carmelites  remained  in  charge 
of  their  territory  south  of  the  Ohio  ouly  till  the  following  fall. 
December,  1722,  when  they  turned  over  their  work  to  the  Capuchins 
and  returned  to  France. 

As  evidence  of  the  activity  of  the  Jesuits  in  the  territory  which 
was  assigned  to  them,  we  are  told  they  had  already,  in  1721,  cstal)- 
lished  a  monastery  in  Kaskaskia.  It  is  stated  in  Monette's  "Missis- 
sippi Valley"  that  a  college  was  also  there  about  the  year  1721. 
Charlevoix,  quoted  by  Davidson  and  Stuve,  says:  "I  pa.ssed  the 
night  with  the  missionaries  (at  Cahokia),  who  are  two  ecclesiastics 
from  the  seminary  at  Quebec,  formerly  my  disciples,  but  they  must 
now  be  my  masters.  Yesterday  I  arrived  at  Kaskaskia  about  9  o'clock. 
The  Jesuits  have  a  very  flourishing  mission,  which  has  lately  been 
divided  into  two."  All  descriptions  which  have  come  down  to  us 
of  the  conditions  in  the  Illinois  country-  in  the  first  part  of  the 
eighteenth  centurj-  represent  the  church  as  most  aggressive  and  pros- 
perous. Civil  government  certainly  must  have  passed  into  "innocu- 
ous desuetude"  by  1732. 

The  government  was  very  simple,  at  least  until  about  17:J0.  Fi'om 
the  settlement  in  1700  up  to  the  coming  of  Crozat  there  was  virtually 
no  civil  government.  Controversies  were  few,  and  the  priest "s  influ- 
ence was  such  that  all  disputes  which  arose  were  settled  by  that 
personage.  Recently  documents  have  been  recovered  from  the  court- 
house in  Chester  which  throw  considerable  light  upon  the  question 
of  government  in  the  Fi-eneh  villages,  but  as  yet  they  have  not  been 
thoroughly  sorted  and  interpreted. 

The  Company  of  the  West  realized  that  its  task  of  developing 
the  Territory  of  Louisiana  was  an  unprofitable  one,  and  they  sur- 
rendered their  charter  to  the  king,  and  Louisiana  became,  as  we 
are  accustomed  to  say,  a  royal  province  by  proclamation  of  the  king, 
April  10,  1732. 

FORTUX.VTE   .\N'D    PROGRESSIVE    ILLINOIS 

The  two  efforts,  the  one  by  Crozat  and  the  other  hy  the  Company 
of  the  West,  had  both  resulted  in  failure  so  far  as  profit  to  either 
was  concerned.  Crozat  had  spent  425,000  livres  and  realized  in 
return  only  300,000  livres.  And  although  a  rich  man,  the  venture 
ruined  him  financially.  The  Company  of  the  AVest  put  thousands 
of  dollars  into  the  attempt  to  develop  the  territory,  for  which  no 
money  in  return  was  ever  received.  But  the  efforts  of  both  were  a 
lasting  good  to  the  territorj'  itself.  Possibly  the  knowledge  of  the 
geography  of  the  country  which  resulted  from  the  explorations  in 
search  of  precious  metals  was  not  the  least  valuable.  Among  other 
things  these  two  efforts  brought  an  adventurous  and  energetic  class 
of  people  into  Illinois. 


60  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

For  many  years  after  1732,  wlieu  Louisiana  became  a  royal 
province,  the  Illinois  country,  or  district,  was  spared  many  of  the 
hardships  of  war  which  so  distressed  and  retarded  the  French  domain 
both  north  and  south  of  it.  The  massacre  at  Natchez  and  the  cam- 
paigns against  the  Natchez  and  Chickasaw  Indians,  which  ravaged 
the  southern  country  for  a  decade,  were  events  of  this  character. 
The  French  and  the  Indians  north  of  the  Ohio  were  on  very  good 
terms,  and  the  settlements  in  the  Illinois  country  grew  rapidly, 
especially  after  1739,  with  the  subjugation  of  the  turbulent  Indians 
who  had  so  interfered  with  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi. 
Neither  did  King  George's  war,  which  broke  out  between  France 
and  England  in  1714,  disturb  the  even  progress  of  the  western 
country.  In  the  fall  of  1745  the  rice  crop  of  Lower  Louisiana  was 
almost  ruined  by  storms  and  inundation,  which  misfortune  worked 
to  the  advantage  of  Illinois  by  creating  an  unusual  demand  for  its 
wheat  and  flour. 

The  English  Invade  the  Ohio  V.illey 

.  King  George's  war,  which  had  its  origin  in  European  political 
complications,  closed  in  1748.  The  treaty  which  closed  the  war  pro- 
vided for  the  return  of  Louisburg  to  the  French,  and  all  other 
possessions  of  England  and  France  in  America  to  remain  as  they 
were  prior  to  the  war.  It  could  easily  be  seen  that  the  next  struggle 
between  the  French  and  the  English  would  be  for  the  permanent 
control  of  the  Ohio  Valley  and  the  adjacent  territory  east  of  the 
Mississippi  River.  The  English  had  never  relaxed  in  their  deter- 
mination to  possess  the  Ohio  Valley.  In  1738  a  treaty  was  made 
at  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  between  English  commissioners  and  three 
Indian  chiefs  representing  twelve  towns  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Wabash. 
The  piirpose  of  the  treaty  was  to  attach  the  Indians  north  of  the 
Ohio  to  the  English  cause.  The  Ohio  Land  Company  was  formed 
in  1738.  It  contained  residents  of  England  and  Virginia.  It  received 
from  King  George  II  a  grant  of  a  half  million  acres  of  land  on  and 
about  the  Ohio  River.  They  were  given  the  exclusive  right  of  trading 
with' the  Indians  in  that  region. 

In  1749  the  governor  general  of  Canada  sent  Louis  Celeron,  a 
knight  of  the  Military  Order  of  St.  Louis,  to  plant  lead  plates  along 
the  valley  of  the  Ohio,  which  might  eventually  prove  French  pri- 
ority of  occupation  of  this  territory.  Several  of  the  plates  were 
afterward  unearthed.  In  1750  Celeron  wrote  a  letter  to  the  governor 
of  Pennsylvania,  warning  him  of  the  danger  of  his  people  who  might 
trespass  upon  the  French  possessions  along  the  Ohio.  In  1752  agents 
of  the  Ohio  Company  established  a  trading  post  within  a  few  miles 
of  the  present  site  of  Piqua,  Ohio.  In  the  sa;ne  year  the  French 
and  Indian  allies  destroyed  this  post,  killing  fourteen  Twightwees 
Indians,  who  were  under  a  treaty  with  the  English.  Logstown,  about 
eighteen  miles  below  the  forks  of  the  Ohio,  was  settled  in  1748  by 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAJ^IS  COUNTY  Gl 

the  English,  and  in   1752  a  treaty   was  made  tliere   in  which   the 
Indians  ceded  certain  rights  and  privileges  to  the  English. 

The  iYench  began  in  1753  to  build  a  line  of  forts  from  the  lakes 
to  the  Mississippi  by  way  of  the  Ohio  and  its  tributaries  from  the 
North.  The  first  fort  was  located  at  Presque  Isle  (now  Erie,  Penn- 
sylvania) ;  the  second  one  was  Fort  Le  Boeuf,  on  French  Creek,  a 
branch  of  the  Alleghany.  The  third  was  called  Venango,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  French  Creek.  From  here  they  pushed  south  and 
found  some  Englishmen  building  a  fort  at  the  junction  of  the  Alle- 
ghany and  Monongahcla.  The  French  drove  the  Englishmen  from 
the  place  and  finished  the  fort  and  named  it  Fort  Dmiuesne.  This 
was  the  fourth  fortification  in  the  line  of  forts  reaching  from  the 
lakes  to  the  5Ii.ssissippi  River.  The  French  and  Indian  war  was  now 
fairly  l>egun,  and  we  shall  return  to  the  Illinois  to  see  wliat  part 
this  region  was  to  play  in  this  final  contest  for  supremacy  between 
the  two  great  powers  of  the  Old  World. 

Frexch  Rebuild  Fort  Chartres 

"We  have  called  attention  to  the  activity  of  the  French  in  I)uilding 
forts  on  the  Upper  Ohio  to  secure  that  region  from  the  English. 
The  same  activity  marked  their  preparations  in  the  West  for  the 
impending  struggle.  Fort  Chartres  had  been  originally  of  wood. 
There  never  were  manj'  soldiers  stationed  there  at  a  time — only  a 
few  score  soldiers  and  officers — but  following  King  George's  war  it 
was  decided  to  rebuild  Fort  Chartres  on  a  large  scale. 

The  old  fort  had  been  hastily  constructed  of  wood.  The  new 
fort  wa.s  to  be  of  stone.  It  was  planned  and  constructed  by  Lieut. 
Jean  B.  Saussier,  a  French  engineer,  whose  descendants  lived  in 
Cahokia  many  years,  one  of  whom.  Dr.  John  Snyder,  recently  lived 
in  Virginia,  Ca.ss  County,  Illinois.  When  complete  it  was  the  finest 
and  most  costly  fort  in  America.  The  cost  of  its  construction  was 
about  ."Isl, 500,000,  and  it  .seriously  embarra-s-sed  the  French  exchequer. 
The  stones  were  hewn,  squared,  and  numl)ered  in  the  quarries  in 
the  bluff  just  opposite,  about  four  miles  distant,  and  conveyed  across 
the  lake  to  the  fort  in  boats.  The  massive  stone  walls  enclosed  about 
four  acres.  They  were  18  feet  high  and  about  2  feet  thick.  The 
gateway  was  arched,  and  15  feet  high ;  a  cut-stone  platform  was  aJ>ove 
the  gate,  with  a  stair  of  nineteen  steps  and  balustrade  leading  to 
it:  there  were  four  bastians,  each  with  forty-eight  loopholes,  eight 
embrasures,  and  a  sentiy  box,  all  in  cut  stone.  Within  the  walls 
stood  the  storehouse,  90  feet  long,  30  feet  wide,  two  stories  high: 
the  guardhouse,  with  two  rooms  almve  for  chapd  and  missionary 
quarters;  the  government  house.  84  by  32  feet,  with  iron  gates  and 
a  stone  porch;  a  coach  house,  pigeon  house,  and  large  well,  walled 
up  with  the  finest  of  dressed  rock:  the  intendant's  house;  two  rows 
of  barracks,  each  128  feet  long:  the  magazine,  which  is  still  .stand- 
ing and  well  prescr\-ed.  35  by  38  and  13  feet  high:  bake  ovens;  four 


62  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

prison  cells  of  cut  stone;  one  large  relief  gate  on  the  north.     Such 
was  the  pride  of  the  French  empire,  and  the  capital  of  New  France. 

Illinois  Triumphs  Over  Virginia 

The  fort  was  scarcely  completed  when  the  French  and  Indian 
war  broke  out.  In  May,  1754,  George  Washington  and  his  Virginia 
riflemen  surprised  the  French  at  Great  ileadows,  where  Jumonville, 
the  French  commander,  was  killed.  A  brother  of  the  slain  French 
commander,  who  was  stationed  at  Fort  Chartres,  secured  leave  from 
Makarty,  in  command  there,  to  avenge  liis  death.  Taking  his  com- 
pany with  him,  they  proceeded  to  Fort  Duquesne,  and  there,  gather- 
ing some  friendly  Indians,  they  attacked  Washington  at  Fort  Neces- 
sity, which  was  surrendered  on  July  4th.  This  was  the  real  beginning 
of  the  old  French  war.  Flushed  with  victory,  the  little  detachment 
returned  to  Fort  Chartres  and  celebrated  the  triumph  of  Illinois  over 
Virginia. 

In  the  French  and  Indian  war  the  demand  upon  Makarty  at 
Fort  Chartres  for  men  and  provisions  became  incessant — in  fact,  Fort 
Chartres  became  the  principal  base  of  supplies  in  the  West.  In 
1755  Captain  Aubrj'  was  sent  to  reinforce  Fort  Duquesne  with  400 
men.  The  fort  held  out  for  some  time,  but  later  Colonel  Washington 
compelled  its  abandonment. 

New  Fort  Chartres  in  BRmsH  Hands 

The  power  of  the  French  began  to  wane.  They  maintained  the 
struggle  gallantly,  however,  and  made  one  more  desperate  effort  to 
raise  the  siege  of  Fort  Niagara.  They  failed.  The  flower  of  Fort 
Chartres  went  down  at  Niagara.  The  surrender  of  Canada  soon 
followed,  but  Fort  Chartres,  now  called  New  Fort  Chartres,  still 
held  out  for  the  French  king.  They  hoped  that  they  would  still 
be  considered  with  Louisiana  and  remain  in  French  territory. 

Their  disappointment  was  bitter  when  they  learned  that  on  Feb- 
ruary 10,  1763,  Louis  XV  had  ratified  the  treaty  transferring  them 
to  Great  Britain. 

While  the  French  at  Fort  Chartres  were  waiting  for  a  British 
force  to  take  possession,  Pierre  Laclede  arrived  from  New  Orleans 
to  settle  at  the  Illinois,  bringing  with  him  a  company  representing 
merchants  engaged  in  the  fur  trade.  Learning  of  the  treaty  of  ces- 
sion, he  decided  to  establish  his  post  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi, 
which  he  still  believed  to  be  French  soil.  He  selected  a  fine  bluff 
sixty  miles  north  of  Fort  Chartres  for  the  site  of  his  post,  and 
returned  for  the  winter.  In  the  spring  he  began  his  colony,  and 
was  enthusiastic  over  its  prospects.  Many  of  the  French  families 
followed  him,  wishing  to  remain  under  the  French  flag.  Their  dis- 
appointment was  still  more  bitter  when  they  learned  that  all  the 
French  possessions  west  of  the  Mississippi  had  been  ceded  to  Spain. 
This  is  now  St.  Louis. 


QUIXCY  AND  ADA.MS  COUNTY  63 

The  elder  St.  Ange,  who  had  been  at  Vinccnnes,  returned  to 
take  part  in  the  last  aet.  Though  the  temtory  had  been  transferred 
to  King  George,  the  white  flag  of  the  Bourbons  continued  to  fly  at 
Fort  Chartres,  the  last  place  in  Ameriea.  The  Indian  chief  Pontiac 
was  another  power  not  taken  into  confidence  at  the  treaty.  Pon- 
tiac loved  the  French,  but  detested  the  English.  "When  the  English 
companies,  under  Loftus,  Pitman,  and  Morris,  respect ivelj',  came  to 
take  ])ossession,  each  was  balked  by  the  wily  red  man.  Chief  Pontiac 
gathered  an  army  of  red  men  and  proceeded  to  Fort  Chartres,  where 
he  met  St.  Ange  and  boldly  proposed  to  assist  him  in  repelling  the 
English.  St.  Ange  plainly  told  him  that  all  was  over,  and  advised 
him  to  make  peace  with  the  English.  Fort  Chartres  was  finally 
surrendered  to  Captain  Stirling  on  October  10,  1765.  The  red  cross 
of  St.  George  replaced  the  lilies  of  France.  St.  Ange  and  his  men 
took  a  boat  for  St.  Louis,  and  there  enrolled  in  the  garrison  under 
the  Spanish,  which  St.  Ange  was  appointed  to  command. 

First  English  Court  of  L.\w  in  the  Illinois  Country 

The  first  court  of  law  was  established  at  Fort  Chartres  in  Decem- 
ber, 1768,  Fort  Chartres  becoming  the  capital  of  the  British  province 
west  of  the  Alleghanies.  Colonel  AVilkins  had  a.ssumed  command 
under  a  proclamation  from  General  Gage,  and,  with  seven  judges, 
sat  at  Fort  Chartres  to  administer  the  law  of  England.  After  the 
surrender  by  the  French  the  church  records  were  removed  to  Kas- 
kaskia.    The  records  of  the  old  French  court  were  also  removed  there. 

Pontiac  Buried  at  St.  Louis 

A  constant  warfare  had  been  kept  up  by  the  Indians  until  Pontiac 
was  killed  near  Cahokia  by  an  Illinois  Indian.  Pontiac 's  warriors 
pursued  the  Illinois  tribe  to  the  walls  of  Fort  Chartres,  where  many 
of  them  were  slain,  the  British  refusing  to  assist  them.  St.  Ange 
recovered  the  body  of  Pontiac,  and  it  was  buried  on  the  spot  now 
occupied  by  the  Southern  Hotel  in  St.  Louis,  a  memorial  plate 
marking  the  place. 

Last  of  Fort  Ciiaktres 

In  1772  high  water  swc])t  away  one  of  the  bastions  and  a  part 
of  the  western  wall  of  Fort  Chartres.  The  British  took  refuge  at 
Kaskaskia,  and  the  fort  was  never  occupied  again.  Congress,  in 
1778,  reserved  to  the  Goveniment  a  tract  one  mile  square,  of  which 
the  fort  was  the  center.  But  this  reservation  was  opened  to  entry 
in  1849,  no  provision  being  made  for  the  fort. 

"Long  Knives"  C.vpture  Kaskaskia 

What  manner  of  military  rule  and  civil  government  the  English 
established  over  the  Illinois  countrj-  has  been  described  in  general; 


64 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


theii'  dominion  lasted  but  thirteen  years.  During  the  progress  of 
the  Revolutionary  war  it  became  evident  to  the  American  colonies 
that  the  capture  of  the  British  military  posts  northwest  of  the  Ohio 
River  was  a  step  which  could  not  long  be  delayed,  and  Governor 
Patrick  Henry,  in  behalf  of  Virginia,  authorized  Lieut.-Col.  George 
Rogers  Clark  to  organize  an  expedition  for  that  purpose  in  Januarj', 
1778.  In  May,  with  seven  companies  of  fifty  meu  each,  recruited 
in  Western  Virginia  and  Kentucky,  he  commenced  his  journey  down 


the  Monongahela  and  Ohio,  and  in  the  following  month  disembarked 
at  old  Fort  Ma.ssac,  ten  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee 
River,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Ohio.  He  hid  his  boats  in  the  mouth 
of  a  small  stream  which  enters  the  Ohio  from  Massac-  County  a  short 
distance  above  the  fort.  The  expedition  now  made  preparations 
to  march  overland  to  Kaskaskia,  aboiit  a  hundred  miles  distant. 
Because  of  the  inefSciency  or  treachery  of  the  guides,  the  expedition 
did  not  reach  Kaskaskia  until  the  fourth  day  of  their  departure  from 
Fort  Massac,  at  10  or  11  o'clock  at  night.  Clark  divided  his  anny 
into  two  divisions,  one  of  which  was  to  scatter  throughout  the  town 


QUI.VCY  AXD  ADA.MS  COUNTY  65 

and  keep  the  people  iu  their  houses,  aud  the  other,  which  Clark 
himself  commanded,  was  to  capture  the  fort,  iu  which  the  commander, 
Chevalier  d*  Roehel)lave,  was  asleep.  In  a  very  short  time  the  task 
wa-s  tiuished  and  the  people  disarmed.  The  soldiers  were  instructed 
to  pass  up  and  down  the  streets,  and  those  who  could  speak  French 
were  to  inform  tiie  inhabitants  to  remain  within  their  houses.  The 
Virginians  aud  Kentuckians  were  in  the  meantime  keeping  up  an 
unearthly  yelling,  for  the  people  of  Kaskaskia  had  understood  that 
Mrginians  were  more  savage  than  the  Indians  had  ever  been,  and 
Clark  was  desirous  that  they  should  retain  this  impression.  The 
French  of  Kaskaskia  called  the  Virginians  "Long  Knives." 

Did  Not  W.\r  on  "Women  and  Children" 

On  the  morning  of  the  5th  the  principal  citizens  were  put  in 
irons.  Shortly  after  this  Father  Gibault  and  a  few  aged  men 
came  to  Clark  and  begged  the  privilege  of  holding  services  in  the 
church,  that  they  might  bid  one  another  good-bye  before  they  were 
separated.  Clark  gave  his  permission  in  a  verj'^  crabbed  way.  The 
church  bell  rang  out  over  the  quiet  but  sad  village,  and  immediately 
every  one  who  could  get  to  church  did  so.  At  the  close  of  the  service 
Father  Gibault  came  again  with  some  old  men  to  beg  that  families 
might  not  be  separated  and  that  they  might  be  privileged  to  take 
.some  of  their  personal  effects  with  them  for  their  support.  Clark 
then  cxjilaincd  to  the  priest  that  Americans  did  not  make  war  on 
women  and  children,  but  that  it  was  only  to  protect  their  own  wives 
and  children  that  they  had  come  to  this  stronghold  of  British  and 
Indian  barbarity.  He  went  further  and  told  them  that  the  French 
king  and  the  Americans  had  just  made  a  treaty  of  alliance  and  that 
it  was  the  desire  of  their  French  father  that  they  should  join  their 
interests  with  the  Americans.  This  had  a  wonderfully  conciliatory 
effect  upon  the  French.  And  now  Clark  told  them  they  were  at 
perfect  liberty  to  conduct  them.selves  as  usual.  His  influence  had 
been  so  powerful  that  they  were  all  induced  to  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  State  of  Virginia.  Their  arms  were  given  back 
to  them  and  a  volunteer  company  of  French  militiamen  was  formed. 

Kaskaskia  was  captured  on  July  4,  1778.  On  the  morning  of 
the  5th  occurred  the  incident  previously  referred  to,  relative  to  the 
conduct  of  the  priest.  Evidently  very  early  in  the  day  quiet  was 
restored  and  better  relations  were  established  between  captoi-s  and 
captives.  The  treaty  of  alliance  between  France  aud  the  Cnifed 
States  was  explained,  and  immediately  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
Virginia  was  taken  by  the  people. 

Bloodless  C.\PTrRE  of  Cahokia  and  Vincennes 

On  the  same  5th  of  July  an  expedition  was  planned  fur  the 
capture  of  Cahokia.     Captain  Bowman,  with  his  company,  or  prob- 

Vol.  1—5 


Bronze  Statue  of  George  Rogers  Clark,  Quincy 


l^riXCY  AND  ADAMS  lOFXTY  67 

al)ly  a  portion  of  it,  ami  a  (k-taphim'iit  of  the  French  militia,  under 
Freneh  officers,  together  with  a  niunber  of  Kaskaskia  citizens,  made 
up  the  armj'.  Reynolds  .says  they  rode  French  ponies.  The  dis- 
tanec  was  sixty  miles,  and  the  trip  was  made  by  the  afternoon  of 
the  6th.  At  first  the  people  of  ("ahokia  were  greatly  agitated  and 
cried,  "Long  Knives!"  "Long  Knives!"  But  the  Kaskaskia  citi- 
zens soon  quieted  them  and  explained  what  had  happened  at  Kas- 
kaskia only  two  days  before.  The  fort  at  C'ahokia  may  have  cdiitained 
a  few  British  soldiers  or  some  French  militia.  In  oitlier  case  they 
(juietly  surrendered.  The  oath  of  allegiance  was  administered  to 
the  people,  and  the  citizens  returned  to  Kaskaskia. 

For  the  first  few  days  of  Clark's  stay  in  Kaskaskia  he  and  his 
men  talked  about  the  fort  at  the  falls  of  Ohio  and  of  a  dctaciiment 
of  soldiers  they  were  expecting  from  there  every  day.  This  was 
done  for  the  purpose  of  making  an  impression  upon  the  people  of 
Kaskaskia.  Clark  was  a  slu'cwd  diplomat,  as  well  as  a  good  soldier, 
and  lie  suspected  tiiat  Fatlicr  (iiliault  was  at  iieart  on  the  side  of 
the  Americans.  By  conversation  Clark  learned  that  the  priest  was 
the  regular  shepherd  of  the  flock  at  Vincenncs,  and  evi<lently  had 
very  great  influence  with  the  jM'oplc  there.  Clark  therefore  talked 
of  his  expedition  against  X'inccnncs  from  tlie  fort  at  the  fails  of 
the  Ohio.  Father  Giliaidt  then  told  Clark  that  while  the  post  at 
\'incennes  was  a  very  strong  one  and  that  thei'e  were  usually  many 
Indians  abotit  that  place  just  at  this  time,  the  lieutenant-governor, 
or  i-ommandant.  Edward  Ablxit.  was  not  at  Vincenncs,  but  was  in 
Detroit.  He  also  told  Clark  that  there  were  no  soldiers  there,  except 
probably  a  few  citizen  officers,  and  that  he  had  no  doubt,  if  the 
people  there  knew  the  real  nature  of  the  conflict  between  Kngland 
and  the  colonies  and  that  France  had  .ioined  against  the  hated  British, 
there  would  be  no  opposition  to  Clark  and  his  purposes.  The  prie.st 
further  suggested  that  he  himself  would  head  an  embassy  to  Post 
\'incennes  for  the  purpose  of  attempting  to  secure  the  allegiance  of 
the  people  there  to  the  American  cause. 

This  was  the  most  cheering  word  that  had  come  to  Clark  in  all 
his  first  days  at  Kaska.skia.  An  expedition  was  immediately  planned. 
The  priest  should  be  accompanied  by  a  citizen  of  Kaskaskia,  Dr. 
John  Baptiste  Lafont.  The  two  gentlemen  were  accompanied  by 
several  attendants,  among  whom  was  a  spy  who  had  secret  instruc- 
tions from  Clark. 

They  departed  .Inly  14th,  and  reached  Vincenncs  safely.  The 
priest  had  no  difficulty  in  making  it  clear  to  the  people  that  France 
was  on  the  side  of  the  Americans.  The  commander,  Governor  Abbot, 
had  recently  gone  to  Detroit,  and  there  was  no  one  in  military  com- 
mand. They  all  took  the  .oath  of  allegiance  to  Virginia.  They  al.so 
organized  a  militia  company  and  took  posses.sion  of  the  fort,  over 
which  the  flag  of  Virginia  floated,  much  to  the  wonder  of  the  Indians. 
The  Indians  were  told   that   the  old  French  king,  their  father,   had 


68  yriXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

come  to  life,  and  if  tliey  did  uot   waut  the  land  to  be  bloody  with 
war  they  must  make  peace  with  the  Americans. 

August  1st  Father  Gibault  and  his  companions  returned  to  Kas- 
kaskia  and  reported  the  success  of  their  mission. 

Clark's  Little  Army  Reorgaxized 

Clark  was  busy  just  then  reorganizing  his  little  army.  The 
term  of  enlistment  of  the  soldiers  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and  he 
saw  that  unless  he  could  re-enlist  his  men,  all  the  good  that  had 
been  accomplished  would  go  for  naught.  Clark  succeeded  in  re-enlist- 
ing about  a  hundred  of  his  little  army,  while  the  rest  were  to  be 
mustered  out  at  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  their  places  being  filled  with 
enlistments  from  the  P''reneh  militia.  Captain  Bowman  was  made 
military  commandant  at  Cahokia,  Captain  Williams  had  charge  at 
Kaskaskia.  Captain  Helm  was  sent  to  Vincennes  to  take  charge, 
Captain  Linn  was  dispatched  with  the  soldiers  who  did  not  re-enlist 
to  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  and  Captain  ^Montgomery  was  sent  with 
Chevalier  de  Rocheblave  and  dispatches  to  "Williamsburg.  It  had 
been  Colonel  Clark's  intention  to  treat  with  great  consideration  his 
distinguished  captive,  but  ^I.  Rocheblave  behaved  so  rudely  that  he 
was  sent  a  prisoner  to  Virginia,  his  slaves  were  confiscated  and  sold 
for  500  pounds  sterling  and  the  money  distributed  among  the  soldiers. 

CoMBiNKD  Military  and  Civil  Jurisdiction 

Colonel  Clark  by  early  fall  restored  order  and  obedience  in  all 
the  Illinois  country.  He  soon  found  the  need  of  civil  courts.  The 
courts  established  by  Wilkins  under  the  British  occupation  had  not 
been  put  in  operation.  Rocheblave  had  given  little,  if  any,  attention 
to  civil  administration.  Colonel  Clark  made  inquiry  as  to  the  cus- 
toms and  usages  of  the  people  and  decided  to  organize  courts  for 
the  adjustment  of  claims  and  disputes.  Accordingly  Captain  Bow- 
man held  an  election  in  Cahokia,  at  which  the  citizens  voted  and 
elected  judges,  one  of  whom  was  Captain  Bowman.  Later,  judges 
were  elected  at  Kaskaskia  and  at  Vincennes.  Colonel  Clark  himself 
constituted  the  appellate  court,  and  from  a  letter  afterward  written 
to  Jefferson  he  must  have  been  quite  busy  in  this  line  of  work, 
for  he  says,  referring  to  this  matter  of  being  relieved  from  civil 
duties:  "The  civil  department  of  the  Illinois  had  heretofore  robbed 
me  of  too  much  of  my  time  that  ought  to  be  spent  in  military  reflec- 
tion. I  was  now  likely  to  be  relieved  by  Col.  John  Todd.  I  was 
anxious  for  his  arrival  and  happy  in  his  appointment,  as  the  greatest 
intimacy  and  friendship  has  subsisted  between  us.  I  now  saw  myself 
rid  of  a  piece  of  trouble  that  I  had  no  delight  in."  This  extract 
is  from  a  letter  written  by  Clark  to  Jefferson  when  he  heard  that 
Col.  John  Todd  had  been  selected  to  administer  civil  government 
in  the  Illinois  countrv. 


QL'INCY  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  69 

The  people  of  Virgiuia  were  soon  aware  of  the  sii(c'e.s.s  of  the 
Clark  expedition.  The  common  people  were,  of  course,  greatly  sur- 
prised, and  the  otticials  who  had  stood  liaik  of  the  enterprise  were 
greatly  relieved  ami  delighted.  The  Legislature  in  session  in  October 
took  steps  to  extend  civil  government  over  the  newly  conquered 
country. 

County  op  Illinois,  West  of  the  Ohio  River 

Jn  UetuLier,  177i?.  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  took  the  following 
action  creating  the  County  of  Illinois:  "All  the  citizens  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Virginia  who  are  already  settled  or  shall  hereafter 
settle  on  the  western  side  of  the  Ohio  shall  be  included  in  a  ilistinct 
county,  which  shall  be  called  Illinois  county;  and  the  governor  of 
this  commonwealth,  with  the  advice  of  the  council,  may  appoint  a 
county  lieutenant  or  commander-in-chief,  during  pleasure,  who  shall 
appoint  and  commission  as  many  deputy  commandants,  militia  offi- 
cers, and  commissionaries  as  he  shall  think  proper  in  the  different 
districts,  during  pleasure:  all  of  whom,  before  they  enter  into  office, 
shall  take  the  oath  of  fidelitj'  to  this  commonwealth  and  the  oath 
of  office  according  to  the  form  of  their  own  religion. 

"And  all  civil  officers  to  which  the  inhabitants  have  been  accus- 
tomed necessary  for  the  preservation  of  the  peace  and  the  admin- 
istration of  justice  shall  be  chosen  by  a  majority  of  the  citizens  in 
their  respective  districts,  to  be  convened  for  that  purpose  by  the 
county  lieutenant  or  connuaiulant,  or  his  deputy,  and  shall  be 
commissioned  by  the  said  county  lieutenant  or  commander-in-chief." 

In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  law  creating  the  County 
of  Illinois  west  of  the  Ohio  River,  the  governor  of  Virginia.  Patrick 
Henry,  appointed  John  Todd,  Esq.,  a  judge  of  the  Kentucky  court, 
as  county  lieutenant  or  commander-in-chief  of  the  newly  created 
county. 

Col.  John  Todd.  Cointy  Lieutenant 

His  commission  bears  date  of  December  12.  1778.  but  he  did 
not  arrive  in  Illinois  County  until  May.  1779.  Clark  had  retiinied 
from  his  campaign  and  capture  of  Vincennes.  It  is  stated  that 
Colonel  Todd  was  received  with  great  joy  by  the  citizens  of  Kas- 
ka.skia.  He  was  no  strange-  to  many  al>f)ut  the  village,  for  he  had 
come  with  Clark  in  the  campaign  of  1778.  when  the  Illinois  country 
was  captured  from  the  British.  lie  is  said  to  have  been  a  soldier 
with  Clark  and  to  have  been  the  first  to  enter  the  fort  which 
Roeheblave  surrendered.  Be  that  as  it  may.  he  arrived  now  with 
the  authority  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia  behind  him.  On 
June  15.  1779.  he  issued  a  proclamation  wliich  provided  that  no 
more  settlements  should  be  nuide  in  the  bottom  lands,  and  further 
that  each  person  to  whom  grants  had  been  made  must   report   his 


70  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

claim  to  the  proper  officer  and  have  his  laud  recorded.  If  his  land 
had  come  to  him  througli  transfers,  then  all  such  transfers  must 
be  recorded  and  certilied  to.  This  was  done  to  prevent  those  adven- 
turers who  would  shortly  come  into  the  country  from  dispossessing 
the  rightful  owners  of  those  lands. 

The  country  to  which  Col.  John  Todd  came  as  county  lieutenant 
was  in  a  very  discouraging  condition.  It  had  reached  the  maxi- 
mum of  prosperity  about  the  time  the  French  turned  it  over  to  the 
English,  in  1765.  Very  many  of  the  French  went  to  New  Orleans 
or  to  St.  Louis  during  the  British  regime.  The  English  king  had 
attempted  to  keep  out  the  immigrant.  The  cultivation  of  the  soil 
was  sadly  neglected.  The  few  French  who  remained  were  engaged 
in  trading  with  the  Indians.  Many  came  to  be  expert  boatmen. 
Trade  was  brisk  between  the  P^rench  settlements  in  the  Illinois  coun- 
try and  New  Orleans. 

Previous  to  the  coming  of  Clark  and  the  French  gentlemen, 
Chevalier  de  Eocheblave,  who  was  holding  the  country  in  the  name 
of  the  British  government,  had  been  not  only  neglectful  but  really 
very  obstinate  and  self-willed  about  carrying  on  civil  affairs.  He 
allowed  the  courts,  organized  by  Colonel  Wilkins,  to  fall  into  disuse. 
The  merchants  and  others  who  had  need  for  courts  found  little  sat- 
isfaction in  attempts  to  secure  justice.  During  the  time  between 
the  coming  of  Clark  and  of  Todd  there  were  courts  organized,  but 
the  military  operations  were  so  overshadowing  that  probably  little 
use  was  made  of  them. 

It  appears  from  the  records  of  Colonel  Todd  that  on  May  14, 
1779,  he  organized  the  military  department  of  his  work,  by  appoint- 
ing the  officers  of  the  militia  at  Kaskaskia,  Prairie  du  Rocher.  and 
Cahokia.  Richard  Winston,  Jean  B.  Barbeau,  and  Francois  Trotier 
were  made  commandants  and  captains  in  the  three  villages,  respect- 
ively. 

The  next  step  was  to  elect  judges  provided  for  in  the  act  creating 
the  county  of  Illinois.  Judges  were  elected  at  Cahokia,  Kaskaskia, 
and  at  Vincennes,  and  court  was  held  monthly.  There  seems  to 
have  been  a  scarcity  of  properly  qualified  men  for  the  places,  as 
in  many  instances  militia  officers  were  elected  judges,  and  in  one 
case  the  ■"  deputy  commandant  at  Ka.skaskia  filled  also  the  office 
of  sheriff." 

Colonel  Todd  found  enough  work  to  keep  him  busy,  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  it  was  all  as  pleasant  as  he  might  have  wished.  The 
records  which  he  kept,  and  which  are  now  in  the  possession  of  the 
Chicago  Historical  Society,  show  that  severe  penalties  were  inflicted 
in  those  days. 

Colonel  Todd  held  this  position  of  county  lieutenant  for  about 
three  years.  During  that  time  he  established  courts,  held  popular 
elections,  and  executed  the  law  with  vigor. 

There  was  a  deputy  county  lieutenant,  or  deputy  commandant, 
in  each   village,   and  when   Colonel   Todd  was  absent   the  reins  of 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  71 

goverumeiit  were  in  tlie  hands  of  one  of  these  deputies.  On  the 
oecasion  of  his  al>senee  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  had  left,  it  seems, 
Timothy  Demountbrun  as  eounty  lieutenant.  This  man  .seems  to 
have  been  the  only  cue  authorized  to  rule  until  the  coming  of 
St.  Clair  in  1790. 

Americ.\n  Civil  Government  Northwest  of  the  Ohio 

Virginia  ceded  her  western  lands  in  1783;  in  the  following  year 
Congress  pa.ssed  an  ordinance  which  established  a  preliminary  form 
of  civil  government  north  of  the  Ohio;  in  1785  a  national  system 
of  surveys  was  adopted,  and  in  1787  wa.s  pa.ssed  the  famous  Ordi- 
nance of  1787,  by  which  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  was 
"made  one  district  for  temporary  government  and  provision  made 
for  a  definite  form  of  government."  The  first  county  created  by 
Governor  St.  Clair,  in  July  of  that  year,  was  Wa.shington,  with 
Marietta  the  seat  of  government.  In  January,  1788,  the  governor 
and  the  newly  appointed  judges  visited  Losantiville  (Cincinnati) 
and  created  the  county  of  Hamilton,  with  that  place  as  the  seat 
of  government.  Then  the  governor  and  secretary  proceeded  west- 
ward and.  reaching  Kaskaskia  on  March  5,  1790,  erected  the  County 
of  St.  Clair,  with  Cahokia  as  the  county  seat.  On  their  return  to 
Jlarietta,  Kno.\  County  was  organized,  with  Vincennes  as  the 
county  seat. 

The  St.  Clair  County  thus  established  included  all  the  territory 
north  and  east  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi  and  Illinois  rivers, 
and  west  of  a  line  running  from  Fort  Massac  through  the  mouth 
of  the  Mackinaw  Creek  a  short  distance  below  the  City  of  Peoria. 
The  county  was  divided  into  three  districts,  with  Ka.ska.skia,  Prairie 
du  Rochcr,  and  Cahokia  as  centers  of  administration.  Hefore  leav- 
ing. Governor  .St.  Clair  created  tlie  otifices  of  slicrift',  judges  of  the 
court,  probate  judge,  justice  of  the  peaee,  coroner,  notary,  clerk  and 
recorder,  surveyor  and  various  military  officers,  and  named  the 
appointees. 

In  1795,  Judge  Turner,  one  of  the  three  Federal  judges,  came 
to  hold  court,  and  from  a  contention  which  he  had  with  the  governor, 
St.  Clair  County  was  divided  by  a  line  running  cast  and  west  through 
New  Design.  Cahokia  was  established  as  the  county  seat  of  the 
north  half,  or  St.  Clair  County,  and  Kaskaskia  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment of  the  south  half,  Kandolph  County. 

The  Ordinance  of  1787  provided  that  when  there  should  be  5.000 
free  male  whites  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  in  the  Northwest 
Territory  they  might  organize  a  legislature  on  the  basis  of  one 
representative  for  each  500  whites  of  the  age  of  twenty-one.  This 
was  done  in  the  year  1798.  Sliadraeh  Bond  was  elected  to  represent 
St.  Clair  county,  and  John  Edgar.  HandoI])h  county.  The  Legis- 
lature met  at  Cincinnati  on  Fcl)ruary  4,  1799.  There  were  twenty- 
two  members  in  the  lower  house,  representing  eleven  counties.  William 


72 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


H.  Harrison,  who  had  succeeded  Sargeut  as  secretary  of  the  North- 
west Territory,  was  elected  a  delegate  to  Congress. 

In  the  session  of  Congress  in  the  winter  of  1779-1800  the  proposi- 
tion to  di\'ide  the  Northwest  Territory  into  two  territories  was 
referred  to  a  committee  of  which  Harrison  was  chairman.  The 
report  was  favorably  received  by  Congress,  and  on  May  7,  1800, 


The  Northwest  Territory,  1787 


an  act  was  passed  dividing  the  Northwest  Territory  by  a  line  run- 
ning from  the  Ohio  to  Fort  Eecovery,  and  thence  to  the  line  separat- 
ing the  territory  from  Canada. 

The  western  part  was  to  be  known  as  the  Indiana  .Territory,  and 
its  government  was  to  be  of  the  first  cla.ss.  Its  capital  was  located 
at  Vincennes,  and  the  governor  was  William  Henry  Harrison.  The 
eastern  division  was  called  the  Northwest  Territory,  its  capital  was 
Chillicothe,   and   Governor  St.    Clair  was   still   the   chief   executive. 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  73 

The  east  division  was  admitted  as  a  state  Feliruary  19,  1802.    Illinois, 
Indiana,  Wisconsin,  and  -Mii-higan  now  became  the  Indiana  Territory. 

Illinois  as  a  Territory 

Illinois  remained  a  portion  of  Indiana  Territory  from  February, 
1802,  until  February,  1801).  During  that  period  Viucennes  was 
the  capital.  The  congressional  act  of  February  3,  1809,  set  off  the 
Territory  of  Illinois  from  Indiana  by  a  dividing  line  running  north 
from  Vincennes  to  Canada.  A  prominent  argument  in  favor  of 
the  division  was  that  the  people  in  the  Illinois  region  were  favorable 
to  slavery,  while  the  Indiana  people  were  indifferent  to  the  subject. 
Several  efforts  had  been  made  to  either  strike  out  the  clause  in  the 
Ordinance  of  1787  forbidding  slavery  within  the  Northwest  Terri- 
tory, or  suspend  its  operation  for  a  stated  period. 

By  the  creative  act,  Illinois  was  made  a  territorj-  of  the  first 
class,  and  thus  remained  until  May,  1812,  when,  under  authority 
of  the  Ordinance  of  1787.  it  entered  the  second  cla.ss,  thus  enfran- 
chising all  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  instead  of  allowing 
only  freeholders  to  vote.  Ninian  Edwards,  formerly  a  Kentucky 
judge,  was  appointed  governor  of  the  new  territory,  and  Nathaniel 
Pope,  secretary,  on  April  24,  1809.  Jlr.  Pope  was  a  resident  of 
St.  Genevieve,  ilissouri,  but  practiced  law  in  Illinois. 

Illinois  as  a  territory  did  not  participate  in  the  battle  of  Tippe- 
canoe or  the  War  of  1812.  but  Governor  Edwards  left  nothing  \nulone 
to  protect  its  soil  against  Indian  depredations  or  British  expe<litions. 
Not  a  few  soldiers  and  officers,  however,  went  from  the  "American 
bottom,"  and  it  is  estimated  that  fully  2,000  lUinoisans  partici- 
pated in  this  border  warfare.  The  apprehension  of  the  settlers  in 
the  valleys  of  the  Mississippi  and  Illinois  were  intensified  by  the 
Fort  Dearborn  ma.ssaere. 

In  September,  1812,  following  the  advancement  of  Illinois  to  a 
territory  of  the  second  class.  Governor  Edwards  and  the  judges, 
acting  as  a  legislative  body,  created  three  new  counties.  The  two 
old  ones  were  St.  Clair  and  Randolph,  and  the  three  new  ones 
were  Madison,  Galatin,  and  Johnson.  On  the  same  day  an  election 
was  ordered  in  these  five  counties  for  five  members  of  the  Legislative 
Council,  and  for  seven  members  of  the  House  of  Representatives, 
and  for  a  delegate  in  Congress.  The  election  was  held  October  8th, 
9th,  and  10th.  Those  chosen  were,  for  the  lower  house:  From  Madi- 
son, William  Jones;  St.  Clair,  Jacob  Short  and  Joshua  Oglesby ; 
Randolph,  George  Fisher;  John.son,  John  Grammar;  Gallatin.  Philip 
Trammel  and  Alexander  Wilson.  Those  chosen  for  the  council  were : 
From  Madison.  Samuel  Judy;  St.  Clair,  William  Biggs;  Rjindolph, 
Pierre  Menard ;  Johnson,  Thomas  Ferguson ;  Gallatin,  Benjamin 
Talbot. 

I'nder  the  seeond-cla.ss  form  of  government  the  Legislature  met 
biennially.     In  the  summer  of  1814  Col.  Benjamin  Stephenson  was 


74  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

elected  delegate  in  Congress,  and  in  1816,  Nathaniel  Pope,  who  served 
till  the  admission  of  the  state  in  1818.  Two  new  counties  were  added 
in  1815— White  and  Edwards— making  seven  in  all.  In  1816  four 
more  were  added — Monroe,  Jackson,  Pope,  and  Crawford.  In  1817 
Bond  was  added,  and  in  1818,  Franklin,  Union,  and  Washington 
were  created,  these  making  fifteen  counties  at  the  admission  of  the 
state  in  1818. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1812  met  at  Kaskaskia,  November  25th, 
and  proceeded  to  organize  by  choosing  Pierre  Menard  president  of 
the  council,  and  George  Fisher  speaker  of  the  house.  It  is  said  the 
whole  of  the  assembly  boarded  at  one  house  and  slept  in  one  room. 
The  work  before  this  first  session  was  to  re-enact  the  laws  for  the 
territory  which  served  while  the  territory  was  of  the  first  class,  to 
adopt  military  mea.sures  for  the  defense  of  the  people  against  the 
Indians,  and  to  provide  revenue  for  the  maintenance  of  the  terri- 
torial government.  The  Legislature  was  in  session  from  November 
25th  to  December  26th  following. 

Bond  Law'  Protects  Home  Seekers 

This  Legislature  elected  Shadrach  Bond  as  delegate  to  Congress. 
He  took  his  seat  in  the  fall  of  1812.  During  his  term  of  office  in 
Congress,  Bond  secured  the  passage  of  the  first  pre-emption  law  of 
Illinois.  This  law  provided  that  a  man  who  settled  upon  a  piece 
of  land  and  made  an  improvement  while  it  was  still  Government 
land  should  have  the  right  to  buy  the  tract  so  improved  in  preference 
to  anyone  else.  The  law  prevented  persons  from  buying  land  which 
someone  else  had  improved,  to  the  detriment  of  the  one  who  made 
the  improvement. 

The  wave  of  immigration  often  traveled  westward  faster  than 
the  surveyors  did.  In  such  cases  the  settler  never  knew  just  where 
his  land  would  fall  when  the  region  was  platted.  And  again,  after 
the  surveyor  had  done  his  work,  it  often  happened  that  the  surveyed 
land  was  not  placed  on  the  market  for  a  number  of  years.  The  settler 
usually  selected  his  lands  and  made  improvement  with  the  expecta- 
tion that  he  would  buy  the  land  when  it  came  on  the  market.  Unprin- 
cipled men  would  watch  and  would  often  step  in  ahead  of  the  settler 
at  the  land  office  and  buy  the  improved  land  at  Government  prices. 
This  often  resulted  in  violence  and  bloodshed.  So  the  Bond  law 
was  a  real  peacemaker. 

State  Machinery  Set  in  Motion 

The  Enabling  Act  became  a  law  April  18,  1818.  The  election 
of  delegates  to  the  constitutional  convention  was  fixed  for  the  first 
Monday  in  July,  and  that  body  was  to  convene  the  first  Monday  in 
August.  But  the  first  thing  to  do  was  to  take  the  census  of  the 
territory,  and  if  it  did  not  have  the  40,000,  then  there  w'ould  be  no 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  75 

nerd  for  tlio  convent  ion.  It  was  soon  evident  that  tlie  territory 
did  not  have  the  recjuired  number.  The  story  is  told  that  tlie  mar- 
shal stationed  his  enmnerators  on  the  piiblie  hifrhways  and  counted 
the  travelers  luid  immigrants,  regardless  of  their  destination.  Not 
only  this,  but  it  is  asserted  that  often  the  same  traveler  or  immi- 
grant was  counted  twice,  or  even  thrice.  At  la.st  the  enumerators 
returned  40,000  inhabitants,  but  as  the  returns  were  afterward 
footed  up  there  were  really  only  thirty-four  thousand  six  hundred  and 
twenty  people  in  the  ])roposed  state.  The  delegates  were  duly  elected 
and  a.ssembled  at  Kaskaskia  on  the  first  ilonday  in  August. 

The  convention  met  August  3,  1818,  and  finished  its  labors  and  ad- 
journed August  26th.  Jesse  B.  Thomas  from  St.  Clair  County  was 
elected  chairman,  and  William  C.  Greenup  was  made  secretary. 

The  constitution  was  not  submitted  to  the  people  for  ratification 
ami  the  only  officers  whom  the  people  might  elect  were:  Governor,  lieu- 
tenant-governor, members  of  the  general  a.ssembly,  sheriffs  and  coro- 
ners. The  offices  which  were  filled  by  appointment  of  either  the  gov- 
ernor or  the  general  asseiid)ly  were:  Judges  of  the  suprcuu\  circuit  and 
probate  courts;  pro.seeuting  attorney,  county  clerk,  circuit  clerk,  re- 
corder, justice  of  the  peace,  auditor  of  public  accounts,  attorney-gen- 
eral and  secretary-  of  state. 

The  dav  fi.xed  by  the  constitution  for  the  election  of  state  officers 
was  the  third  Thursday  (17th)  of  September,  1818,  when  Shadrach 
Bond  was  chosen  governor,  Pierre  Menard,  lieutenant-governor,  and 
John  McLean,  representative  in  Congress.  There  were  also  elected 
fourteen  senators  and  twenty-nine  representatives. 

The  Legislature  was  called  to  meet  at  Ka.skaskia  the  first  Monday 
in  October  (the  5th).  The  first  thing  for  this  Legislature  was  the  can- 
vass of  the  votes,  and  on  Tuesday  (the  6th)  Governor  Bond  was  in- 
augurated. The  Legislature  proceeded  to  the  election  of  two  United 
States  senators.  The  choice  fell  upon  Ninian  Edwards  and  Jesse  B. 
Thomas.  The  Legislature  chose  the  following  state  offices:  State  trea.s- 
urer,  John  Thomas;  auditor,  Elijah  C.  Berry;  attorney-general.  Daniel 
P.  Clark;  supreme  judges.  Joseph  Phillips  (chief  justice),  William 
P.  Foster,  Thomas  C.  Brown,  and  John  Reynolds.  The  governor  ap- 
pointed Elias  Kent  Kane  secretary  of  state. 

Under  the  Constitution  of  1818  the  governor  did  not  have  the  veto 
power  as  a  sole  prerogative.  It  was  exercised  l)y  him  in  conjunction 
with  the  Supreme  Court,  the  joint  twdy  being  known  as  the  Council  of 
Revision.  It  alx)lished  imprisonment  for  debt;  declared  against  the 
introduction  of  slavery  and  the  indenture  of  anybody  except  on  con- 
dition of  a  bona  fide  consideration.  The  constitution  did  not  affect  the 
slaves  held  by  the  French  and  their  descendants.  Provision  was.  how- 
ever, made  that  slaves  hired  in  slave  states  could  be  brought  into  the 
salt  works  at  Shawneetown  and  held  for  one  year;  then  hired  again 
for  a  like  period  :  but  even  this  traffic  must  cease  by  182.'>.  Of  course, 
the  constitution  j>rovided  for  the  regular  division  of  the  Government 


gUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  77 

into  legislative,  executive  and  jndicial  departments,  and  the  election 
or  appointment  of  the  officials  designed  to  fulfill  thi-ir  functions. 

Governor  Bond  was  elected  without  opposition,  largely  on  the 
sti'cngth  of  his  authorship  of  the  Pre-emption  Act  while  serving  as  a 
territorial  delegate  of  Congress. 

Following  the  announcement  of  the  acceptance  of  the  constitution 
hy  Congress,  Governor  Bond  called  the  Legislature  in  special  session 
for  January  4,  181!).  The  machinery  of  the  fii-st  state  government  was 
thus  set  in  motion.  In  his  short  and  unassuming  message  the  gover- 
nor recommended  the  early  completion  of  the  canal  connecting  the 
headwaters  of  the  Illinois  River  with  Lake  Michigan ;  the  passage  of 
measures  to  relieve  the  state  treasury,  and  a  modification  of  the  crimi- 
nal laws  in  force  during  the  territorial  period.  But  the  Legislature 
went  ahead,  in  its  own  way,  and  passed  such  measures  as  a  code  of 
laws  based  on  the  Virginia  and  Kentucky  statutes;  levying  taxes  ou 
lands  owned  by  nonresidents,  and  on  slaves  and  indentured  servants, 
and  moving  tiie  capit<il  from  Kaskaskia  to  a  point  on  the  Kaskaskia 
River,  east  of  the  third  principal  meridian,  as  well  as  asking  Congress 
to  donate  lands  for  the  purpose. 

Illinois  Bl.vck  Code 

The  Legislature  of  181!»,  also  passed  the  Illinois  Black  Code  en- 
titled "An  Act  Respecting  Free  Negroes,  ^Mulattoes,  Servants  and 
Slaves."  The  Black  Laws,  as  they  were  generally  called,  remained 
upon  the  books  of  Illinois  until  February  12,  1853,  and  were  therefore 
in  force  throughout  Adams  County  for  about  twenty-eight  years  from 
its  organization.  They  comprised  twenty-five  sections,  and  were 
copied  from  old  laws  in  force  during  the  territorial  period  and  originat- 
ing in  the  old  slave  states. 

Illixois  Counties  in  1818 

■\Vhcn  Illinois  became  a  state  in  1818,  it  was  only  the  southernmost 
counties  which  were  fully  organized.  Substantially  they  embraced  the 
territory  between  the  Mississippi  and  the  Ohio  rivers  south  of  a 
line  drawn  ea-st  and  west  bounding  St.  Clair  and  Washington  on  the 
north,  cutting  oflf  a  northern  tier  of  sections  in  JIarion  County  of  toilay. 
inussing  through  nearly  the  center  of  Clay  County  and  the  upper  third 
of  Richland  and  east  and  southeast  through  Lawrence  County  to  the 
Ohio.  That  area  was  then  divided  into  St  Clair.  \Va.shington,  Ed- 
wards. Randolph,  ilonroe,  Jack.son,  Franklin.  Gallatin,  Union,  John- 
son and  Pope.  The  remainder,  and  by  far  the  larger  portion  of  Illi- 
nois, was  divided  into  :Madison,  Boiul  and  Crawford  counties.  The 
last  named  embraced  more  than  thirty  of  the  counties  now  included 
in  ea.stern,  northca.stcrn  and  central  Illinois,  and  stretching  from 
Crawford,  Jasper,  Effingham  and  Fayette  counties  on  flic  south  to  the 
Wisconsin  state  line. 


78  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  Legislature  of  1819  appointed  five  eommissionei-s  to  locate  the 
gift  of  lands  made  by  Congress  as  the  site  of  a  new  capital.  They  se- 
lected four  sections  immediately  west  of  the  Kaskaskia  River,  and 
completed  a  two-story  frame  building  as  a  capitol  so  that  it  was  ready 
for  the  Legislature  in  the  summer  of  1820.  When  that  body  con- 
vened in  December,  of  that  year,  it  met  in  the  new  capital  city  of  Van- 
dalia. 

Wild  Cat  Banking 

The  second  General  Assembly,  which  met  at  Vandalia,  attempted 
to  relieve  the  liard  times  prevalent  in  the  state,  especially  caused  by 
the  matured  debts  of  land  owners  who  had  bought  recklessly  in  years 
past,  by  chartering  the  Illinois  State  Bank,  with  headquarters  at  Van- 
dalia and  branches  at  Edwardsville,  Brownsville,  Shawncetown  and 
Albion.  Bills  of  various  denominations  were  issued  on  personal  and 
real  estate  securities,  and  the  State  Senate  passed  a  resolution  asking 
the  secretary  of  the  treasury  to  accept  the  bills  in  paj-ment  of  land. 
But  its  recommendation  was  not  followed  by  the  state  treasury.  Not- 
withstanding which,  the  State  Branch  and  all  its  branches  withered, 
and  at  the  expiration  of  its  charter  in  1831  the  commonwealth  bor- 
rowed $100,000  in  order  to  close  up  its  business  in  an  honorable  way. 
It  is  fitting  to  remark  that  Governor  Bond  and  the  State  Supreme 
Court,  acting  as  the  Board  of  Revision,  had  vetoed  the  original  meas- 
ure, and  that  the  Legislature  passed  it  over  their  earnest  objection. 

This  season  of  wild-cat  banking,  which  so  disturbed  every  legiti- 
mate business  and  agricultural  interest  in  Illinois,  had  but  an  indirect 
effect  upon  the  development  of  Adams  County,  as  permanent  settle- 
ment had  only  fairly  commenced  during  the  later  period  of  its  opera- 
tions. 

At  the  second  session  of  the  State  Legislature,  and  the  first  held  at 
Vandalia,  several  new  counties  were  created — Lawrence,  Greene,  San- 
gamon, Pike,  Hamilton,  Montgomery  and  Fayette.  Chicago  was  then 
in  Pike  County. 

Slavery  Question  Again 

The  slavery  issue  in  Illinois  was  a  burning  cjuestion  in  the  Coles 
administration  in  1822-24,  but  it  culminated  in  the  fall  of  the  latter 
year  in  a  decided  popular  vote  against  reopening  the  matter  by  calling 
a  convention  to  consider  a  revision  of  the  state  constitution  in  regards 
to  its  pronuncianiento  against  the  continuation  of  the  institution.  With 
the  exception  of  Union  and  Johnson,  all  the  southern  counties,  where 
black  labor  was  most  in  demand,  favored  the  calling  of  the  con- 
vention. 

The  stronghold  of  the  anti-slavery  sentiment  was  that  wonderfully 
fertile  and  charming  Sangamon  region,  which  lay  along  the  valley 
of  that  river  and  stretched  from  the  southern  rim  of  the  valley  of  the 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  I'j 

Illinois  toward  the  central  regions  of  the  state.  It  was  rapidly  settling 
up,  and  a  few  of  the  more  adventnrous  had  even  "sqnatted"  on  choice 
timber  tracts  along  the  headwaters  of  the  Sangamon. 

The  Sangamon  region  wiu  settled  by  immigrants  from  all  the  older 
states  but  probably  those  from  the  northern  states  predominated, 
ilore  than  two  hundred  families  had  settled  in  the  Sangamon  country 
before  the  land  was  surveyed.  In  the  vote  on  the  convention  cjuestion, 
Sangamon  County  cast  875  votes — lo.'J  for  and  722  against,  the  con- 
vention. This  would  show  a  population  of  over  4,000  in  1824.  It  also 
means  that  these  settlers  were  from  the  free  states  chiefly. 

By  the  spring  of  1825,  the  result  of  the  slavery  contest  was  known 
in  all  the  older  states,  and,  as  if  people  were  waiting  for  a  favorable 
report,  the  movement  of  immigration  began. 

The  Famous  Sangamon  Country 

The  fame  of  the  "Sangamon  country"  had  spread  into  all  the  older 
settled  portions  of  the  United  States  and  the  migrations  were  largely 
toward  that  region.  In  the  summer  of  1825,  the  road  leading  into  the 
'"Sangamon  country"'  was  literally  lined  with  movers  seeking  new 
homes.  In  Vandalia  alone  it  is  said  250  wagons  were  counted  going 
north  in  three  weeks. 

Tlie  first  to  systematically  explore  the  Sangamon  region  was  Ferdi- 
nand Ernst,  a  German  traveler,  to  whom  had  been  carried  even  to  Eu- 
rope, marvelous  stories  of  that  country:  and  he  wished  to  "see  for 
himself."  He  reached  tlie  site  of  \'andalia  l)efore  the  sale  of  lots  took 
place,  which  occurred  the  fith  of  September,  1819.  From  here  he 
visited  the  Sangamon  country.  There  was  a  very  good  road  leading 
from  I^dwardsville  into  the  Sangamon  country.  As  nearly  as  this 
road  can  be  now  traced,  it  ran  in  almost  a  straight  line  from  Edwards- 
ville  to  the  present  city  of  Carlinville.  passing  on  the  way  the  site  of 
the  present  flourishing  city  of  Bunker  Hill.  From  Carlinville  the 
road  bent  to  the  east-of-north.  passing  out  of  the  present  county  of 
JIaconpin  at  the  northeast  corner,  three  miles  east  of  the  present  city 
of  Virden ;  from  this  point  cast-of-north  to  a  point  very  near  Roches- 
ter, and  thence  to  a  point  near  the  junction  of  the  south  branch  and 
north  fork  of  the  Sangamon  River,  leaving  the  site  of  the  present 
capital  some  four  or  five  miles  to  the  west.  From  here  the  road  con- 
tinued the  same  general  direction  to  the  present  city  of  Lincoln.  The 
road  continued  this  general  direction  till  it  left  the  presi'ut  county  of 
Logan  at  the  old  Kickapoo  capital.  Here  it  struck  Tazewell  County 
and  thence  turned  northwest  to  Lake  Peoria.  This  was  the  route 
taken  by  Governor  Edwards  in  his  campaign  in  1812. 

-Mr.  Ernst,  the  traveler,  took  this  road  in  1819.  lie  started  from 
Vandalia  and  went  northwest.  eros.sed  Shoal  Creek,  left  the  head- 
waters of  Silver  and  Sugar  Creek  to  the  southwest,  passed  not  far 
from  lit.  Olive  and  Gillesiiic,  and  came  into  the  road  described  above, 
a  few  miles  north  of  Bunker  Hill.    He  describes  the  big  prairie  which 


80  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

separates  the  headwaters  of  the  Macoupin  aud  the  Sangamon.  He 
says  the  moment  one  passes  over  the  divide  into  the  drainage  basin  of 
the  Sangamon  he  sees  a  marked  ditference  in  the  character  of  the  soil. 
The  second  night  out  the  traveler  stayed  with  a  family  on  Sugar  Creek, 
about  two  miles  west  of  Pawnee.  Sixty  farms  had  been  opened  on 
this  stream  since  the  spi'ing  of  1819.  The  sod-corn  was  from  ten  to 
fifteen  feet  high.  The  land  was  not  yet  surveyed  and  could  not  be  for 
some  three  years.  This  was  called  "the  beautiful  land  of  the  Sanga- 
mon." From  this  point  Mr.  Ernst  traveled  west  in  a  circuit  around 
the  present  site  of  Springfield  to  Elkhart  Grove.  Here  lived  a  Mr. 
Latham  who  had  thirty  acres  in  cultivatiou.  This  farm  was  the  farth- 
est north  of  any  east  of  the  Illinois  River.  However,  there  were  some 
farms  laid  out  at  the  old  Kickapoo  capital  just  in  the  edge  of  Tazewell 
County,  but  no  settlements  made.  ilr.  Ernst  went  north  to  Salt  Creek, 
but  not  being  able  to  get  across  he  retraced  his  steps. 

ilr.  Ernst  says:  "In  the  vicinity  of  this  town  (Vaudalia)  is  a  large 
amount  of  fine  land:  but  every  one  is  full  of  praise  of  those  sixty  or 
eighty  miles  northward  upon  the  River  Sangamon.  The  expression 
the  "Sangamon  eoimtiy, "  applied  to  all  that  coiuitry  through  which 
the  Sangamon  River  and  its  branches  flow.  Peck's  Gazetteer,  page 
131,  says:  "This  country  contains  a  larger  quantity  of  rich  land  than 
any  other  in  the  state.  The  Sangamon,  in  particular,  is  an  Arcadian 
region,  in  which  nature  has  delighted  to  bring  together  her  happiest 
combinations  of  landscape.  It  is  generally  a  level  country.  There  is 
a  happy  proportion  of  timbered  and  prairied  lands.  The  soil  is  of 
great  fertility.  All  who  have  visited  this  fine  tract  of  country  admire 
the  l>eauty  of  the  landscape,  which  nature  has  here  painted  in  primeval 
freshness.'  " 

It  was  most  fitting  that  this  beautiful,  fertile  and  invigorating 
region  of  Illinois  should  be  first  settled  by  an  energetic,  enterprising 
class  of  freemen  and  women,  constitutionally  opposed  to  the  introduc- 
tion of  any  form  of  slavery  into  their  virgin  land. 

DuxcAX  AND  Free  School,  Law 

Joseph  Duncan  of  Jacksonville,  afterward  congressman  aud  gov- 
ernor, secured  the  passage  of  the  free  school  law  of  1825,  -which  was 
the  basis  of  the  system  of  today.  For  its  support,  taxes  were  to  be 
collected  on  the  property  of  the  people  in  the  district,  and  provision 
was  made  for  a  board  of  directors  who  were  to  have  control  of  the 
schools  and  buildings,  examine  the  teachers  and  have  general  local 
oversight  of  all  educational  matters  of  a  public  nature. 

In  1826-27  the  Legislature  provided  for  better  securities  from  those 
who  were  borrowing  the  money  for  which  the  school  lands  had  been 
sold.  But  in  1829  the  Legislature  repealed  the  part  of  the  Duncan 
law  of  1825  which  gave  2  per  cent  of  the  net  revenue  of  the  State  to 
the  schools.  Every  commendable  feature  of  the  Duncan  law  was  now 
repealed  and  the  schools  lay  prostrate  till  1855. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  81 

The  Legislature  of  1828-29  also  adopted  the  plan  of  selling  the 
sehool  and  seminary  lands.  The  law  provided  that  the  sixteenth  sec- 
tion of  each  township  niigh  le  sold  whenever  nine-tenths  of  the  inhab- 
itants (evidently  voters)  were  in  favor  of  the  sale.  Later  thy  law 
allowed  the  sale  if  three-fourths  were  in  favor  of  it. 

The  immigrants  coming  into  an  unsettled  township  were  always 
eager  to  dispose  of  the  sixteenth  section,  as  it  made  a  fund  with  which 
the  authorities  might  assist  the  schools.  But  this  section  when  sold 
for  $1.25  per  acre,  the  regular  Government  price,  would  bring  only 
.S800,  and  this  at  10  per  cent  interest  would  bring  only  $80  per  year. 
This  would  not  be  of  much  service  when  distributed  among  the  schools 
of  the  township. 

Joseph  Duncan  stepped  from  Congress  into  the  governorship,  in 
1834,  and  during  his  administration  was  chiefly  engaged  in  wrestling 
with  banking  and  internal  improvement  problems,  which  were  so  inti- 
mately connected.  In  1837  the  state  bank,  with  other  similar  insti- 
tutions of  the  country,  suspended  specie  payments,  and  in  1843  the 
Legislature  passed  a  law  "to  diminish  the  State  debt  and  put  the 
State  Bank  into  liquidation."  The  bank  was  given  four  years  in 
which  to  wind  up  its  business. 

Illinois  Ixterxal  Improa'ements 

While  the  affairs  of  the  state  bank  and  its  branches  were  in 
chaos,  an  ambitious  system  of  internal  improvements  was  assumed 
by  the  state,  despite  the  opposition  of  Governor  Duncan  and  the 
Council  of  Revision.  The  bill  as  prepared  by  the  Vandalia  conven- 
tion to  consider  internal  improvements  became  a  law.  It  appropriated 
$10,000,000  for  tlia  following  objects:  Improvement  of  the  Wabash, 
the  Illinois,  Rock,  Kaskaskia  and  Little  Wabash  rivers,  and  the  West- 
ern Mail  Route  $9,350,000;  for  railroads— Cairo  to  Galena.  $3,500,000. 
Alton  to  :\rount  Carmel,  $1,600,000;  Quiney  to  Indiana  line,  $1,800,- 
000;  ShelbvA'ille  to  Terre  Haute,  $650,000;  Peoria  to  Warsaw,  $700. 
000;  Alton  to  Central  Railroad.  $600,000;  Belleville  to  Mount  Carmel, 
$150,000;  Bloomington  to  Pekin,  $350,000.  and  Vinccnnes  to  St.  Louis, 
$250,000;  $200,000  "to  pacify  disappointed  counties"  which  had 
failed  to  be  promised  any  improvement  whatsoever  by  the  state.  In 
addition,  the  sale  of  $1,000,000  worth  of  canal  lands  and  the  issuance 
of  $500,000  in  canal  bonds  were  authorized,  the  proceeds  to  be  used 
in  the  construction  of  the  Illinois  &  ^lichigan  Canal.  $500,000  of  this 
amount  to  be  t-xtendcd  in  1838.  A  competent  historian  graphically 
tells  what  happened:  "Work  began  at  once.  Routes  were  surveyed 
and  contracts  for  construction  let,  and  an  era  of  reckless  speculation 
began.  Large  sums  were  rapidly  expended  and  nearly  $6,500,000 
quickly  added  to  the  State  debt.  The  system  was  soon  demonstrated 
to  be  a  failure  and  wa.s  abandoned  for  lack  of  funds,  some  of  the 
'improvemi'nts'  already  made  being  sold  to  private  parties  at  a  heavy 
loss.    This  scheme  furnished  the  basis  of  the  State  debt  under  which 


82  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Illinois  labored  for  mauy  years  and  which,  at  its  maximum,  reached 
nearly  $17,000,000." 

Although  as  a  whole  the  internal  improvements  scheme  was  a  dis- 
aster to  the  state  as  a  promoter  of  public  works,  it  was  the  means  of 
furthering  tlie  project  of  a  great  railroad  to  be  built  through 
central  Illinois  from  north  to  south,  it  eventually  materialized  into 
one  of  the  splendid  railroad  systems  of  the  country,  being  kept  alive 
through  private  promotion  and  management.  It  meant  much  to 
Adams  County,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter. 

Capital  Moved  to  Springfield 

It  was  at  the  same  session  which  originated  the  internal  improve- 
ments scheme  that  the  Legislature  voted  to  move  the  state  capital 
from  Vandalia  to  Springfield,  Sangamon  Count}'.  Jacksonville,  Peoria 
and  Alton  were  also  competitors.  Lincoln  led  the  Sangamon  County 
delegation  to  victory,  its  solid  support  of  internal  improvements  hing- 
ing largely  on  the  outside  backing  received  as  a  candidate  for  the 
state  capital.  The  legislative  act  by  which  the  removal  was  accom- 
plished went  into  effect  July  4,  1839,  and  the  Legislature  convened  at 
the  new  capitol  in  December  of  that  year. 

Remains  of  Internal  Improvements  System 

In  1840  the  Legislature  abolished  the  Board  of  Fund  Commis- 
sioners and  the  Board  of  Public  Works  which  had  in  charge  the  in- 
ternal improvements  of  the  state  and  that  loose-jointed  system  col- 
lapsed. One  fund  commissioner  was  then  appointed  who  was  author- 
ised to  act,  but  was  without  jiower  to  sell  bonds  or  to  borrow  money 
on  the  credit  of  the  state.  Another  Board  of  Public  Works  was  also 
created,  which,  with  the  fund  commissioner,  was  to  wind  up  pending 
business  without  delay,  to  operate  any  roads  which  were  near  com- 
pletion, complete  the  work  on  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal  and  bum 
all  bonds  remaining  unsold. 

The  Great  Northern  Cross  Railroad,  which  was  planned  to  be 
constructed  from  Springfield  to  Quincy,  half  way  across  the  state 
to  the  Mississippi  River,  had  actually  been  built  from  the  state  capi- 
tal to  Meredosia,  Morgan  County,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Illinois 
River,  fifty-eight  miles  distant.  This  road,  which  became  a  part  of 
the  Wabash  system,  was  sold  in  1847  to  Nicholas  H.  Ridgly  of  Spring- 
field for  about  $21,000. 

After  the  defeat  of  the  convention  in  1824  nothing  was  done  toward 
reviving  or  amending  the  state  constitution  until  1840-41.  In  the 
Legislature  of  that  year  a  resolution  was  adopted  calling  on  the  voters 
to  express  themselves  relative  to  a  convention  at  the  coming  state 
election  in  August.  The  democrats  favored  such  a  convention,  but 
when  a  bill  passed  the  Legislature  abolishing  the  Circuit  Court  judges 
and  creating  five  new  jiidges  on  the  Supreme  bench,  all  of  which 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  83 

places  were  filleil  by  demoerats,  the  need  of  a  convention  did  not 
seem  so  apparent. 

The  democrats  now  controlled  the  Legislature,  the  executive  and 
the  courts.  When  the  election  was  held  in  August  the  democrats 
generally  voted  against  the  proposition  to  hold  a  convention ;  hut  the 
whigs  later  passed  another  act  calling  on  the  people  to  vote  on  the 
(juestion  of  convention  at  the  general  election  in  August,  1846.  The 
proposition  was  strongly  urged  uj)on  the  people  by  the  democratic  press 
and  it  was  not  very  generally  opposed,  and  so  it  carried. 

Constitution  of  1848 

The  act  providing  for  the  constitutional  convention  determined 
the  number  of  delegates  which  should  sit  therein,  the  date  of  their 
election,  which  was  fixed  for  the  third  Monday  in  April.  1847,  and  the 
date  of  the  meeting  of  the  delegates  in  the  convention,  the  first  Monday 
in  June,  1847.  There  was  no  special  argument  against  a  convention, 
but  several  were  urged  in  its  favor. 

There  were  a  number  of  other  changes  which  were  considered  dur- 
ing the  canvass  i)rocediiig  the  election  in  April.  When  the  members 
came  together  June  7,  1847,  it  was  found  that  the  whigs  and  demo- 
crats were  about  evenly  divided.  The  convention  organized  by  elect- 
ing Newton  Cloud  president  and  Henry  W.  Moore  .secretary.  There 
were  162  delegates  in  this  body. 

In  the  legislative  department  the  following  features  may  be  noted 
in  the  constitution  of  1848 :  No  member  of  the  General  Assembly 
shall  be  elected  to  any  other  office  during  his  term  as  a  legislator.  The 
Senate  shall  consist  of  twenty-five  members  and  the  House  of  seventy- 
rive  members  till  the  state  ?hall  contain  1,000,000  people.  After  that 
an  addition  of  five  in  each  House  shall  be  made  for  every  increase  of 
oOO.OOO  until  thei-e  shall  he  iiO  senators  and  100  representatives, 
when  the  inimber  shall  remain  stationary. 

The  governor  must  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  and  tliirty- 
five  years  of  age,  shall  be  a  citizen  of  the  T'nited  States  fourteen 
years  and  have  resided  in  Ihe  state  ten  years.  The  governor  must 
reside  at  the  seat  of  government.  He  shall  have  the  veto  power.  His 
salary  was  .^l.oOO — no  more.  The  secretary  of  state,  auditor  and  treas- 
urer shall  be  elected  at  the  .'•ame  time  as  the  governor  and  lieutenant- 
governor  are  chosen.    The  governor  shall  i.ssue  all  commissions. 

The  constitution  was  completed  on  August  31,  1847.  On  March  6, 
1848,  it  was  submitted  to  the  jteoplc  for  ratification.  The  vote  on  the 
constitution  stood  nearly  60.000  for  and  nearly  16,000  against.  It 
was  declared  in  force  April  1,  1848.  By  the  terms  of  the  document  it- 
self an  election  .should  be  held  on  Tuesday  after  the  first  Monday  in 
.November,  1848,  for  governor  and  other  executive  officers,  as  well  as 
for  members  of  the  Legislature.  In  compliance  therewith,  in  Novem- 
ber, 1848,  Governor  French  was  rc-clcctcd  governor  for  four  years 
from  January  1,  1849. 


84  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  new  coustitutiou  authorized  the  Legislature  to  provide  for 
township  organization.  lu  pursuance  thereof  a  law  was  passed  in 
1849  which  allowed  counties,  when  authorized  by  a  vote  of  the  people, 
to  organize  under  this  new  system.  This  new  system  of  county  organ- 
ization is  distinctly  a  New  England  product,  and  was  therefore 
championed  by  the  northern  counties,  which  had  been  largely  settled 
by  immigrants  from  New  England  and  the  Middle  States.  The  Legis- 
lature on  February  12,  1849,  passed  a  general  law  governing  all  coun- 
ties under  township  organization.  This  first  law  was  somewhat  imper- 
fect, and  has  therefore  been  subject  to  amendments  up  to  the  present 
time. 

Legislative  Lessons   Through   Experience 

In  the  thirty  yeare  which  had  passed  since  the  adoption  of  its  first 
constitution,  the  State  of  Illinois  had  leai'ued  several  lessons  through 
the  impressive  process  of  distressing  experience.  Perhaps  the  most  im- 
portant thus  instilled  were  those  connected  with  reckless  expansion  of 
the  financial  institutions  and  the  public  utilities  within  her  borders. 
I'nder  the  constitution  of  1818  the  credit  of  the  state  might  be  used 
to  foster  such  enterprises  as  banks,  railroads  and  canals.  But  the 
constitution  of  1848  says :  'No  State  bank  shall  hereafter  be  created, 
nor  shall  the  State  own  or  be  liable  for  any  stock  in  any  corporation  or 
joint  stock  association  for  banking  purposes  to  be  hereafter  created." 
It  was  not  possible,  therefore,  for  the  state  to  engage  in  any  banking 
business  or  improvement  schemes,  but  it  might  grant  charters,  or  pass 
laws,  in  the  encouragement  of  such  enterprises.  Further  safeguards 
are  thrown  around  the  state,  as  witness  this  provision:  "No  act  of 
the  General  Assembly,  authorizing  corporations  or  associations  with 
banking  powers,  shall  go  into  effect  or  in  any  manner  be  enforced, 
unless  the  same  shall  be  submitted  to  the  people  at  the  general  election 
next  succeeding  the  passage  of  the  same,  and  be  approved  by  a  majority 
of  the  votes  east  at  such  election  for  and  against  such  law."  Another 
section  of  the  same  article  (X)  provides  that  all  stockholders  in  bank- 
ing associations  issuing  bank  notes  should  be  individually  responsible 
proportionately  to  the  stock  held  by  each  for  all  liabilities  of  the 
corporation  or  association.  Since  the  winding  up  of  the  affairs  of  the 
old  State  Bank  and  the  Bank  of  Illinois  there  were  no  banks  of  issue 
in  the  state.  The  money  in  circulation  comprised  gold  and  silver  and 
paper  money  issued  by  banks  in  other  states. 

Ke-\l  Wild  Cat  Banks 

Following  the  ratification  of  the  Constitution  of  1848,  there  began, 
almost  immediately,  an  agitation  for  banks  of  issue  in  Illinois.  The 
New  Yoi-k  free  banking  law  had  been  in  operation  for  a  decade.  The 
bank  bills  were  secured  by  bonds  of  the  United  States  or  state,  or 
mortgages  approved  by  the  statue  comptroller,  in  whose  hands  the 


(^riXCV  AND  AUA.MS  CULNTV  85 

securities  were  placed.  That  official  issued  the  bills  put  in  circula- 
tion, which  were  (.ountcrsigiied  by  the  bank  officers.  The  bank  bills 
were  to  be  redeemed  when  presented  by  the  holders  within  a  reasonable 
time  and,  if  necessary,  the  comptroller  was  authorized  to  sell  the  bonds 
deposited  with  him  for  that  pui-pose  aJid  wind  up  the  affaii-s  of  the 
bank. 

In  the  session  of  1851  the  Legislature  passed  a  law  founded  on  the 
New  York  system,  and  it  was  ratified  at  the  general  election  in  Novem- 
ber. Under  it,  also,  no  bank  could  be  organized  with  a  smaller  issue 
of  bills  than  $50,000.  It  was  also  provided  that  if  any  bank  refused 
to  redeem  its  issue,  it  was  liable  to  a  tine  of  I2V2  per  cent  on  the 
amount  presented  for  redemption. 

On  the  face  of  it,  the  law  seemed  fairly  to  protect  both  tlic  bank 
noteholder  and  the  st-ate;  but  various  schemes  were  worked  to  keep 
the  people  from  presenting  their  bills  for  redemption.  One  of  the  most 
ingenious  was  the  interchanging  of  bills  between  banks  in  widely  sep- 
arated sections  of  the  country.  A  bank,  say.  in  Springfield.  Illinois, 
would  send  $25,000  of  its  own  issue  to  a  bank  in  ^lassachusetts,  say 
in  Boston ;  the  Boston  bank  returning  a  like  amount  to  the  Springfield 
bank.  Each  bank  would  then  pay  out  this  money  over  its  counter  in 
small  quantities  and  in  this  way  the  Springfield  bank  is.sue  would 
become  scattered  all  over  New  England  and  no  person  holding  but  a 
few  dollars  would  think  of  coming  to  Springfield  to  get  his  bills  re- 
deemed. The  issue  of  the  Boston  bank  would  be  scattered  through 
the  "West.  In  this  way,  and  in  other  ways,  the  money  of  Illinois  be- 
came scattered  in  other  states,  while  in  the  ordinary  business  trans- 
action in  the  state  one  would  handle  a  large  number  of  bills  daily 
which  had  been  issued  in  other  states. 

Xo  doubt  many  corporations  went  into  the  banking  business  under 
this  law  with  clean  hands  and  carried  on  a  properly  conducted  bank- 
ing business,  but  there  were  ways  by  which  irresponsible  and  dis- 
honest men  might  go  into  the  banking  business  and  make  large  sums 
of  money  without  very  much  capital  invested. 

These  banks  were  known  as  wild-cat  banks.  The  name  is  said 
to  have  originated  from  the  picture  of  a  wild  cat  engraved  on  the  bills 
of  one  of  these  irresponsible  banks  in  Michigan.  However,  they  may 
have  been  named  from  the  fact  that  the  words  "wild  cat"'  were  often 
applied  to  any  irresponsible  venture  or  scheme. 

There  were,  in  Illinois,  organized  under  this  law.  115  banks  of 
issue.  Up  to  1860  the  "ultimate  security"  was  sufficient  at  any  time 
to  redeem  all  outstanding  bills,  but  when  the  Civil  war  came  on  the 
securities  of  the  southern  ^■tates,  on  deposit  in  the  auditor's  office, 
depreciated  greatly  in  value.  The  banks  were  going  into  liquidation 
rapidly.  They  redeemed  their  bills  at  all  prices  from  par  down  to 
49  cents  on  the  dollar.  It  is  estimated  that  the  bill-holders  lost  about 
$400,000.  but  that  it  came  in  such  a  way  that  it  was  not  felt  seriously. 
This  system  of  banking  was  followed  by  the  national  banking  system 
with  which  we  are  acquainted  today. 


86  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  115  bauks  of  issue  which  were  iu  operatiou  iu  Illinois  just 
prior  to  the  Civil  war  issued  uearly  1,000  different  kinds  of  bank  bills. 
Because  of  the  large  number  of  kinds  counterfeiting  was  easy,  and  it 
is  said  that  much  of  the  money  in  circulation  was  counterfeit.  Banks 
received  reports  as  to  the  condition  of  financial  institutions  over  the 
state  daily.  One  never  knew  when  he  presented  a  bill  in  payment  of  a 
debt  whether  it  was  of  any  value.  Often  the  merchant  would  accept 
this  paper  money  only  when  heavily  discounted. 

The  agitation  of  the  slavery  question,  which  had  centered  around 
the  debates  on  the  Missouri  Compi'omise  and  the  efforts  of  the  Free 
Soilers  at  least  to  restrict  the  spread  of  the  institution,  swept  through 
Western  Illinois,  where  both  Lincoln  and  Douglas  were  not  unfa- 
miliar figures.  In  1858  they  also  electioneered  in  their  famous  contest 
for  the  United  States  Senate,  and  one  of  their  most  famous  debates  was 
held  iu  Washington  Park,  Quincy. 

National  Banks  Force  Out  Free  Banks 

In  February,  1863,  Congress  passed  an  act  creating  a  natioual 
Ijauking  system,  and  in  that  year  several  of  the  free  banks  of  Illinois 
changed  accordingly.  All  free  banks  which  had  their  notes  secured 
by  bonds  of  the  seceding  states  were  obliged  to  furnish  additional 
security,  or  redeem  their  notes  and  suspend.  Thus  the  free  banks 
began  to  disappear.  In  March,  1865,  Congress  passed  a  law  which 
placed  a  ta.x  on  all  bills  issued  by  the  state  banks,  which  had  the 
effect  of  forcing  the  remainder  of  the  free  banks  out  of  business,  or 
inducing  them  to  join  the  ranks  of  the  National  banks.  The  National 
Banking  Law  of  1863  is  the  basis  of  the  system  of  today.  It  has  been 
greatly  reinforced  of  late  years  by  the  statutes  by  which  bauks  are 
chartered  and  regulated  by  the  state,  and  by  the  National  enactments 
of  even  later  data  by  which  the  National  banks  co-operate  and  pro- 
tect the  entire  financial  .system  of  the  countrj:-  and  especially  promote 
and  conserve  the  vast  agricultural  interests  of  the  nation. 

The  Constitution  of  1870 

The  coming  and  progress  of  the  Civil  war,  and  how  Adams  County 
participated  in  it,  is  told  in  another  chapter.  Perhaps  the  next  broad 
event  affecting  the  county  at  many  points  was  the  adoption  of  the 
State  Constitution  of  1870.  It  is  divided  into  twenty  sections. 
Briefly,  it  provides  for  minority  representation  and  for  free  schools ; 
prohibits  the  paying  of  money  by  any  civil  corporate  body  in  aid  of 
any  church  or  parochial  school ;  creates  fifty-one  senatorial  districts, 
each  of  which  is  entitled  to  one  senator  and  three  representatives; 
declares  the  inviolability  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  tax;  lays 
the  basis  of  the  present  railroad  and  warehouse  laws;  prohibits  the 
sale  or  lease  of  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal  without  a  vote  of  the 
people ;  prohibits  municipalities  from  subscribing  for  any  stock  in  any 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  87 

railroad  or  private  corporation ;  limits  the  rate  of  taxation  and  amount 
of  indebtedness  that  may  be  incurred;  prohibits  special  legislation; 
authorizes  the  ercatioii  of  appellate  courts,  and  fixes  th^  salaries  of 
state  officers  by  legislative  cnactnu-nt. 

Since  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  of  1870,  the  state  as  a  topic 
has  been  broken  into  so  many  fragments  that  it  is  impracticable  to 
treat  it  as  a  whole,  and  even  the  history  of  the  county  since  that 
time  is  so  divided  and  subdivided  as  to  be  strictly  modern  in  its 
aspect.    It  is  a  most  natural  and  logical  ending  to  this  chapter. 


CHAPTER  V 

SOME  YEARS  PRECEDING  COUNTY  ORGANIZATION 

Illinois  Bounty  Land  Teact  and  Madison  County — Old  Pike 
County — Wood  and  Keyes  "Meet  Up" — The  Tillsons  Speak 
of  Quincy's  Founders — The  First  Man  and  the  First  Woman 
—Agreeable  All  'Round — The  Old  Wood  Place — Mrs.  Jere- 
miah Rose,  First  Quincy  White  Woman — Keyes  and  Droulard 
Settle — The  County's  First  Physician — Gov.  John  Wood — 
WiLLARD  Keyes— Jeremiah  Rose — Asa  Tyrer — Old  Pike  County 
Votes  "No  Convention" — Thomas  Carlin — County"  of  Adams 
Created — IjOcating  the  Seat  of  Justice — John  Quincy  Adams 
Completely  Immortalized. 

The  territory  now  embraced  within  the  limits  of  Adams  County 
was  originally  a  very  small  part  of  the  ^Militai-j-  Bounty  Land  Traet, 
which  was  created  by  Congress  in  ila}%  1812,  and  embraced  all  the 
country  lying  between  the  Mississippi  and  Illinois  rivers  as  far  up 
as  fifteen  north  of  the  base  line.  With  other  lands  in  the  territories 
of  Michigan  and  Louisiana  (afterward  Missouri  and  Arkansas),  that 
tract  was  set  apart  as  a  bounty  to  the  non-commissioned  officers  and 
soldiers  of  the  Patriot  army,  each  of  whom  was  entitled  to  160  acres,  or 
a  quarter  section  of  land. 

Illinois  Bounty  Land  Tract  and  JIadison  County 

The  Illinois  Bounty  Land  Tract  (which  comes  still  closer  home) 
was  surveyed  by  the  LTnited  States  Government  during  the  yeai's  1815 
and  1816.  The  title  to  that  domain  remained  with  the  United  States 
until  after  the  distribution  of  the  lands  by  patents  to  the  respective 
soldiers  entitled  thereto.  The  entire  tract,  however,  was  not  patented 
to  the  soldiers;  a  large  portion  of  it  was  subsequently  sold  by  the 
Government  to  purchasers  outside  of  that  class. 

The  County  of  Madison,  which  was  organized  by  proclamation  of 
Governor  Edwards  March  14,  1812,  embraced  the  entire  Illinois  ^lili- 
tary  Traet — that  is,  the  country  in  the  present  state  north  of  a  line 
beginning  on  the  Mississippi  River  with  the  second  township  above 
Cahokia,  and  running  ea.st  to  the  Indiana  Territory. 

Old  PnjE  County 

An  act  to  form  a  new  county  from  the  Illinois  bounty  lands  was 
approved  on  January  21,  1821.     It  was  created  as  Pike  County  and 

88 


QUIXCY  AliD  ADAMS  COUNTY 


89 


its  bouiularii'S  were  deHiicd  as  "bcgiiuiing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois 
River  and  running  thence  up  the  middle  of  said  river  to  the  fork 
of  the  same,  thence  up  the  fork  of  the  said  river  until  it  strikes  the 
state  line  of  Indiana,  thence  north  with  said  line  to  the  north  boundary 
line  of  this  state,  thence  west  with  said  line  to  the  west  boundary  line 
of  this  state,  and  thence  with  said  boundary  line  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning." 

Pike  County  llitis  bounded  was  to  form  part  of  the  First  Judicial 
Circuit.     The  election  for  county  officers  which   completed  the  or- 


PlONEER 


i.\ii:  IX  Old  Pike  t'orxTv 


ganization  nl'  (Ud  Pike,  took  place  at  Cole's  Grove  (now  Gilead), 
Calhoun  County.  April  21.  1821. 

B\-  a  legislative  act  ai)j)r()ved  December  30,  1822,  the  County  of 
Pike  was  again  bounded  so  as  to  include  not  only  all  of  the  Military 
Bounty  Land  Tract  south  of  the  ba.seline,  but  all  the  rest  of  the 
territory  within  its  original  limits  was  still  attached  to  the  county  for 
.iudicial  and  political  jxirposes  until  otherwise  disposed  of  by  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  state. 

From  the  foregoing  record  it  is  evident  that  from  the  organization 
of  Madison  County  in  1812  to  the  creation  of  Old  Pike  in  1821,  deeds 
for  lands  lying  in  the  Pounty  Land  Tract  were  properly  recorded  in 


90  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Madison  County;  afterward,  until  the  formation  of  new  counties,  in 
Old  Pike.  When  the  boundaries  of  the  latter  were  fixed  in  Januarj-, 
1821,  the  entire  population  of  that  great  country  could  not  have  ex- 
ceeded 100  whites,  including  a  few  French  families  on  the  Illinois 
River. 

Wood  and  Keyes  "Meet  Up" 

In  the  meantime,  the  founders  of  Quincy  and  Adams  County  were 
on  their  way  to  the  new  country  bordering  on  the  Mississippi.  John 
Wood,  a  native  of  Cayuga  County,  New  York,  and  Willard  Keyes,  a 
son  of  Vermont,  young,  hardy,  ambitious  and  single,  coming  west 
to  explore  and  settle  ''met  up,"  as  the  old  phrase  runs,  in  the  winter 
of  1819,  and  decided,  with  the  opening  of  navigation,  to  board  a 
lumber  raft  and  float  down  the  river  in  a  preliminary  trip  of  inspec- 
tion. As  ilr.  Keyes  says,  in  a  lecture  delivered  many  years  afterward 
before  the  New  England  Society:  "We  floated  past  the  model  city 
(Quincy)  on  the  lOtli  of  ilay,  1819,  unconscious  of  our  future  des- 
tiny in  its  eventful  history."  They  decided  on  making  camp  about 
thirty  miles  south  of  that  locality  in  the  American  Bottom,  and  there 
built  a  log  cabin  in  what  was  then  ]\Iadison  County,  subsequently  Old 
Pike.  From  that  vantage  point  the  two  young  adventurers  sallied 
forth  for  two  or  three  years  and  became  so  familiar  with  the  country, 
in  their  quest  for  permanent  homes  for  themselves,  that  their  paid 
services  were  in  wide  demand  to  act  as  guides  to  strangers  seeking 
locations,  or  endeavoring  to  reach  tracts  alreadj'  selected. 

In  February,  1820,  with  several  others.  Wood  and  Keyes  started 
on  an  exploration  through  the  southern  part  of  the  Military  Tract. 
This  journey  occupied  several  weeks  and  carried  them  along  the  sec- 
tions adjoining  the  Illinois  River  as  far  north  as  the  base  line,  and 
thence  east  and  south  toward  the  junction  of  the  two  rivers.  The 
young  leaders  wished  to  inspect  that  locality,  as  the  published  maps 
of  the  country,  defective  though  they  were,  all  indicated  a  high  bluff 
on  the  river  at  that  point,  which  would  always  be  above  overflow  and 
therefore  the  only  really  available  locality  north  of  the  mouth  of 
the  Illinois  River  for  the  founding  of  a  town.  Wood  and  Keyes  rode 
borrowed  horses,  and  were  fully  prepared  to  lead  their  party  to  the 
promised  land,  but  although  it  was  piloted  to  the  bluff's,  their  con- 
fidence and  enthusiasm  could  not  be  so  instilled  into  their  co- 
travelers  so  as  to  induce  them  to  actually  visit  the  proposed  site  of  a 
new  town.  On  their  southern  return,  the  exploring  party  passed 
through  the  belt  of  timber  stretching  out  into  the  prairie  and  known 
as  Indian  Camp  Point.  The  locality  was  a  favorite  gathering  place 
for  fugitive  Indians  for  several  years  after  white  settlers  were  quite 
numerous.  The  Wood-Keyes  explorers  therefore  passed  within  about 
twelve  miles  of  the  present  site  of  Quincy,  and  when  they  reached 
their  rendez\'Ous  thirty  miles  south  they  had  been  gone  eleven  days. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTV  91 

TilE  TlLLSUNS  Sl'KAK  OF  (.^L'INX'Y's  FoiNDERS 

The  father  of  the  late  General  Tillsun,  who  resided  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  Military  Tract  at  this  period,  met  the  founders  of  Quincy 
iu  the  course  of  his  own  investigations,  and  made  the  following  record 
in  one  of  his  journals:  "Passed  the  night  with  two  young  baclielors 
from  northern  New  York,  Wood  and  Keyes  by  name.  These  young 
men  propose  to  be  permanent  settlers,  and  have  all  the  requisites  of 
character  to  make  good  citizens,  such  as  will  add  to  the  character  of  a 
community  and  the  development  of  landed  values  about  them." 

General  Tillson  himself,  in  his  "Ili-story  of  (juincy,"  continues: 
"It  was  on  one  of  the  land-seeking  excursions,  as  above  named,  in 
February,  1821,  that  Wood  at  last  struck  upon  the  Inng-tliought-of 
El  Dorado.  Piloting  two  men,  Moffatt  and  Flynn,  in  search  of  a 
quarter  section  of  land  owned  by  the  latter,  it  proved  to  be  the 
((uarter  section  immediately  east  of  and  adjoining  his  present  (written 
in  1857)  residence,  on  the  corner  of  Twelfth  and  State  streets.  The 
primitive  beauties  of  the  location  touched  his  fancy ;  and  lie  de- 
termined that  it  was  just  what  he  desired,  and  should  lie  secured,  if 
within  his  power.  It  was  a  disai)p()intment  to  Flynn,  who  was  im- 
pres.sed  with  its  loneliness,  and  said  he  would  not  have  a  neighbor 
in  fifty  years.  He  carried  awa\-  with  him  these  feelings  of  dissatis- 
faction. 

"On  Wood's  return  to  his  cabin,  he  lost  no  time  in  pouring  into 
the  eager  ears  of  his  partner  his  enthusiastic  impressions,  and  his  in- 
tention of  returning  to  jilant  himself  for  life.  Catching  the  infec- 
tion, which  so  blended  with  his  own  predilections  and  desires,  Keyes, 
at  his  fii"st  convenience,  borrowed  a  horse  from  his  nearest  neighl)or 
eight  miles  distant,  going  up  alone  to  look  at  the  promised  land  and 
-see  for  himself;  he  needed  but  a  glance  to  become  convinced  that  he 
should  seek  no  further,  or,  to  use  his  own  words,  that  'not  the  half 
had  been  told."  lie  laid  out  for  the  night  at  the  foot  of  tiie  hlutf  near 
the  river,  returned  on  the  following  day,  aiul  thenceforth  the  purposes 
of  the  young  adventurers  were  fixed.  Their  home  was  chosen,  the  site 
of  the  future  city  was  selected,  and  they  waited  only  the  opi)ortunity 
to  establish  themselves. 

"These  details  are  given  as  indicative  of  the  ideas  that  stinnilated 
our  ancestors  in  their  settlement  of  the  place.  Circumstances,  as  has 
been  seen,  conspired  to  lead  them  to  conceal  the  profound  satisfac- 
tion which  they  entertaine<l  respecting  their  future  home.  Wood,  it 
will  be  remembered,  was  "tongue-tied'  by  the  presence  of  parties 
from  whom  he  expected  to  purchase,  and  before  whom  it  was  not 
judicious  to  too  strongly  express  himself,  and.  whatever  Keyes  may 
have  said  or  thought,  c(juld  hardly  have  been  remembered  and  brought 
away  by  his  sole  companion  and  another  man's  horse. 

"The  site  of  Quiney  was  then  an  unbroken  wild,  with  no  evidences 
of  past  permanent  occupation,  save  the  remains  of  a  few  rude  stone 
chimneys  or  fireplaces  on  the  river  bank  alx)ut  the  foot  of  Broadway 


92  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

aud  Delaware  Street.  These  were  known  to  be  the  vestiges  of  the 
huts  erected  by  French  Traders  who  in  past  years  had  occasionally 
wintered  there,  or  sometimes  made  it  a  temporaiy  rendezvous  in  their 
occasional   dealings   with   the   Indians." 

The  First  ]\Ian  and  the  First  Woman 

Jlessrs.  Wood  and  Keyes  were  not  the  first  to  view  the  future  sil^ 
of  Quincy,  of  those  who  subseqiiently  became  permanent  settlers  in 
Adams  County.  Viewed  in  the  light  of  later  happenings,  however, 
they  were  by  far  the  most  prominent  of  the  new  comers  who  arrived 
in  that  section  of  the  Military  Bounty  Tract  previous  to  1821.  Prob- 
ably the  first  settler  in  the  county  was  Justus  I.  Perigo,  an  old  soldier 
who  drew  a  quarter  section  in  section  9,  in  the  northern  part  of 
Fall  Creek  Township,  and  made  some  improvements  on  his  land  as 
early  as  1820.  He  is  also  said  to  have  brought  the  first  wife  into 
those  parts  under  rather  questionable  representations.  The  story 
goes  that  he  pictured  to  his  confiding  sweetheart  that  he  owned  a 
farm  of  160  acres  on  which  were  2,000  blooming,  bearing,  bending 
apple  trees.  It  is  believed  that  to  relieve  his  loneliness  he  stretched 
the  undoubted  fact  that  upon  his  quarter-section  flourished  at  least 
2,000  prolific  wild  crabapple  tree«.  But  the  woman  came  into  the 
man's  wild  garden  and  if  she  did  not  eat  much  of  its  fruit,  she  prob- 
ably preserved  considerable,  and  made  some  fine  jellies.  At  all  events, 
Perigo 'a  farm  had  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  cultivated  tract 
in  Adams  County.    It  adjoined  the  well-known  Chatten  farm. 

About  the  time  of  Perigo 's  settlement,  Daniel  Lisle  located  a 
short  distance  south  of  the  present  Town  of  Liberty.  He  afterward 
became  a  county  commissioner  and  prominent  in  various  other  ca- 
pacities. 

Agree.\ble  All  'Roind 

Fortunately  for  the  future  of  Quincy,  Quinn,  who  had  first  claim 
upon  its  site,  was  as  anxious  to  dispose  of  his  quarter  section  as  young 
Wood  and  Keyes  were  to  acquire  it.  But  $60  stood  for  an  awful 
lot  of  money  in  the  summer  of  1822;  and  that  is  what  Flynn  asked 
for  his  claim.  The  future  founders  of  Quincy,  by  scraping  the 
bottoms  of  their  purses,  got  together  .$20  between  them,  and  a  satq- 
pathetic  neighbor  some  forty  miles  away  loaned  them  $40  more;  so 
the  deal  went  through.  Flynn,  who  did  not  propose  to  wait  for  near 
neighbors  half  a  centurj-,  departed  and  :\Iessrs.  Wood  and  Keyes 
came  into  possession  of  his  land. 

The  Old  Wood  Place 

In  the  fall  of  1822  Mr.  Wood  came  up  from  their  old  camp,  made 
another  one  on  the  river  bank  at  what  would  now  be  the  foot  of 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


93 


Delaware  Street,  and  eomnu'iiced  the  erection  of  the  first  buildiii',' 
witliiii  the  limits  of  the  present  tjuiney.  It  was  a  rough  log  cabin, 
18  by  20  feet,  nailless,  the  cracks  between  the  logs  chinked  with  clay, 
with  a  specially  generous  application  around  the  chimney,  l)otli  over 
the  sticks  outside  and  the  primitive  stone  tireplace  within.  Witii 
occasional  aid  from  his  distant  neighbors  in  Old  Pike,  especially  at  the 
raising.  ^Ir.  Wood  was  enabled  to  complete  his  home  sufficiently  to 
move  into  it  on  December  8,  1822.  The  cabin,  which  stood  for  some 
years  on  the  southeast  coi-nei-  of  Front  and  Delaware  streets  facing 
west,  was  well  remembered  by  the  old  settlers  of  Quincy.  It  was 
constructed  with  perhaps  more  than  ordinary  care  for  those  early 
days ;  a  wide  porch  and  other  additions  were  made ;  Mr.  Wood  applied 
whitewa.sh  to  his  residence  and  fences  in  liberal  quantities  and  kept 


Till-:  Wood  C.\bix  of  1822 


his  grounds  in  neat  condition  with  ta.stcful  improvements,  now  and 
then ;  so  that  the  original,  or  old  Wood  place,  was  always  a  com- 
fortable looking  and  pretty  homestead. 

For  the  first  seven  years  the  ownership  of  tho  pr()i>erty  was  in 
doubt.  The  Government  claimed  the  land ;  so  did  Mr.  Wood,  who 
had  purchased  his  title  from  Flynn  and  had  made  all  the  improve- 
ments upon  it.  He  was  phmning  and  preparing  to  farm  it  in  the 
spring  of  1823,  although  his  legal  .status  was  that  of  a  "squatter,"  or 
trespas.ser.  Had  he  been  a  soldier,  with  a  patent  title  to  this  tract  of 
Military-  Bounty  Lands,  his  claim  would  have  been  beyond  question. 
Lands  othcrwi.se  occupied  in  this  section  were  not  suljject  to  entry 
or  purchase  until  1820.  After  the  organization  of  Fulton  County 
January  28,  1823,  deeds  for  lands  in  the  Military  Tract,  and  all  east 
of  the  fourth  principal  meridian,  were  properly  recorded  in  that 
county  until  the  organization  of  counties  north  of  Fulton. 


94  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Mrs.  Jeremiah  Rose,  First  Quincy  White  Woman 

111  March,  1823,  Maj.  Jei-emiah  Rose  moved  from  Pike  County, 
with  his  wife  and  child,  and  moved  into  Wood's  cabin.  Mrs.  Rose 
was  the  first  white  woman  to  settle  in  Quincy  and  her  daughter, 
afterward  ]\Irs.  George  W.  Brown,  the  first  child.  Mr.  Wood  boarded 
with  the  famil}',  and  the  change  from  his  own  cooking  and  general 
domestic  service  to  the  home  life  offered  him  by  the  Rose  family  was 
doulitless  welcome.  In  the  spring  the  men  broke  and  put  under 
tillage  about  thirty  acres  of  the  land  which  Wood  had  purchased  of 
Flynn  and  which  he  had  fenced.  This  tract,  which  was  first  to  be 
cultivated  in  the  vicinit.v,  was  located  on  what  would  now  be  on  both 
sides  of  State  Street  just  east  of  Twelfth. 

During  the  year  1823  there  was  little  immigration,  although  a  few 
settlers  dropped  in  at  scattered  points  throughout  the  county.  Asa 
Tyrer,  who  had  been  searching  a  location  in  the  American  Bottom 
since  the  summer  of  1820  and  taken  passage  for  a  point  below  on  the 
Western  Engineer,  the  first  steamboat  that  ever  stopped  at  the  Quincy 
riverfront,  located  a  homestead  in  Melrose  Township,  southeast  of  the 
present  site,  and  erected  a  little  blacksmith  shop  there.  Rather  it 
was  part  of  the  log  cabin,  to  which  he  brought  his  family  in  the  fol- 
lowing year. 

Keyes  and  Droulard  Settle 

In  1824,  also,  Willard  Keyes  returned  to  the  locality  and  erected 
a  cabin  on  the  part  of  the  tract  which  he  had  obtained  from  Flynn, 
near  what  is  now-  Vermont  and  Front  streets.  John  Droulard,  an- 
other real  accession  to  the  neighborhood,  settled  at  about  the  same 
time,  fixing  his  residence  near  the  corner  of  Seventh  and  Hampshire 
streets. 

Referring  to  Keyes  and  Droulard,  General  Tillson  says:  "This 
settlement  of  Keyes  was  a  'squat';  the  term  in  those  days  applied 
to  a  location  or  residence  on  Government  land  not  yet  subject  to 
entry,  and  was  in  opposition  to  laws  which  forbid  such  settlement  and 
occupation.  Mr.  Keyes  hoped,  however,  to  obtain  a  pre-emption 
under  the  law  which  would  entitle  him  to  priority  in  purchase  when 
the  land  became  subject  to  sale.  But  the  fact  of  its  being  fractional 
and  the  subsequent  taking  it  for  the  county  seat  under  the  provisions 
of  a  law  which  reserved  any  quarter  section  from  private  entry  that 
had  been  selected  as  a  county  seat,  before  its  offer  for  sale,  spoiled 
the  hopes  of  the  pioneer.  He  cared  little  about  this,  because  it  was 
mainly  through  him  that  the  county  seat  was  located  where  it  now 
is,  to  the  sacrifice  of  his  immediate  interests  in  the  land  on  which  he 
lived.  This  rough,  little  cramped  cabin  became  a  prominent  build- 
ing, because  put  to  many  public  uses  in  those  early  days.  It  was  the 
'temple  of  justice'  where  the  first  courthouse  was  held.  It  was  the 
place  for  public  assemblages  where  the  early  officials  met  and  the 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  95 

primitive  organizations  were  matured.  Sometimes  it  served  lor  re- 
ligious meetings  (like  Wood's  eabin.  half  a  mile  south).  It  was  a 
general  free  hotel  for  the  wanderer  and  the  wayfarer,  and  the  tempo- 
rary stopping  plaee  of  the  immigrant  with  his  family,  until  he  could 
make  his  permanent  location  in  the  neighborhood.  This  was  the 
second  house  built  in  (^lincy. 

"In  the  fall  of  this  year  (1824)  came  John  Droulard,  a  French- 
man and  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  who  had  served  in  the  army.  lie 
became  the  owner  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  Section  2,  Township  2 
south.  Range  9  west — the  160  acres  now  in  the  center  of  the  city  lying 
immeiliately  east  of  the  fractional  quarter  on  whidi  Keyes  had  settled  ; 
bounded  by  Broadway  and  Twelfth  Street  on  the  north  and  east,  on 
the  west  by  the  alley  runninfr  from  Maine  to  Hampshire  between 
Si.xth  and  Seventh  streets,  and  on  the  south  by  a  line  nearly  half  way 
between  Kentucky  and  York  streets.  This  was  a  choice  piece  of 
property  which,  in  a  few  years.  Droulai-d  frittered  away.  Tic  erected 
a  cabin  near  the  northeast  corner  of  what  is  now  Jersey  and  Eighth 
streets,  a  little  west  of  w!iere  the  gas  works  are  situated.  These 
three  houses — Wood's,  Keyes'  and  Droulard's — were  the  only  build- 
ings in  the  place  in  1824." 

The  County's  Fir.st  Physici.\n 

A  Dr.  Thomas  Baker,  the  first  physician  to  settle  in  Adams  County, 
arriv.'d  during  the  summer  of  1S24,  and  established  himself  about 
two  miles  .south  of  the  blufV.  He  was  a  learned  and  skillful  man. 
A  few  years  later,  he  moved  north  into  what  is  now  Mercer  County, 
and  shortly  afterward  was  kicked  to  death  by  his  horse. 

Tliere  were  less  than  100  settlers  in  the  country  within  a  range  of 
thirty  miles  from  Messrs.  Wood,  Keyes,  Rose  (with  his  family),  Drou- 
lard and  Doctor  Baker.  In  fact,  the  census  taken  during  the  follow- 
ing year  gave  the  combined  population  of  Adams  and  Hancock  coun- 
ties as  only  192. 

It  is  evident  that  Messrs.  Wood,  Keyes  and  Rose  comprised,  dur- 
ing the  pioneer  years  preceding  county  organization  and  for  .some 
time  afterward,  the  local  Triumvirate  of  leadership,  and  a  pause  is 
here  taken  to  .set  forth  their  lives  somewhat  in  detail. 

Governor  John  Wood 

John  Wood,  who  jH-oveil  to  be  the  largest  figure  of  tlie  three,  was 
the  first  settler  of  Quincy,  a  leader  in  all  constructive  movements  in 
the  advancement  of  the  town,  cit.v  and  count.v,  and  when  in  his  seven- 
tieth year  served  a.s  governor  of  tlie  .state,  its  'luarteriiiaster  general 
during  the  Civil  war  and  commander  of  a  Union  brigade  at  the  front. 
He  was  a  man  of  unbowndi'd  energy,  as  well  as  of  generosity,  and  his 
financial  ability  enabled  him  to  follow  almost  to  the  limit  of  his  de- 
sires the  humane  and  benevolent  bent  of  his  disposition.     Governor 


06  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Wood  was  born  in  Moravia,  Cayuga  County,  New  York,  on  December 
20,  1798,  and  was  the  only  son  of  Dr.  Daniel  and  Catherine  (Crouse) 
Wood.  His  father  was  an  officer  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  a  man 
of  large  attainments  as  a  scholar  and  a  linguist,  and  after  the  close 
of  the  war  settled  in  Cajiiga  County,  where  he  died  in  his  ninety- 
third  year.  In  after  years,  his  body  was  exhumed  by  his  son  and 
deposited  in  Woodland  Cemetery.  In  November,  1818,  the  future 
governor  and  general,  as  a  young  man  of  twenty,  left  his  New  York 
home  with  the  intention  of  settling  in  the  South,  preferably  in  Ten- 
nessee or  Alabama.  His  plan  was  to  first  tour  the  West,  and,  in  line 
with  that  intention,  he  passed  the  winter  of  1819  in  Cincinnati,  the 
summer  of  that  year  in  Shawneetown,  Illinois,  and  the  winter  of  1820 
in  Calhoun  (then  part  of  Madison)  County. 

As  stated,  in  March,  1820,  with  Willard  Keyes  he  located  thirty 
miles  southeast  of  what  is  now  Quincy,  and  for  about  two  years  busied 
himself  in  fanning  and  locating  parties  who  desired  to  buy  land  in 
the  American  Bottoms  or  adjacent  interior  country.  During  the 
spring  of  1821  ]\Ir.  Wood  first  visited  the  present  site  of  Quincy,  and 
soon  afterward  purchased  a  quarter  section  of  land  near  by,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1822  erected  a  log  cabin — the  first  building  in  Quincy, 
though  not  within  the  original  town,  ilajor  Rose  and  family  resided 
in  this  house,  for  some  time,  while  Mr.  Wood  was  a  bachelor. 

For  several  years  prior  to  the  election  of  the  first  Monday  in 
August,  1824,  thei'e  was  a  considerable  party  in  the  state  which 
favored  the  calling  of  a  convention,  the  avowed  object  of  which  should 
be  the  changing  of  its  constitution  so  as  to  admit  slaves.  The  elec- 
tion of  that  date  was  to  decide  whether  the  convention  should  be  called 
or  not.  Mr.  Wood  was  greatly  interested  in  the  contest,  and  went  up 
as  far  as  Montibello  (now  Nauvoo)  to  rally  the  voters  against  the 
proposed  change.  He  was  so  successful  that  he  appeared  at  the  Atlas 
precinct  as  "boss"  of  100  suffragists.  Evidently,  the  full  ballot  was 
not  cast,  but  the  calling  of  the  convention  was  lost  in  that  voting 
precinct  by  ninety-seven  to  three;  and,  as  has  been  seen,  "For  Con- 
vention" was  buried  out  of  sight  throughout  the  state.  Governor 
Wood  was  always  proud  of  his  work  in  that  line. 

Governor  Wood  led  the  movement  which  resulted  in  the  creation 
of  Adams  County.  In  1827  he  temporarily  resided  at  the  Galena 
lead  mines,  but  his  permanent  home  was  Quincy  from  1822,  until  his 
death  June  4,  1880,  or  for  a  period  of  fifty-eight  years.  In  1848, 
wath  his  two  elder  sons,  he  visited  California,  and  remained  nearly 
a  year  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  a  witness  to  the  historic  rush  of  emigra- 
tion to  that  section  of  the  United  States,  and  twenty  years  later  took 
an  overland  trip  to  the  Coast,  when  he  was  able  to  realize  that  the 
country  was  destined  to  develop  into  permanent  and  prodigious  riches 
and  not  end  its  promising  career  of  the  earlier  years  with  a  series  of 
"booms." 

It  is  said  that  "Moral  or  physical  fear  John  W^od  never  had. 
When  on  a  trip  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  the  steamer  on  which  he  and  his 


»  s  ss  s,  > 


!::^  »  t. 

00    1*.    ?-l 
C5    00 


w 
«■ 


o_  S    2 


B   t  g 

-  '  i 

g  3?  ^ 

■?    lO    00 

'-'  (L=  *- 

-  ts 

»    •     5 

r"  r  =^ 

-  2   O 

^  <    o 


O 

O 

c 
5 

o 


Vol.  I— r 


98  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

wife  were  traveling  from  San  Francisco  to  a  port  in  Southern  Cali- 
fornia ran  upon  a  rock  and  was  wrecked.  The  captain,  an  experi- 
enced and  capable  officer,  sustained  the  discipline  of  the  ship,  so 
difficult  on  such  occasions  to  maintain,  and  was  aided  by  the  com- 
manding bearing  of  Governor  Wood.  When  the  boats  were  pre- 
pared, and  the  women  and  children  placed  in  them,  the  captain, 
standing  by  the  gangway,  said :  '  Now,  Governor  Wood,  you  take  your 
place. '  The  answer  was :  '  Send  these  young  folks  first.  I  'm  seventy 
yeai-s  old.     Save  the  young.'  " 

Throughout  all  the  succeeding  years  after  his  first  settlement.  Gov- 
ernor Wood  was  almost  constantly  kept  in  public  position.  He  was 
one  of  the  vohmteers  in  the  Black  Hawk  War  of  1832,  but  in  that 
regard  he  was  no  exception  to  every  other  able-bodied  man  in  Adams 
County.  He  was  one  of  the  early  town  trustees;  was  often  a  member 
of  the  city  council;  served  as  mayor  in  1844-48,  1852-54  and  1856; 
in  1850  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate ;  in  1856  was  chosen  lieutenant 
governor  and,  on  the  death  of  Governor  Bissell  in  1859,  succeeded  to 
the  gubernatorial  chair.  Governor  Yates,  a  man  of  the  same  rugged 
character,  had  the  greatest  admiration  for  the  Old  Roman,  and  in 
Februar3%  1861,  selected  him  as  one  of  the  five  delegates  from  Illi- 
nois to  the  Peace  Convention  which  convened  in  Washington;  and, 
after  war  broke  upon  the  county,  selected  him  as  quartermaster  gen- 
eral of  the  state.  The  governor  performed  the  duties  of  the  latter 
position  with  remarkable  energy'  and  ability,  during  the  earlier  period 
of  the  war,  and  in  June,  1864,  left  Quincy  for  ^lemphis,  Tennessee, 
at  the  head  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry 
(a  100-days  regiment).  In  the  following  mouth  he  was  assigned  to 
the  command  of  the  Third  Brigade,  engaged  in  picket  duty  on  the 
Hernando  road.  His  regiment  was  attacked  by  the  enemy,  while  he 
was  on  a  sick  bed,  but  he  took  command,  rallied  his  brigade  and  the 
onset  was  repulsed. 

A  friend  said  of  Governor  Wood:  "His  liberality  and  benefac- 
tions were  boundless.  His  public  generosity  is  proverbially  known, 
but  no  count  can  be  made  of  the  private  open-handedness  that  ran 
through  his  fifty  years  of  affluence.  On  his  town,  his  city,  feeling  it 
almost  his  own,  his  interest  and  pride  forever  rested.  His  nature  was 
bold  and  frank.  He  had  no  disgiiises,  no  dissimulations,  no  fears. 
'What  his  heart  forges,  that  his  tongue  must  utter,  and,  being  armed, 
he  even  does  forget  there's  such  a  thing  as  death,'  could  never  be 
applied  to  one  better  than  to  him.  Singularly  susceptible  to  physical 
suffering,  the  lightest  pain  being  to  him  an  acute  agony,  his  spirit 
nevertheless  was  intrepidity  itself.  This  led  him  in  his  matured  age 
and  position,  which  might  well  have  excused  him  therefrom,  to  yearn 
with  patriotic  ardor,  for  personal  participation  in  the  late  and  sec- 
tional strife  when  the  Nation's  life  was  threatened." 

Governor  Wood's  first  wife  was  Miss  Ann  M.  Streeter,  daughter  of 
Joshua  Streeter,  formerly  of  Washington  County,  New  York.  The 
wedding  occurred  at  Quincy  January  25,  1826.     ]\Irs.  Wood  died 


Ql'INCV  AND  ADAMS  COVXTV  99 

Oftober  8,  1863,  leaving  as  surviving  offspring:  Mrs.  Ann  E.  Tillson, 
who  married  Col.  John  Tillson,  and  died  in  Omaha,  Xebra.ska, 
March  25,  1905;  Daniel  C.  Wood,  who  had  married  Miss  i\Iary  J. 
Abl)ernethy;  John  Wood,  Jr.,  whose  wile  was  Miss  Josephine  Skinner; 
and  Joshua  S.  Wood,  whose  wife  was  Miss  Annie  Bradlej-.  Governor 
Wooil's  second  marriage  occurred  at  Quincy  June  6,  1865,  the  lady 
being  Jlrs.  iMary  A.  Holmes,  widow  of  Joseph  T.  Holmes.  Mrs. 
Wood  was  born  in  Glousterbury,  Connecticut,  2\Iarch  5,  1806,  and  died 
at  (^uincy.  January  20,  1887,  nearly  seven  years  after  the  death  of 
her  beloved  and  distinguished  husband. 

WiLL.vRD  Keyes 

Willard  Keyes,  long  Mr.  Wood's  co-worker  in  local  and  county 
enterprises  and  always  his  warm  friend,  was  six  years  older  than  the 
Governor.  He  was  a  Vermont  man,  born  in  Windham  County,  October 
28,  1792.  Originally,  the  family  was  from  Massachusetts.  The  boy 
worked  on  the  homestead  farm,  attcudeil  district  school  when  he  could, 
mastered  the  trade  of  a  wool  dyer,  and  as  a  young  man  taught  school 
for  several  winters  before,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  he  decided  to  see 
what  the  West  was  like.  He  writes  in  his  diary  that  "On  the  second 
of  June,  A.  D.,  1817,  being  impelled  by  curiosity  and  a  desire  to  see 
other  places  than  those  in  the  vicinity  of  my  native  town,  I,  Willard 
Keyes,  started  from  Newfaue,  Vermont,  intending  to  travel  into  the 
western  parts  of  the  United  States."  Traveling  by  various  means 
through  Canada  and  by  the  northern  lakes,  he  reached  Prairie  du 
Chien  on  the  30th  of  August.  1S17.  There  he  remained  in  teaching, 
milling  and  other  pursuits,  until  the  spring  of  1819,  when,  with  one 
companion,  he  started  on  a  raft  for  St.  Louis,  floating  by  the  site  of 
guincy,  May  10,  1819.  "In  ^larch,  1820,"  the  diary  continues,  "John 
Wood  and  myself  formed  a  partnership  to  go  on  the  frontiers  and 
commence  farming  together;  accordingly  prepared  ourselves  with  pro- 
visions, farming  utensils,  etc.,  as  well  as  our  slender  means  would  per- 
mit— two  small  yoke  of  steers,  a  yotuig  cow  and  a  small,  though 
promising  lot  of  swine — our  whole  amount  of  property  did  not  probably 
exceed  $250.  Paid  $50  and  $60  per  yoke  for  small  four-year  old  steers, 
$10  for  small  heifer,  Gi/j  cents  per  pound  for  fresh  pork,  75  cents  per 
bushel  for  corn.  $8  per  barrel  for  flour,  $4  per  bushel  for  salt,  and 
other  things  in  proportion." 

At  this  place  in  old  Pike  County,  Mr.  Keyes  remained  until  the 
spring  of  1824,  when  he  moved  to  Quincy  and  built  the  second  cabin 
of  the  place — 16  by  16  feet  in  size — which  was  afterward  used  as  the 
first  court  room.  At  the  formation  of  the  county  in  1825  he  was  chosen 
one  of  the  eounty  commissioners,  and  acted  earnestly  and  usefully  for 
the  interests  of  the  infant  settlement  for  many  years.  He  was  one  of 
the  members  of  the  first  Church  Association  formed  at  Quincy  in  1830, 
of  which  he  remained  a  deacon  for  forty-two  years,  ^fr.  Keyes  died 
on  February  7,  1872,  having  been  twieo  married — first  to  Miss  Laura 


100  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Harkuess,  December  22,  1825,  aud  her  death  occurred  ]\Iay  8,  1832, 
and  secondly  to  ]Miss  Mary  C.  Folsom,  who  died  in  November,  1864. 

Jeremiah  Rose 

Maj.  Jeremiah  Rose  was  a  New  York  man,  born  in  the  same  year 
as  his  friend  ilr.  Kej'es.  He  was  reared  upon  his  father 's  eastern  farm, 
and  it  is  said  was  noted  for  his  feats  of  agility  and  strength  ia  which 
he  excelled  all  his  young  companions.  In  1815  he  married  Miss 
Margaret  Brown,  daughter  of  Maj.  Daniel  Brown,  of  his  native  town 
aud  county,  and  in  the  fall  of  1821  he  moved  to  Atlas,  Pike  County, 
with  his  wife  and  young  daughter.  In  the  following  year  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  John  Wood  to  build  a  log  cabin  on  the  site  of  a 
portion  of  the  present  site  of  Quincy ;  but  before  he  could  commence 
work  he  became  iU  and  hired  a  man  to  take  his  place  aud  assist  Mr. 
"Wood.  In  the  spring  of  1823  he  moved  into  it  and  boarded  Mr.  Wood, 
the  Rose  family  representing  the  first  woman  and  the  first  child  to 
reside  in  Quincy.    The  latter  afterward  married  George  W.  Brown. 

Mr.  Rose  resided  in  the  log  cabin  thus  built  until  1826,  when  he 
sold  out  to  Mr.  Wood  aud  bought  a  farm  just  north  of  Quincj',  upon 
which  he  resided  for  ten  years.  When  the  Adams  County  Militia  was 
organized  he  was  elected  its  major,  which  gave  him  the  title  by  which 
he  was  generally  known.  In  1833  he  united  with  the  First  Congrega- 
tional Church  of  Quincy  in  which  he  was  always  a  leader  while  resid- 
ing in  the  city.  In  1836  he  moved  to  Henderson  County,  residing 
there  on  his  farm  for  fourteen  years.  In  1850,  however,  he  retunied  to 
Quincy,  where  he  died  nine  years  later  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven.  Al- 
though quite  retiring.  Major  Rose  was  a  man  of  strong  and  positive 
character,  being  especially  active  and  locally  prominent  as  an  Aboli- 
tionist and  supporter  of  all  Christian  missions.  His  was  not  as  broad 
a  character  as  that  of  Governor  Wood,  but  none  of  the  early  settlers 
stood  as  a  better  example  of  the  true,  industrious,  uuobstrusive  and 
ever  faithful  Christian. 

As.\  Tyrer 

Late  in  the  year  1836  occurred  the  deaths  of  the  first  two  perma- 
nent settlei-s  of  Adams  Countj' — Daniel  Lisle  and  Justus  Perigo. 

Asa  Tyrer,  the  first  coroner  of  Adams  County,  was  a  native  of 
Hampshire  County,  Massachusetts,  born  October  17,  1788.  He  first 
visited  the  Illinois  country  in  1818,  that  he  might  locate  a  quarter 
section  of  land  in  the  Military  Bounty  Tract,  which  he  had  purchased 
from  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812  for  the  sum  of  $300.  At  the  time 
of  his  visit  there  were  no  steamboats,  or  other  public  conveyances,  to 
be  used  in  reaching  Illinois.  He  provided  himself  with  knapsack  and 
provisions,  M-ith  flint,  steel  and  punk,  and,  after  wearisome  days  of 
travel,  reached  St.  Louis.  There  he  crossed  the  Mississippi  River  and 
started  northward  for  his  intended  home,  afoot  and  alone.    Reaching 


o 
o 


o 

M 

m 
?o 

"») 
w 

Kl 

2 
O 


102  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  Illinois  River,  he  met  a  mau  who  had  camped  on  the  bank,  and 
who  was  ou  his  way  to  some  point  about  150  miles  above,  journeying 
in  a  skiff  which  contained  as  cargo,  a  barrel  of  whisky.  Mr.  Tyrer 
spent  the  night  with  them  all,  and  the  next  morning  was  rowed  across 
the  river,  thanking  his  good  luck  as  he  resumed  his  journey  up  the 
Mississippi  Valley.  After  several  days  travel  he  reached  the  beautiful 
bluffs  upon  which  Quincy  now  stands,  having  consulted  various  maps 
and  ascertained  that  the  land  which  he  owned  and  was  endeavoring  to 
locate  was  situated  in  that  locality.  As  the  Government  surveyors  had 
but  recently  traced  the  lines  of  the  lands  in  that  area,  Mr.  Tyrer  found 
no  difficulty  in  definitely  locating  his  tract,  and  on  the  following  day 
started  on  his  return  to  St.  Louis.  Near  one  of  the  Government  lines 
he  had  discovered  "Watson's  spring,  afterward  quite  famous,  and,  on 
both  trips  to  the  Quincy  bluffs  and  back  to  St.  Louis,  he  saw  and 
heard  of  numerous  bands  of  Indians,  herds  of  deer  and  abundance  of 
all  sorts  of  wild  game. 

In  the  year  1822  Mr.  Tyrer  returned  to  his  land  on  the  Bluffs  and 
built  a  log  cabin  on  his  tract,  which  was  located  about  two  miles 
southeast  of  where  the  courthouse  in  Quincy  now  stands.    Two  years 
afterward  the  entire  family  settled  upon  it.    They  came  up  the  river  in 
skiffs,  two  being  lashed  together,  which  served  as  a  foundation  for  a 
platform.     The  structure  as  a  whole  constituted  a  house  boat,  which 
safely,  if  slowly,  transported  the  Tyrer  familj-  to  the  landing  at  the 
bluffs.    When  he  first  located,  or  soon  afterward,  Mr.  TjTcr  set  up  a 
blacksmith  shop  and  a  corn  grinder,  or  mill,  on  his  place,  which  for  a 
long  time  thereafter  were  the  only  institutions  of  the  kind  in  Adams 
County.     In  1825,  at  the  organization  of  the  county  government,  he 
became  its  first  coroner,  and  served  in  that  ofSce  for  two  terms.    He 
resided  near  Quincy  for  a  number  of  years  and  then,  during  the  lead- 
mining  excitement,  lived  for  a  time  at  Galena.  But  he  alwaj's  held  his 
land  at  his  original  location,  and  some  years  before  his  death  on 
August  6,  1873,  returned  to  the  homestead  in  the  Quincy  neighbor- 
hood, where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

Old  Pike  County  Votes  "No  Convention" 

It  was  during  the  momentous  year  of  1824  that  Adams  County 
appears  above  the  horizon  of  historj\  For  two  years  the  state  had 
been  stirred  over  the  prospect  that  a  new  constitution  might  be  adopted 
recognizing  slavery ;  but  fortunately  the  measure  calling  for  a  conven- 
tion was  defeated.  The  No  Convention,  or  Free  State  party,  swept 
the  northern  and  western  counties  of  Illinois  at  the  election  in  August 
of  1824.  There  were  but  four  votes  in  Quincy,  and  in  what  is  now 
Adams  County  were  a  score  or  more.  Old  Pike  County  which  then 
extended  as  far  north  as  the  base  line  six  miles  above  Quincy,  was 
thoroughly  canvassed,  as  was  the  entire  country  as  far  as  Rock  Island. 
The  voters  turned  out  to  a  man  and  on  Sunday  mornng  the  day  before 
the  election,  nearlv  fiftv  had  gathered  at  the  Bluffs,  as  the  place  was 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  103 

then  called.  They  rode  to  Atlas  forty  miles  south,  swiinniing  the 
creeks  which  were  at  high  water,  and  cast  their  votes  on  the  following 
day.  Of  the  one  hundred  votes  polled  at  Atlas,  ninety-seven  were  for 
"no  convention." 

Thomas  Cvrlin 

At  this  same  elwtion,  Nicholas  Hanson,  who  had  been  ejected  from 
the  previous  Legslatiire  of  Illinois  was  rechosen  by  a  decisive  vote, 
but  resigned  his  seat  before  his  term  expired,  and  returned  to  New 
York,  his  native  state.  Thomas  Carlin  (afterward  governor)  was 
elected  state  senator.  He  held  a  seat  in  the  upper  legislative  body  for 
eight  years,  soon  after  came  to  Quincy  as  receiver  of  the  Land  OfiSce, 
and  in  1838  was  chosen  governor. 

County  of  Ad.uis  Cre.\ted 

On  the  14th  of  September,  1824,  the  month  following  the  election 
named,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  presidential  canvass  in  which  figured 
Jackson,  Clay,  Crawford  and  John  Quincy  Adams,  John  Wood  in- 
serted the  following  no'tice  in  the  Edwardsville  Spectator:  "A  peti- 
tion will  be  presented  to  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Illinois 
at  its  next  session  praying  for  the  establishment  of  a  new  county  to 
be  formed  from  the  County  of  Pike  and  the  parts  attached,  the 
southern  boundary  of  which  shall  be  between  towns  three  and  four, 
south  of  the  base  line."  The  notice  having  been  published  twelve 
times,  as  required  by  law,  the  General  As.semblj'  passed  a  bill  in  con- 
formity with  the  petition,  which  was  appi'oved  bj'  the  governor  Januarj- 
18,  1825.  The  act  read  as  follows:  "Be  it  enacted,  that  all  that 
tract  of  country  within  the  following  boundaries,  to-wit:  beginning 
at  the  place  where  the  township  line  between  towniships  three  south 
and  four  south  touches  the  Mississippi  river,  thence  east  on  said  line 
to  the  range  line  between  ranges  four  and  five  west,  thence  north  on 
said  range  line  to  the  northeast  corner  of  township  two  north,  range 
five  we.st,  thence  west  on  said  township  line  to  the  ^Mississippi  River 
to  the  place  of  beginning,  shall  constitute  a  county  to  be  called  the 
county  of  Adam.s." 

The  result  of  the  presidential  election  in  the  preceding  November 
had  determined  the  name  of  the  new  county.  On  the  day  appointed 
to  choose  electors  for  president  and  vice-president,  the  .settlers  living 
in  and  around  that  portion  of  the  "Kingdom  of  Pike"  now  called 
Adams  County,  determined  to  hold  the  election  on  home  ground; 
otherwise  they  would  be  called  upon  to  make  the  long  trip  to  Atlas 
in  order  to  east  their  ballots  as  American  citizens.  John  Wood  had 
come  up  from  that  place  the  day  before  with  a  list  of  the  Adams 
electors.  It  is  said  that  nobody  knew  the  names  of  the  Clay  or  Craw- 
ford electors;  but  everybody  wanted  to  vote — even  some  Missourians 
who  had  crossed  the  river  for  the  luirpose.     So  an  election  precinct 


104 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


was  organized,  with  judges  and  clerks,  and  the  twenty  or  more  votes 
cast  were  unanimous  for  John  Quincy  Adams.  The  Adams  elector 
chosen  was  William  Harrison.  There  was  no  suggestion  of  going 
behind  the  returns  which,  on  the  face  of  them,  indicated  an  over- 
whelming sentiment  in  favor  of  John  Quincy.  It  was  therefore  sug- 
gested to  the  Legislature,  which  had  already  been  petitioned  to  carve 
out  a  new  county  from  Old  Pike,  that  the  county  to  be  formed  should 
be  named  Adams.    And  Adams  it  was  named. 

Locating  the  Seat  of  Justice 

The  act  of  January,  1825,  creating  Adams  County  appointed  as 
commissioners  to  locate  its  permanent  seat  of  justice,  the  following: 
Seymour  Kellogg,  Morgan  County ;  Joel  Wright,  Montgomery  County, 


A  Water  Wheel  of  Old  Adams  County 


and  David  Sutton,  Pike  County.  They  were  directed  to  meet  at  the 
house  of  Ebenezer  Harkness  on  the  first  Monday  in  April,  or  within 
seven  days  therefrom;  and  "after  taking  the  oath  before  a  justice 
of  the  peace  to  locate  the  seat  of  justice  for  the  future  accommoda- 
tion and  convenience  of  the  people,  shall  proceed  to  fix  the  seat  of 
justice,  and  when  fixed  it  shall  be  the  permanent  seat  of  justice  of 
said  county;  and  the  commissioners  shall  forthwith  make  out  a  copy 
of  their  proceedings  and  file  them  in  the  office  of  the  recorder  of 
Pike  County;  and  the  said  commissioners  shall  receive  the  sum  of 
two  dollars  per  day  for  each  day  spent  by  them  in  the  discharge  of 
their  duties,  and  for  each  day  spent  in  going  or  returning  from  the 
same,  to  be  paid  out  of  the  first  money  paid  into  the  treasury  of  said 
cormty  of  Adams  after  its  organization." 

On  the  30th  of  April,  1825,  Messrs.  Kellogg  and  Dutton,  two  of 
the  commissioners,  came  to  the  Town  Site,  as  Quincy  was  then  called, 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  105 

prepared  to  locate  the  county  seat.  Their  original  plan  was  to  place 
it  at  the  geographical  center  of  the  county,  and  they  engaged  ^Ir. 
Keyes  as  a  guide  to  assist  them  in  carrying  out  that  intention.  It  may 
be  that  their  guide  had  his  own  Town  Site  in  mind  as  a  most  likely 
county  seat;  at  all  events,  he  led  the  locating  commissioners  a  merry 
chase  through  the  bogs  and  quagmires  of  ilill  Creek,  and  at  nightfall 
they  were  glad  to  find  shelter  and  solid  footing  on  the  crest  of  the 
bluffs.  On  the  following  morning,  without  another  suggestion  as  to 
the  geographical  center  of  Adams  Count}^,  they  led  a  proce.ssion  com- 
posed of  all  the  able-bodied  inliabitants  of  the  Bluffs  to  the  Io<!ality 
now  known  as  "Washington  Park  and,  halting  near  its  present  eastern 
entrance,  drove  a  stake  into  the  ground,  and  officially  announced  that 
the  northwest  quarter  of  section  2,  towni  2,  south  of  range  9,  west  of  the 
4th  principal  meridian,  was  the  seat  of  justice  of  Adams  County. 

John  Qi:incy  Ad.vms  Completely  I-mmortauzed 

Mr.  Kellogg  had  previou.sly  remarked  that  the  people  of  his 
county  had  called  its  seat  Jackson\'ille,  in  honor  of  the  defeated 
democratic  candidate,  and  the  suggestion  had  been  made  by  some  of 
the  Bluffs  delegation  that  as  their  new  county  had  already  been 
named  to  commemorate  the  honored  Adams  family,  the  president- 
elect be  doubly  and  specifically  honored  by  conferring  Quincy  on  the 
county  seat  just  created.  When  the  stake  was  therefore  set  by  the 
locating  commissioners  at  Washington  Park,  it  was  formally  driven 
to  mark  the  site  of  the  Town  of  Quincy.  At  the  time  the  county 
seat  was  thus  selected  and  named,  the  Quincyites  present  were  Wil- 
lard  Keyes,  Jeremiah  Rose  and  John  Droulard ;  John  Wood,  the 
other  real  fourth  of  the  population,  was  absent  on  a  business  trip  to 
St.  Louis. 

Still  another  step  was  taken  to  give  complete  honor  to  John  Quincy 
Adams  in  the  founding  of  the  county  and  its  seat  of  justice;  and  it  is 
an  interesting  item  of  early  hi-storA-  with  which  few  of  the  present 
generation  are  familiar.  Its  nature  was  voiced  quite  recently  to  the 
writer  by  a  bright,  inriuisitive  young  lady,  who  said:  "I  understand 
Why  Adams  and  Quincy,  but  why  shouldn't  the  John  come  in?" 
Well,  it  did  come  into  the  nomenclature  of  Adams  County,  but  has 
long  since  been  cut  out.  The  more's  the  pity!  The  other  limb  in 
the  name  of  John  Quincy  Adams  was  bestowed  in  this  wise:  The 
county  being  named  Adams  and  the  new  town  Quincy,  to  complete 
the  full  name  of  the  distinguished  statesman  who  was  then  president 
of  the  Public  Square  now  called  Washington  Park  was  called  John's 
Square,  or  John's  Prairie.  It  was  thus  christened  when  the  stake 
was  driven,  though  the  early  plats  of  the  city  omitted  the  name  John's 
Square.  Judge  Snow,  who  afterward  made  the  first  town  plat,  was 
not  present  when  the  stake  was  fixed  designating  the  county  seat,  but 
President  Adams'  message  delivered  March  4,  182.^,  arrived  in  Quincy 
the  very  day  when  that  important  event  occurred,  and  is  said  to  have 


106  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

aroused  such  enthusiasm  that  nothing  would  do  but  that  the  very 
center  of  the  seat  of  justice  should  have  the  name  of  John  bestowed 
upon  it.  Thus  is  answered  the  question  of  any  other  Quincyites  who 
may  fear  that  the  good  founders  of  Adams  County  and  its  seat  of 
justice  did  not  give  the  learned  and  popular  John  Quincy  Adams 
all  that  was  coming  to  him. 

Thus  the  foundation  has  been  laid  upon  which  to  erect  the  fabric 
known  as  the  County  Government,  with  its  various  attachments  and 
auxiliaries. 


CHAPTER  VI 

COUNTY  GOVERNMENT  AND  INSTITUTIONS 

The  County's  Cbeathe  Act^— First  Court  and  Its  Se.u^County 
Seat  Site  Entered — Quincy  Okdered  Platted — First  Sale  of 
QuixcY  Lots — First  Log  Courthouse — Burial  Ground  Re- 
serv-ed — First  Teacher  and  First  Pre.\cher— Providing  for 
Judge  Snow's  Expansion — Woodland  Cemetery — A.  F.  Hub- 
bard's Claim  to  Fame — The  Ghost  Walks  Again — Courthouse 
of  1838-75 — Dangers  op  Chronic  Office  Holding — A  Jail 
Thought  Expedient  .\_n'd  Necessary — Original  Election  Pre- 
cincts— Columbus  Fights  for  the  County  Seat — Marqltctte 
AND  Highland  Counties — Judicial  Reform  and  Slavery— Town- 
ship Organization  Ad<jpted — First  Board  of  Supervisors — 
The  Twenty  Polling  Precincts — Official  Accommodations 
Extended — Fire  Forces  Building  of  New  Courthouse — Coats- 
burg  Sl-bsides — Jefferson  Square  Selected  as  Site — Steps  in 
Building  of  Present  Courthouse — Representatives  of  the 
CoL^'TY — County  Officers,  1825-69— The  Decade,  1870-79— 
Covering  1882-1918  —  Legislative  Representati\t;s  —  Rural 
Lands  an-d  City  Properties — Population,  1890,  1900,  1910 — 
Adams  County  Home. 

The  preceding  chapter  lias  immortalized  John  Quincy  Adams  in 
local  history,  through  the  square,  the  town  and  tlie  county,  and  it  is 
the  aim  of  this  section  of  the  work  to  detail  the  legislative,  political 
and  institutional  evolution  of  the  last  named  as  a  civic  body.  Inter- 
woven with  the  stoiy  is  much  vital  and  mellowing  personal  matter; 
and,  coming  right  down  to  basic  truth,  the  history  of  the  county,  as 
well  as  universal  history  itself,  is  but  the  outward  and  systematized 
manifestation  and  record  of  individual  acts  which  germinate  into 
living  movements  and  institutions. 

The  County's  Creathe  Act 

The  creative  act  which  formed  the  county  from  portions  of  Pike 
and  Fulton,  and  which  was  approved  on  the  ISth  of  January,  1825, 
reads  as  follows:  "Be  it  enacted,  that  all  that  tract  of  country  within 
the  following  boiuidaries.  to-wit — beginning  at  the  place  where  the 
township  line  between  townships  three  south  and  four  soutii  touches 
the  Mi.ssissippi  River,  thence  east  on  said  line  to  the  range  line  to 

107 


108  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  northeast  corner  of  township  two  north,  range  five  west,  thence 
west  on  said  township  line  to  the  Mississippi  River,  and  thence  down 
said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning,  shall  constitute  a  county  to  be 
called  the  county  of  Adams."  The  act  also  appointed  the  commis- 
sioners to  locate  a  permanent  seat  of  justice  for  the  new  county,  and 
the  circumstances  iinder  which  they  performed  their  duties  have  been 
already  narrated.  Also  in  pursuance  of  its  provisions,  and  by  direct 
order  of  the  judge  of  the  Circuit  Court,  the  first  election  for  county 
officers  was  held  at  the  cabin  of  Willard  Keyes.  About  forty  votes 
were  cast,  and  Levi  Wells,  Peter  Journey  and  Mr.  Keyes  himself 
were  the  successful  candidates  for  county  commissioners. 

Mr.  Journey,  a  Jerseyman  by  birth,  resided  at  the  lower  end  of 
the  bluff  some  ten  miles  south  of  Quincy,  in  what  is  now  Fall  Creek 
Township.  Mr.  Keyes  lived  in  his  cabin  at  what  is  now  the  foot  of 
Vermont  Street,  and  Mr.  Wells  had  his  home  in  the  locality  of  the 
present  Village  of  Payson. 

First  Court  and  Its  Seal 

On  Monday,  July  4,  1825,  the  first  County  Court  of  Adams  County 
was  duly  organized  in  the  cabin  of  Willard  Keyes  at  Quincy.  Messrs. 
Journey,  Keyes  and  Wells,  commissioners,  all  being  present.  Earl 
Pierce  was  appointed  a  special  constable  for  the  court,  and  Henry 
H.  Snow  was  appointed  clerk,  entering  into  a  bond  for  the  faithful 
performance  of  the  duties  thereof,  having  Earl  Pierce  and  Levi 
Hadlcy  as  sureties  upon  his  bond.  Ira  Pierce  was  appointed  to  take 
the  census  of  the  county.  ,  At  the  same  time  Joshua  Streeter,  John  L. 
Soule,  Lewis  C.  K.  Hamilton  and  Amos  Bancroft  were  recommended 
to  the  governor  and  received  their  appointment  as  justices  of  the 
peace.  The  clerk  was  authorized  to  procure  seals  for  the  County  and 
Circuit  courts,  the  seals  to  contain  these  words,  viz. :  ' '  Seal  County 
Commissioners  Court,  Adams  Co.,  111.,  1825."  "Seal  Circuit  Court, 
Adams  Co.,  111.,  1825."  He  was  also  authorized  to  procure  the  neces- 
sary stationery  for  use  of  the  court,  using  his  own  discretion  as  to 
quality  and  quantity.  It  is  self-evident  that  those  early  people  had 
faith  in  their  public  servants  more  than  is  now  shown  to  the  un- 
fortunate wight  who  thirsts  for  political  honor  in  the  way  of  a  county 
office.  However,  H.  H.  Snow  is  described  as  a  remarkable  man  in 
his  way,"  and  was  one  of  nature's  noblemen.  He  had  arrived  in  the 
county  but  a  short  time  previous  to  the  convening  of  the  court,  and 
having  good  clerical  ability  was  the  man  for  the  hour.  He  after- 
ward held  some  four  or  five  of  the  county  offices  at  one  and  the  same 
time. 

The  Pierces  lived  some  five  miles  south  of  Quincy  near  what  was 
subsequently  called  the  Alexander  farm. 

County  Seat  Srre  Entered 

The  quarter  section  designated  by  the  commissioners  as  the  county 
seat,  not  being  subject  to  entry,  the  clerk  was  instructed  at  this  term 


QL'INCY  AND  AD.UIS  COUNTY  109 

of  the  court  to  ap{)ly  to  the  land  oflSce  at  Edwardsville  for  its  pre- 
emption according  to  an  act  of  Congress,  granting  to  counties  the 
right  of  pre-emption  to  one  quarter  section  of  public  lands  for  a 
county  seat.  In  that  day  as  in  this,  it  was  no  trouble  to  make  the 
order  but  it  was  decidedly  more  difficult  to  raise  the  money.  It 
appears,  as  the  following  will  show,  that  the  county  officials  had 
personal  credit.  At  least,  the  money  was  borrowed  from  one  Ru.ssell 
Farnham,  a  river  trader  who  agreed  to  loan  the  commissioners  $200, 
taking  the  personal  note  of  the  commissioners  for  the  payment  of  the 
same.     The  following  is  a  true  copy  of  the  note: 

State  of  Illinois,     ) 

'  S3 

Adams  County,       I 

For  value  received  of  Russell  Farnham,  we,  the  undersigned, 
county  commissioners  of  said  county,  promise  in  the  name  of  the 
aforesaid  county,  to  pay  him  or  his  order  the  sum  of  two  hundred 
dollars  on  or  before  the  fifteenth  day  of  May  next,  with  interest  at  the 
rate  of  ten  per  cent,  per  annum,  from  the  seventeenth  day  of  August 
last  till  paid. 

Dated  at  Quiucy,  this  sixth  of  September,  1825. 

Willard  Keyes,         ] 

Levi  Wells,  J^County  Commissioners. 

Peter  Journey.         J 
Witness : 
Jeremiah  Rose,  Dep.   Cl'k. 
For  Henrj-  H.  Snow,  CI  'k. 

The  following  are  the  endorsements  on  the  note: 

Paid  Russell  Farnham,  two  hundred  and  five  dollars  as  per  his 
receipt  of  April  10th,  1829.     ($205.) 

Paid  Mr.  Farnham,  seventy-four  dollars  and  fifty-nine  cents,  being 
balance  of  interest  due  on  this  note,  which  amount  is  in  full  for  prin- 
cipal and  interest  due  him  on  the  within  note  (without  date). 

Robert  Tillson. 

The  note  was,  however,  taken  up  on  the  1st  of  May,  1830. 

It  appears  from  the  above  note  that  the  money  was  obtained 
August  17,  1825,  and  the  note  given  for  it  September  6th  following; 
it  has  been  said  that  Governor  Wood  made  the  arrangement  for  the 
money  in  the  first  place,  thereby  securing  the  land,  and  a  conveyance 
was  made  by  the  United  States  to  the  County  of  Adams  and  its  suc- 
cessors on  the  13th  of  Februarj-,  1832. 

QuiNCY  Ordered  Platted 

In  November,  1825,  the  County  Commissioners'  Court  ordered 
that  the  land  purchased  from  the  Government  be  laid  off  and  platted 


110  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

as  the  Town  of  Quincy.  Henry  H.  Snow  was  appointed  to  perform 
the  work  and  to  receive  as  compensation  $1  per  day  while  so  engaged, 
and  he  was  authorized  to  employ  assistants  at  the  rate  of  75  cents  per 
day.  The  commissioners  set  apart  Block  12  for  a  public  square,  and 
the  west  half  of  Block  11  was  appropriated  for  the  public  buildings. 
On  Monday,  September  5,  1825,  the  Commissioners'  Court  ordered 
that  the  persons  then  living  in  township  3,  south  range  8,  west  of  the 
fourth  principal  meridian,  be  organized  into  a  school,  to  be  called 
District  No.  1. 

First  Sale  of  Quincy  Town  Lots 

On  the  13th  of  December,  1825,  fifty-one  lots,  which  had  been  ad- 
vertised for  sale  in  the  Edwardsville  and  St.  Louis  papers,  were  sold 
at  public  auction  by  the  county  commissioners,  the  most  of  them 
being  purchased  by  the  commissioners,  sheriff  and  other  citizens  of 
the  county,  very  few  being  sold  to  outside  speculators.  Their  pur- 
chasers and  purchase  prices  were  as  follows: 

Lot  6,  block  15,  Peter  Journey .$19.50 

Lot  5,  block  15,  Hiram  E.  Hawley 12.00 

Lot  4,  block  15,  Doctor  McMillen  12.00 

Lot  3,  block  15,  Doctor  McMillen   19.50 

Lot  6,  block     6,  Peter  Journey 18.50 

Lot  5,  block     6,  Peter  Journey   19.00 

Lot  4,  block     6,  Willard  Keyes  20.00 

Lot  3,  block     6,  Willard  Keyes   30.00 

Lot  6,  block     5,  Willard  Keyes  38.00 

Lot  5,  block     5,  Willard  Keyes   25.50 

Lot  4.  block     5,  Edward  AVhite 20.50 

Lot  3,  block     5,  Jeremiah  Rose   21.00 

Lot  2,  block     5,  Jeremiah  Rose   6.00 

Lot  7,  block  15,  Samuel  Seward   6.50 

Lot  2,  block  16,  Samuel  Seward   6.50 

Lot  8,  block  15,  Samuel  Seward   10.00 

Lot  1,  block  16,  Samuel  Seward   15.00 

Lot  1,  block  19,  John  Wood 13.25 

Lot  2,  block  19,  John  Wood 16.75 

Lot  3,  block  19,  Rufus  Brown  19.00 

Lot  4,  block  19,  Rufus  Brown  27.00 

Lot  1,  block  18,  Hiram  R.  Hawley 18.25 

Lot  2,  block  18,  Hiram  R.  Hawley 18.00 

Lot  3,  block  18,  Ira  Pierce  14.50 

Lot  4,  block  18,  Ira  Pierce   11.50 

Lot  1,  block  17,  John  L.  Soule 5.50 

Lot  2,  block  17,  John  Wood 4.00 

Lot  3,  block  17,  H.  H.  Snow 6.00 

Lot  4,  block  17,  H.  H.  Snow 12.25 

Lot  4,  block  14,  Levi  Wells   5.50 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAiAIS  COUNTY  111 

Lot  6,  block  14,  Levi  lladUy  >k  7,00 

Lot  7,  block  14,  Levi  IlacUey 6.00 

Lot  8,  block  14,  Levi  Iladley  9  50 

Lot  4,  block  13,  Levi  Hadlcy 11.00 

Lot  5,  block  13,  Levi  Hadley  18.00 

Lot  6,  block  13,  Samuel  Seward   20.00 

Lot  7,  block  13,  Levi  Hadley 9.OO 

Lot  4,  block  20,  Peter  Journey   16.25 

Lot  5,  block  20,  Peter  Journey  8.00 

Lot  8,  block  19,  Jeremiah  Rose  14.00 

Lot  7,  block  19,  Jeremiah  Kose   16.00 

Lot  6,  block  19,  Rufus  Brown 14.00 

Lot  5,  block  19,  H.  H.  Snow 18.00 

Lot  8,  block  18,  Asa  Tyrer 14.50 

Lot  7,  block  18,  Doctor  McMillen   14.25 

Lot  6,  block  18,  Levi  Hadley 12.50 

Lot  5,  block  18,  Levi  Hadley 14.50 

Lot  8,  block  17,  John  L.  Soule 10.00 

Lot  7,  block  17,  John  L.  Soule 10.00 

Lot  6,  block  17,  Daniel  Moore   5.50 

Lot  5,  block  17,  Rufus  Brown  5.00 

It  is  related  that  one  of  the  old  citizens  of  the  county  in  comment- 
ing years  afterward  upon  the  opportunities  presented  in  Quincy  to 
acquire  wealth  by  real  estate  investments,  made  the  remark,  "I 
remember  when  I  could  have  purchased  the  whole  of  the  lot  on  which 
the  Quincy  House  now  stands  for  a  pair  of  boots."  "Why,"  said  the 
person  whom  he  addressed,  "did  you  not  make  the  purchase?"  "For 
a  very  good  rea.soii,"  he  answered:  "it  was  a  ca.sh  offer,  and  T  hadn't 
the  boots." 

ViRST  Log  Courthouse 

After  the  election  of  otificcrs  and  the  platting  of  the  county  scat,  the 
most  pressing  matter  which  remained  unaccomplished  wa.s  to  provide 
permanent  headquarters  for  the  County  Government  and  a  home  for 
the  administration  of  justice  through  the  courts.  The  pioneer  citizens 
and  officials  of  Adams  County  would  not  have  put  it  thus  impressively ; 
they  would  have  said:  "Next,  we  had  to  have  a  courthoase."  Look- 
ing practically  toward  that  end,  on  Friday,  December  16,  1825,  the 
County  Commissioners'  Court  instructed  tho  sheriff  to  offer  to  the 
lowest  bidder  the  building  of  a  courthou.se  of  the  following  descrip- 
tion: "To  be  twenty-two  feet  long  and  eighteen  feet  wide  and  to 
be  built  of  hewn  logs  seven  inches  thick ;  to  be  laid  as  close  together 
as  they  are  in  IVIr.  Rose's  house,  with  stone  to  be  placed  under  the 
corners  and  the  middle  of  each  sill  not  less  than  eight  inches  high, 
and  to  be  two  stories  high,  the  lower  story  to  be  eight  feet  high  and 
the  upper  story  five  feet,  with  nine  joists  and  eight  sleepers;  the 


112 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


building  to  be  covered  with  oak  clapboards,  four  feet  long  and  laid 
close  together,  and  three  boards  thick,  to  be  completed  by  the  15th 
of  March,  1826."  The  structure  was  to  contain  a  door  and  eight  win- 
dows— four  of  twelve  lights  each  and  four  of  six  lights.  It  was  to 
have  a  double  flooring  of  planks,  each  one  and  a  quarter  inches,  laid 
on  hewn  puncheons.  The  center  of  the  upper  story  was  to  be  made 
of  sawed  planks,  boards  of  clapboards,  and  that  portion  of  the  court- 
house was  to  be  reached  by  two  flights  of  steps.  The  plans  called  for 
a  good  stone  chimney,  with  fireplaces  in  both  stories,  the  larger  one 
(31/2  feet  wide  at  the  back)  in  the  lower  story. 


First  Log  Courthouse 

The  work  of  placing  the  logs  was  let  to  John  Soule  for  $79 ;  who 
also  built  the  stairways.  Willard  Keyes  put  in  the  windows  and 
doors,  and  Levi  Hadley  built  the  chimney. 

The  first  courthouse  was  completed  according  to  contract,  and  dur- 
ing the  following  decade  was  used  not  only  for  the  purposes  planned, 
but  as  a  church,  schoolhouse  and  public  hall.  At  one  period  in  its 
history  court  sat  downstairs  and  the  upper  story  was  given  over  to 
carpentry  and  various  clerical  matters. 

Pioneer  County  Legislation 


About  the  time  the  log  courthouse  was  thrown  open  to  the  county 
at  large,  George  Logan,  the  first  permanent  lawyer  of  the  county, 
settled  at  Quincy  and  commenced  practice.  Through  the  records  of  the 
County  Commissioners  Court  other  pioneer  events  may  also  be  traced. 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  113 

In  1826  that  body  granted  the  first  hotel  license  at  tlie  county  scat 
to  Kut'us  Brown;  and  lie  could  not  do  business  until  he  had  paid  into 
the  country  treasury  the  sum  of  $1,  with  clerk's  fees,  and  had  his 
permit  stowed  away  in  his  jeans,  or  other  safe  place.  At  the  Marcii 
term  of  the  court  the  following  rates  for  hotel  feed  and  drink  were 
fixed  with  all  the  nonchalance  of  the  powers-that-be  in  1918:  For 
each  meal  of  vituals,  25  cents;  lodging  for  night,  121.4  cents;  one-half 
a  pint  of  whiskey,  12yo  cents;  half  a  pint  of  brandy,  STi/o  cents;  half 
a  pint  of  rum,  8%  cents;  half  a  pint  of  wine,  371/2  cents;  bottle  of 
wine,  $1.00;  bottle  of  gin,  18%  cents;  horse  feed  per  night,  fodder 
and  grain,  25  cent^;  single  horse  feed,  12iv.  cents. 

Brown  opened  his  cabin  hotel  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Maine, 
where  the  Newcomb  House  now  stands,  and  later  in  the  year  George 
W.  Ilight  opened  a  tavern  under  the  hill  on  Front  Street. 

One  of  the  first  rules  of  the  County  Commissioners  Court,  adopted 
September  4,  1826,  was  as  follows:  "That  this  court  alwaj-s  give 
their  opinioft  in  writing  on  any  case  of  controversy,  and  that  there 
shall  be  no  argument  after  the  decision  of  the  court  is  given.  The 
court  shall,  in  all  such  cases  of  controversy,  consult  together  privately 
or  otherwise,  as  a  majority  of  them  shall  think  proper ;  and  further, 
that  either  number  of  the  court  shall  have  the  privilege  of  entering 
his  protest,  as  a  matter  of  record,  to  any  opinion  given  by  a  majority 
of  his  court.    All  of  which  seemed  businesslike  and  fair." 

Burial  Ground  Reserved 

On  December  4th  of  that  year  the  south  half  of  what  is  now 
called  Jefferson  Square  and  which  is  the  present  site  of  the  courthouse, 
was  reserved  as  a  burial  ground  for  the  people  of  Adams  County, 
and  the  lot  on  Fifth  Street  immediately  north  was  set  aside  for  school 
purposes.  The  former  tract  was  used  as  a  cemetery  for  about  nine 
years,  when  the  ground  at  the  southeast  corner  of  ilaine  and  Twenty- 
fourth  streets  was  purchased  for  that  purpose,  and  no  internments 
were  afterward  made  in  Jefferson  Square.  Although  many  bodies 
were  moved  to  the  new  grounds,  some  of  the  graves  could  not  be 
identified  and  their  contents  were  left  undisturbed.  These  include 
several  of  the  pioneers,  whose  descendants  still  reside  in  the  city,  as 
well  as  a  number  of  travelers  passing  through  the  town  who  died  en 
route.  Governor  Hubbard,  the  second  governor  of  the  state,  was 
among  those  who  were  interred  in  the  old  cemeterj'  and  whose  grave 
could  not  be  identified. 

Through  the  north  half  ot  the  block,  which  was  set  aside  for  school 
purposes,  originally  ran  a  deep  ravine.  The  title  to  that  tract  was 
long  in  dispute  between  the  city  and  county,  but  finally  their  differ- 
ences were  settled,  the  ravine  was  filled  up,  the  entire  square  improved 
and  the  1876  courthouse  was  erected  thereon.  But  we  are  far  out- 
running the  chronologj'  of  the  story. 


114  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

First  Teacher  and  First  Preacher 

Hardly  had  the  little  log  courthouse  been  completed  in  the  spring 
of  1826,  before  the  few  families  at  Quincy  decided  to  open  a  school 
therein  for  the  benefit  of  their  children.  Finally,  somewhat  late  in 
1827  they  engaged  as  teacher  a  Presbyterian  clergyman,  from  Abing- 
ton,  Massachusetts,  who  had  journeyed  thus  far  West  in  hope  of 
strengthening  a  feeble  constitution.  He  was  a  graduate  of  a  New 
England  college,  and  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  culture  and  char- 
acter. When  his  class  had  been  completed  it  was  found  that  its  mem- 
bers were  of  all  ages,  some  of  the  older  scholars  being  young  men  and 
women  as  old  as  their  teacher.  The  Porter  School  soon  became  one 
of  Quincy 's  most  noted  institutions,  and  about  a  year  after  it  was 
opened,  in  1828,  its  head  commenced  the  first  regular  preaching  in 
town,  the  meeting  place  being  also  the  courthouse.  Mi'.  Porter  died 
about  1832,  and  was  long  remembered  for  his  talents  and  fine  Chris- 
tian character.  * 

Providing  for  Judge  Snow's  Expansion 

Although  the  County  Board  had  ordered  a  jail  built  as  early  as 
the  spring  of  1827,  it  was  not  completed  until  some  years  later;  and 
during  that  period  there  seems  to  have  been  more  need  of  a  church 
building  than  a  jail.  In  December  of  that  year  the  commissioners 
perceived  that  the  public  service  required  a  separate  clerk's  office,  as 
Judge  Henry  H.  Snow  was  at  that  time  holding  the  offices  of  probate 
judge,  recorder  and  county  and  circuit  clerk,  and  had  spread  himself 
and  his  official  belongings  all  over  the  second  story  of  the  courthouse. 
The  pressing  question  in  1S27  was  to  provide  for  the  expansion  of 
Judge  Snow. 

Woodlavfn  Cemetery 

Until  1836  there  had  been  no  other  public  burial  ground  than  the 
south  half  of  the  present  Jefferson  Square,  which  had  been  reserved 
for  this  purpose  when  the  town  was  platted  in  1825.  A  meeting  of 
citizens  was  called  on  June  26th  of  that  year  to  consider  the  estab- 
lishment of  another  cemetery,  which,  in  the  following  year,  resulted 
in  the  purchase  of  the  town  from  E.  B.  Kimball  of  about  8I/2  acres 
at  the  southeast  corner  of  Maine  and  Twenty-fourth  streets,  now  Mad- 
ison Park.  The  price  paid  was  $642.  There  had  probably  been  three 
hundred  or  more  burials  in  the  first  named  cemetery  up  to  the  time 
of  its  discontinuance,  and  most  of  them,  as  has  been  noted,  were  trans- 
ferred to  the  other  cemetei-y.  Many  of  these,  at  a  later  date,  were 
buried  in  Woodland  Cemetery. 

A.  F.  Hubbard's  Claim  to  Fame 

As  also  stated,  among  the  unidentified  graves  in  the  old  cemetery 
was  that  which  contained  the  remains  of  A.  F.  Hubbard,  lieutenant- 


QUINCy  AND  ADA3IS  COUNTY  115 

governor  of  Illinois  from  1822  to  1826 — "a  queer  charajcter,"  says 
the  late  Gen.  John  Tillson,  "wliose  tlaim  to  fame  lies  more  on  what 
he  was  not,  than  on  what  he  was,  and  who  by  this  accident  of  an  undis- 
covered grave  obtained  a  more  widely  published  notoriety  than  any- 
thing his  merits  of  public  service  could  have  secured.  His  residence 
here  was  brief,  and  his  public  career  marked  only  by  his  absurd  and 
futile  attempts  to  supplant  Governor  Coles  during  the  latter 's  tem- 
poraiy  absence  from  the  state.  He  sought  the  governorship  in  1826, 
but  failed.  The  following  slice  from  one  of  his  speeches  illustrates 
his  capacity  and  character:  'Fellow  citizens,  I  am  a  candidate  for 
governor.  I  don't  pretend  to  be  a  man  of  extraordinary  talents,  nor 
claim  to  be  equal  to  Julius  Caesar  or  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  and  I  ain't 
as  great  a  man  as  my  opponent,  Governor  Edwards.  Yet  I  think  1 
can  govern  you  pretty  well.  I  don"t  think  it  will  reijuire  a  very  extra 
smart  man  to  govern  you;  for  to  tell  the  truth,  fellow  citizens,  I  don't 
think  j-ou'll  be  hard  to  govern,  no  how.'  He  was  well  described  by 
Governor  Coles  as  a  'historic  oddity.'  A  well  enough  meaning  man, 
of  shallow  bearings,  but  inordinate  aspirations,  type  of  a  class  which 
we  today  see  still  survives.  ]\len  whom  the  shrewd  and  sarcastic  Judge 
Purple  used  to  speak  of  as  'fellows  who  forced  themselves  on  the 
public,  claiming  that  they  have  a  mission  to  fill,  which  they  most 
always  Fool-fill.' " 

TiiE  Ghost  Walks  Again 

The  ghost  of  the  opposition  to  Quincy  as  the  county  seat  first 
walked  in  the  year  1835  and  materialized  in  the  following  year.  The 
opposition  was  based  on  the  phantom  advantage  designated  by  the 
term  "geographical  center  of  the  county,"  which  had  slight  sub- 
stance while  the  country  was  quite  raw  and  roads  and  other  trans- 
portation facilities  were  negligible  considerations.  But  even  at  that 
time,  the  center  of  the  county's  population  was  nearer  Quincy  than 
the  geographical  center,  and  although  there  was  a  strong  sentiment  in 
favor  of  the  latter  theory,  it  was  overbalanced  by  those  who  really 
considered  the  question  from  the  standpoint  of  "the  greatest  good 
to  the  greatest  number."  Accordingly,  at  the  August  election  of  1835 
the  vote  throughout  the  county  stood:  For  Quincy,  618;  for  "com- 
missioners' .stake,"  492.  The  "commissioners'  .stake,"  while  purport- 
ing to  be  in  the  geographical  center  of  the  county  was  not  really  so. 
They  are  said  to  have  first  decided  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  section 
10,  range  1  south,  7  west,  which  location  is  now  in  Gilmer  Township. 
The  locality  was  quite  widely  advertised  as  Adara.sburg,  but  when 
the  commissioners  actually  arrived  on  the  ground  to  fix  the  stake, 
the  proprietors  of  the  proposed  seat  of  justice  had  left  the  state;  so 
the  former  i)lanted  their  stake  two  miles  and  a  half  further  east,  at 
or  near  the  subsequent  site  of  Columbus. 


The  Second  Adams  County  Courthouse 

Completed  iii  1838 ;  Burned  in  1875.  The  Building  Stood  Opposite 
Washington  Square  on  Fifth  Street.  Here  Douglas  Presided  as 
Circuit  Judge,  1841-43. 


QUINX'Y  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  117 

Courthouse  of  1835-75 

But,  as  stated,  the  people  of  the  couuty  deeidcd  that  thej-  were, 
on  the  whole,  satisfied  with  the  location  of  Quiucy  as  their  seat  of 
justice,  and  in  September,  1836,  the  County  Commissioners  Court 
invited  proposals  for  the  oonstruction  of  a  new  courthouse,  to  be 
built  of  "brick  of  the  best  quality  and  in  the  neatest  manner,  the 
carpenters'  and  joiners'  work  to  be -of  the  best  materials  and  finished 
in  the  most  fashionable  stylo."  It  was  completed  in  1838  and  occu- 
pied until  its  destruction  by  fire  in  1875.  Three  months  afterward  the 
old  log  courthouse  went  the  same  way. 

Dangers  of  Chronic  Office  Holding 

It  should  be  stated  that  at  the  general  election  of  August,  1836, 
Earl  Pierce  was  chosen  sheriff  of  the  county  for  the  sixth  time.  It  is 
said  that  he  suddenly  left  for  Texas  under  a  cloud ;  that,  though  natu- 
rally frank  and  good-hearted,  his  long  period  of  oflBce-holding  and  his 
free-and-easy  ways  got  the  better  of  his  honesty.  Pierce  had  been 
sheriff  since  1826  and  at  the  time  of  his  departure  was  also  brigadier 
general  of  the  State  Militia.  The  1836  election  also  placed  in  county 
offices  Thomas  C.  King  as  i-oroner  and  A.  W.  Shinu,  George  Taylor 
and  John  B.  Young,  as  county  commissioners. 

A  Jail  Thought  Expedient  and  Necessary 

The  year  following  the  (Completion  of  the  courthouse  official  steps 
were  taken  to  build  a  jail,  which  had  previously  progressed  no  further 
than  suggestions.  In  the  proceedings  of  the  County  Commissioners 
Court  of  June  6.  1839,  an  order  was  made  to  build  the  jail  which  stood 
in  the  rear  of  the  courthouse  on  Fifth  Street  and  was  burned  in  1873. 
Such  order  read:  "A\'hcreas,  there  is  no  jail  or  place  of  confinement 
for  criminals  in  the  County  of  Adams,  it  is  therefore  thought  expedi- 
ent and  neeessarj'  that  a  jail  should  be  built  in  said  County  of  Adams 
for  the  confinement  and  safekeeping  of  criminals.  It  is  therefore 
ordered  that  a  jail  be  built  in  the  Town  of  Quiney  on  the  east  part  of 
the  lot  on  which  the  courthouse  now  stands;  said  jail  to  be  built  with 
the  front  facing  to  the  south  and  to  range  with  the  .south  side  of  the 
courthouse ;  said  jail  to  be  built  after,  and  agreeable  to  a  draft  as 
now  on  file  in  the  clerk's  office. 

"Ordered,  that  the  sum  ^.t  one  thousand  dollars  be,  and  the  same 
is  hereby  appropriated  to  Joseph  T.  ITolmes  and  J.  0.  "Woodruff  or 
bearer,  for  the  purpose  of  commencing  and  carrying  on  the  building  of 
a  jail  in  Quiney.  The  above  sum  to  be  issued  in  orders  of  not  less 
than  fifty  dollars,  nor  more  than  five  hundred  dollars  each,  the  orders 
to  draw  twelve  per  cent  per  annum  interest  from  the  time  they  are 
taken  out  of  the  office  until  rcdocincd ;  said  orders  to  be  redeemed  in 
twelve  months  after  their  date." 


118  QriXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  Original  Election  Precincts 

During  the  June  meeting  of  1839  the  County  Commissioners  Court 
also  divided  the  county  into  ten  election  precincts:  The  Northeast 
Precinct,  for  which  elections  were  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  Zacheus 
Dean,  who,  with  Elliott  Combs  and  Jonathan  Browning,  was  appointed 
a  judge  thereof;  Clayton  Precinct,  with  Cj-rus  Cupen,  George  Mc- 
Murray  and  Shannon  Wallace  judges  of  election,  the  house  of  David 
M.  Campbell  to  be  the  polling  place;  Kingston  Precinct,  elections  to 
be  held  at  the  house  of  "William  Hendricks,  with  George  AV.  "Williams, 
Azariah  Maj^eld  and  Richard  Buffington  as  judges;  Liberty  Precinct, 
the  house  of  D.  P.  Meaeham  to  be  the  polling  place  and  John  "Wigle, 
"William  Hart  and  Jacob  Hunsaker,  judges;  Payson  Precinct,  with 
Thomas  Crocker,  Alexander  Furst  and  David  Collins,  judges,  and  the 
store  of  J.  C.  Bernard  the  polling  place;  Quincy  Precinct,  "the  old 
judges  to  sei've, "  and  no  mention  made  as  to  the  place  for  holding 
elections ;  Burton  Precinct,  for  which  the  house  of  M.  H.  Daniels  was 
named  as  the  polling  place  and  E.  M.  King,  John  Dotj-  and  John  G. 
Himpkrey  judges  of  elections ;  Columbus  Precinct,  elections  to  be  held 
in  the  schoolhouse  at  the  \^llage  of  Columbus,  with  M.  D.  McCann, 
John  Thomas  and  George  Smith,  judges  of  elections;  Houston  Pre- 
cinct, elections  for  which  were  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  H.  A.  Cyrus, 
with  David  Strickler,  John  "W.  McFarland  and  Richard  Seaton  judges, 
and  "Woodville  Precinct,  all  elections  to  be  held  at  the  village  by  that 
name  under  the  supen-ision  of  Benjamin  Robertson,  JIartin  Shurry 
and  Simeon  Curtis,  judges. 

Columbus  Fights  for  the  County  Seat 

In  March  of  that  year  (1839)  Columbus,  the  village  at  the  approx- 
imate center  of  the  county,  was  incorporated,  and  the  Advocate  started 
by  Frank  Higbee  as  an  avowed  champion  of  that  place  for  the  county 
seat  as  against  Quincy.  The  election  which  was  to  test  the  relative 
strength  of  the  candidates  was  held  August  2,  1841,  and  on  the  face 
of  the  returns  Columbus  won  by  a  vote  of  1,636  to  1,545.  A  com- 
mittee of  Quincy  citizens  was  at  once  appointed  to  contest  the  vote. 
It  consisted  of  Joel  Rice,  J.  H.  Luce,  Jolm  Wood  and  J.  T.  Holmes, 
and  Abraham  Wheat  and  Andrew  Johnston,  as  legal  counsel,  rep- 
resented them  in  the  proceedings  before  the  County  Commissioners 
Court.  The  first  petition  of  the  Quincy  Committee  was  presented  to 
William  Richards,  George  Smith  and  Eli  Seehorn,  the  county  com- 
missioners, on  September  7,  1841,  and  claimed  that  although  the 
apparent  majority  in  favor  of  Columbus  was  91,  in  reality  more  than 
100  illegal  votes  had  been  east  for  the  location  of  the  county  seat  at 
Columbus.  Messrs.  Richards  and  Seehorn  gave  it  as  their  opinion  that 
the  commissioners  had  the  legal  right  to  hear  the  contest ;  to  go  behind 
the  returns  and  judge  of  the  legality  of  the  votes  cast  in  the  election. 
Commissioner  Smith  dissented  from  their  opinion,  and  Willard  Graves 


QUIXCY  AND  ADA^klS  COUNTY  119 

and  others,  reprcsontiug  Columbus,  through  Neheuiiah  Bushuell,  their 
counsel,  formally  appealed  from  the  decision  of  the  majority  of  the 
County  Commissioners  Court.  The  appeal  was  granted  on  condition 
that  the  representative  of  the  Columbus  people  bond  himself  in  the 
sum  of  $100,  to  be  paid  provided  the  majority  opinion  should  be 
affirmed  by  the  higher  court. 

Judge  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  of  the  Circuit  Court,  ordered  the  re- 
moval of  the  official  records  from  Quincy  to  Columbus  in  the  month 
following  the  election,  but  Messrs.  Richards  and  Seehom  refused  to 
obey  liis  writ  of  inandainus.  Then,  in  ilarch,  he  issued  a  peremptory 
writ,  and  the  Quincy  people  appealed  to  the  State  Supreme  Court. 
It  was  argued  before  that  body  in  July  by  George  C.  Dixon  for  the 
commissionei-s  and  Archibald  Williams  for  the  Columbus  claimants, 
and  the  decision  was  ordered  deferi-ed  until  December. 

ilARQCETTE    AXD    HlGHL^lND    COUXTIES 

At  this  point,  we  again  fall  back  upon  General  Tillson's  annals. 
"Immediately  after  the  August  election  of  1842,"  he  says,  "the  con- 
test took  a  new  shape,  and  a  bombshell  was  thrown  into  the  Columbus 
camp  which  broke  its  unity  and  resulted  in  the  full  defeat  of  all  its 
aspirations.  At  a  meeting  held  in  Quincy  on  the  26th  of  October 
the  proposition  was  agreed  to  that  the  Legislature  should  be  asked 
to  divide  the  county  by  cutting  off  the  ten  townships  on  the  eastern 
side  of  Adams,  and  thereby  form  a  new  county.  Columbus  was  asked 
to  unite  with  this  movement,  but  refused.  In  fact.  Columbus  could 
not  safely  agree  to  it,  for  the  reason  that  the  town  lies  on  the  extreme 
western  edge  of  the  proposed  new  county — a  part  of  it  being  in  Gilmer 
Township — and  the  village  would  thus  be  cut  in  two.  The  same  ob- 
jection would  then  lie  against  Columbus  as  a  county  seat — 'away  at 
one  side  of  the  county ' — that  had  before  been  used  against  Quincy. 

"This  project  stirred  into  activity  everj-  local  interest  in  the  county 
and  proved  that  the  previous  movement  had  not  been  based  on  a 
preference  for  Columbus  merely,  but  for  a  county  center.  A  half 
score  of  plans  were  started  for  outlining  new  counties,  most  of  them 
not  favoring  a  division  of  the  county,  but  demanding,  if  a  division  of 
the  county  should  be  made,  that  it  should  be  so  outlined  as  to  make 
a  central  point  the  county  seat,  most  generally  ignoring  Columbus. 
Some  of  these  proposed  to  take  in  part  of  Hancock,  some  part  of 
Schuyler,  and  some  part  of  Brown  or  Pike:  and  all  seemed  to  have 
forgotten  about  Columbus.    The  end  was  not  difficult  to  foresee. 

"This  movement,  adroitly  originated  for  a  division  of  the  county, 
so  as  to  compromise  the  differences  between  eastern  and  western  sec- 
tions, practically  decided,  at  the  very  outset,  that  the  county  seat 
ultimately  would  remain  at  Quincy.  Time  had  been  gained,  and  the 
issue  transferred  itself  again  to  the  State  Legislature,  which  then 
convened  everj-  two  years  on  the  first  Monday  in  December. 

"As  carlv  as  the  19th  of  December,  at  the  session  of  1842-43, 


120  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Mr.  Wheat,  one  of  the  representatives  from  Adams  County,  intro- 
duced a  bill  for  the  division  of  tlie  county  based  upon  the  proposition 
which  had  been  made  and  adopted  at  tlie  meeting  at  Quiney  on  the 
26th  of  October.  Upon  this,  there  followed  a  flood  of  petitions  for 
and  remonstrances  against  the  proposed  action,  coming  from  all  parts 
of  the  county,  with  eveiy  variety  of  project,  proposition  and  sugges- 
tion. It  was  made  a  matter  of  long,  bitter  and  doubtful  discussion,  and 
came  to  a  final  determination  in  the  early  part  of  1843,  resulting  in 
a  nominal  division  of  the  county,  which  separation  stood  as  of  a  record 
which  was  never  practically  completed  throughout  the  following  five 
years. ' ' 

The  act  creating  Marquette  from  the  eastern  part  of  Adams  was 
approved  February  11,  1843,  and  provided  that  the  justices  of  the 
peace  within  the  limits  of  the  original  territory,  as  well  as  Daniel 
Harrison,  school  commissioner ;  George  Smith,  one  of  the  countj-  com- 
missioners, and  Jonas  Grubb,  coroner — all  of  whom  resided  in  old 
Adams  County — should  hold  over  as  officials  of  the  newly  erected 
county.  The  State  Supreme  Court  decided  in  a  test  case,  which  An- 
drew Redman  (who  had  been  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the 
Columbus  Precinct,  Marquette  County)  brought  against  Nicholas 
Wren,  clerk  of  Adams  County,  to  compel  the  latter  to  issue  Redman 
a  certificate  of  election — that  Marquette  Countj^  was  an  independent 
political  body  and  absolutely  separate  from  Adams.  That  was  the 
decision  of  Judge  Thomas,  the  successor  of  Judge  Douglas  to  the 
Circuit  Bench. 

But  though  elections  took  place  in  Marquette  County,  at  stated 
times  and  places,  no  officers  ever  qualified  and  it  paid  no  taxes  to  either 
state  or  county  for  the  term  of  five  years;  and  during  these  several 
years  of  contention  over  the  county  seat  and  Marquette  County,  Co- 
lumbus continued  actually  the  seat  of  justice. 

But  E.  H.  Buckley,  a  law;s-er  of  Columbus  and  one  of  its  strongest 
champions,  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1846  and  appeared  in 
his  seat  therein  when  the  session  opened  in  December.  He  prepared 
a  bill,  and  overcame  strong  opposition  to  it,  changing  the  name  of 
Marqiiette,  and  creating  from  its  old  territoiy,  with  the  addition  of 
a  small  portion  of  Gilmer  Township,  the  County  of  Highland.  His 
bill  became  a  law  in  February,  1847,  and  he  afterward  represented 
Highland  County  in  the  Legislature.  The  two  counties  were  reunited 
in  1846  under  the  good  old  name  of  Adams  County. 

Judicial  Reform  and  Slavery 

The  next  event  of  importance  to  vitally  affect  Adams  County  was 
the  promulgation  of  the  constitution  of  1848.  In  March  of  that  year 
the  instrument  which  had  been  framed  at  Springfield  in  the  summer 
of  1847  was  submitted  to  the  people  for  ratification.  The  features 
which  had  caused  the  most  discussion  were  those  in  regard  to  the 
elective  judiciary  of  the  Circuit  Bench  and  the  creation  of  a  sep- 


QUI.NX'Y  AXD  ADA-MS  fOUXTY  ]21 

arate  State  Supreme  Court;  barring  slaves  from  Illinois,  and  the  pro- 
posed tax  of  two  mills  on  the  dollar  to  be  applied  to  the  reduction 
of  the  public  debt.  lu  Adams  County,  out  of  a  total  of  2,241,  the 
majority  for  the  constitution  proper  was  923. 

Township  Organization  Adopted 

Under  the  constitution  of  1848,  Adams  was  one  of  the  first  coun- 
ties in  the  state  to  adopt  the  system  of  township  organization.  Under 
the  old  system  most  of  the  local  business  was  transacted  by  three 
commissioners  in  each  county,  who  constituted  a  County  Court 
which  held  quarterly  sessions.  During  the  period  ending  with  the 
constitutional  convention  of  1847,  a  large  portion  of  the  state  had 
been  settled  by  a  population  of  New  England  birth  or  character,  daily 
growing  more  and  more  compact  and  dissatisfied  with  the  compara- 
tively arbitrary  and  inefficient  county  system.  Under  the  stress  of 
this  feeling,  the  constitutional  provisions  of  1848,  and  the  law  of  1849 
extending  them,  were  enacted,  permitting  counties  to  adopt  town- 
ship organization.  Those  north  of  the  Illinois  River,  comprising  the 
bulk  of  the  New  England  population,  adopted  the  change  earlier  than 
those  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  state,  which  clung  more  tenaciously 
to  the  more  aristocratic  form  of  county  government  which  originated 
in  the  Old  Dominion. 

In  December,  1849,  Adams  County  effected  its  transformation 
from  the  old  county  system,  centering  in  the  Coimty  Commissioners 
Court,  to  the  plan  of  township  representation  as  embodied  in  the  Board 
of  Supervisors.  On  the  sixth  of  that  month,  the  court  appointed 
Thomas  Enlow,  Augustus  E.  Bowles  and  William  Berry-  as  commis- 
sioners to  divide  the  countj-  into  townships.  They  reported  on  the 
eighth  of  the  following  IMarch  (1850),  with  the  following  township 
divisions,  twenty  in  all : 

Clayton. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township,  1  north,  5  west. 

North  East. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township.  2  north,  5  west. 

Camp  Point. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township,  1  north,  6 
west. 

Houston. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Town.ship,  2  north,  6  west. 

Honey  Creek. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township,  1  north,  7 
•west. 

Keene. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township,  2  north,  7  west. 

Ursa. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township,  1  north,  8  west,  and 
of  fractional  township  1  north,  9  west,  and  all  that  portion  of  countrj* 
in  townships  2  north,  8  west  and  2  north,  9  west,  which  lies  south  of 
Bear  Creek. 

Lafa.vette. — All  that  portion  of  country  in  townships  2  north,  8 
west.  2  north,  9  west,  and  fractional  township  2  nortii,  10  west,  which 
lies  south  of  .said  Bear  Creek. 

Jackson. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township  1  south,  5  west, 
and  the  north  half  of  Congressional  Township  2  south.  5  west. 


122  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Beverly .^The  whole  of  Congressional  Township  3  south,  5  west, 
and  the  south  half  of  Congressional  Township  2  south,  5  west. 

Columbus. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township  1  south,  6  west. 

Liberty. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township  2  south,  6  west. 

Kichland. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township  3  south,  6  west. 

Dover. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township  1  south,  7  west. 

Burton. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township  2  south,  7  west. 

Payson. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township  3  south,  7  west. 

EUington. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township  1  south,  8  west, 
and  fractional  to\\^lship  1  south,  9  west,  except  that  portion  of  said 
fractional  township  included  in  the  corporate  limits  of  the  City  of 
Quiney. 

Melrose. — The  whole  of  Congressional  TowTiship  2  south,  8  west, 
and  fractional  township  2  south,  9  west,  except  that  portion  of  said 
fractional  township  included  within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  City 
of  Quiney. 

Benton. — The  whole  of  Congressional  Township  3  south,  8  west, 
and  fractional  township  3  ^outh,  9  west. 

Quiney. — The  whole  of  the  coi'porate  limits  of  the  City  of  Quiney. 

First  Board  of  Supervisors 

The  first  Board  of  Supervisors  of  Adams  County  met  in  the  old 
courthouse  on  June  3,  1850,  and  those  present  were  John  P.  Bobbins, 
John  M.  Ruddell,  Grason  Orr,  Baptist  Hardy,  Jabez  Lovejoy,  John  T. 
Battell,  Joseph  Kern,  Alexander  M.  Smith,  David  Wolf,  Willistou 
Stephens,  Solomon  Cusiek,  Thomas  Bailey,  William  H.  Tandy,  Robert 
G.  Kay,  Thomas  Crocker,  Stephen  F.  Safford  and  Edward  Sharp. 
Mr.  Tandy  was  chosen  chairman  and  the  following  changes  were  made 
in  the  names  of  townships :  From  Lafayette  to  Lima,  Benton  to  Fall 
Creek,  Dover  to  Gilmer,  Richland  to  Richfield,  and  Jackson  to  Con- 
cord. Various  tax  matters  were  settled;  the  paupers  of  the  county 
provided  for;  it  was  resolved  that  the  board  "grant  no  license  to  any 
one  to  sell  ardent  spirits  in  the  county,"  and  the  grand  and  petit 
jurors  were  named  for  the  October  term  of  the  Circuit  Court.  The 
report  of  the  county  treasurer  for  three  months  of  1850  indicates 
that  he  had  received  a  trifle  over  $2,744  from  all  sources  and  expended 
all  but  35  cents  of  it.  That  official  was  ordered  to  borrow  $1,500  to 
meet  expenses,  at  a  rate  of  interest  not  to  exceed  10  per  cent. 

The  Twenty  Polling  Precincts 

The  Board  of  Supervisors  at  its  next  meeting,  November  1,  1850, 
divided  the  county  into  twenty  precincts,  with  judges  and  polling 
places  as  follows: 

Quiney. — Polling  place,  courthouse,  with  Adam  Schmitt,  Lorenzo 
Bull  and  William  B.  Powers  judges  of  election  for  the  first  poll,  and 
J.  D.  Morgan,  Christopher  Dickhute  and  Robert  S.  Benneson,  judges 
of  the  second  poll. 


QUINCY  AND  ADA.MS  COUNTY  123 

Ellington.— Polling  place,  stone  house  known  as  the  "old  Jacobs 
place";  Samuel  Jameson,  A.  E.  Bowles  and  William  C.  Powell,  judges 
of  election. 

Ursa. — Polling  place,  the  Ui-sa  Schoolhouse;  judges  of  election, 
William  Loughlin,  Gabriel  Keath  and  Joel  Frazier. 

Lima. — Polling  place,  Beebc  House,  Village  of  Lima;  judges  of 
election,  E.  P.  Wade,  Henry  .Xulton  and  Thomas  Hillui-n. 

Honey  Creek. — Polling  place,  schoolhouse  on  section  16;  judges  of 
election,  John  A.  White,  John  Johnson  and  L.  A.  Weed. 

Keene. — Polling  place,  schoolhouse  on  section  16;  judges  of  elec- 
tion, William  H.  Robertson,  R.  L.  Thurman  and  James  Shannon. 

Houston. — Polling  place,  brick  schoolhouse  on  section  16;  judges  of 
election,  David  Strickler.  Samuel  Woods  and  John  Kern. 

Northeast. — Polling  place,  Franklin  Schoolhouse;  judges  of  elec- 
tion, Elliott  Combs,  E.  B.  Hoyl  and  William  Robins. 

Camp  Point. — Polling  place,  JIcFarland  Schoolhouse:  judges  of 
election,  John  Robertson,  Lewis  ilcFarland  and  William  Thompson. 
Clayton. — Polling  place,  postoflSce  in  Clayton  Village;  judges  of 
election,  Hiram  Boyle,  Thomas  Curry  and  James  C.  Carpenter. 

Concord. — Polling  place,  house  of  Elisha  Turner;  judges  of  elec- 
tion, John  Ansemuse,  David  Hobbs  and  Elisha  Turner. 

Columbus. — Polling  place,  red  schoolhouse  in  Village  of  Colum- 
bus; judges  of  election,  Francis  Turner,  James  Thomas  and  Geoi'ge 
Johnson. 

Gilmer. — Polling  place,  McNeil  Schoolhouse;  judges  of  election, 
Thomas  D.  Warren,  John  Lummis  and  John  I.  Gilmer.  Jr. 

Liberty. — Polling  place,  schoolhouse  in  Village  of  Liberty;  judges 
of  election,  Ira  Pierce,  Ebenezcr  Chaplin  and  Lewis  J.  Thompson. 

Beverly. — Polling  place,  house  of  Solomon  Perkins;  judges  of  elec- 
tion, Isaac  Perkins,  James  Sykes,  Jr.,  and  George  W.  Williams. 

Richfield. — Polling  place,  center  schoolhouse;  judges  of  election, 
James  Woods,  Henry  Farmer  and  Isaac  Cleveland. 

Burton. — Polling  place,  wagon  shop  of  llr.   Enlow;  judges  of 
election,  Samuel  G.  Blivens,  William  Richards  and  Joseph  Lcverctte. 
Payson. — Polling  place,  house  of  Benjamin  Hoar,  Village  of  Pay- 
son  ;  judges  of  election,  Thomas  J.  Shepherd,  William  Shinn  and  John 
0.  Bernard. 

Fall  Creek. — Polling  place,  center  schoolhouse;  judges  of  election, 
Silas  Beebe,  John  Bean  and  Joseph  Journey. 

Melrose. — Polling  jilace,  schoolhouse  near  Amos  Bancroft's;  judges 
of  election,  Xoah  Swain,  John  Wood  and  Amos  Bancroft. 

OfPICI.\L  ACCOMIIODATIONS  EXTENDED 

Several  years  after  the  county  had  thus  been  divided  into  town- 
ships and  organized,  civilly  and  politically,  under  the  township  .system, 
the  authorities  decided  to  do  something  toward  the  improvement  of 
the  official  accommodations.    To  be  more  exact,  in  1853  the  old  brick 


124  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

courthouse  ou  the  east  side  of  Washington  Square  was  extended  in 
the  rear,  and  by  an  arrangement  between  the  city  and  county,  the 
municipality  obtained  the  use  of  one  of  the  large  lower  rooms  for  a 
council  chamber  and  clerk's  office,  which  was  thus  occupied  during 
the  succeeding  fourteen  years. 

Fire  Forces  Building  of  New  Courthouse 

Agitation  over  the  question  of  a  presentable  courthouse  had  com- 
menced among  the  county  solons  and  citizens  in  general,  several  years 
before  the  structure  was  completed;  and  then  it  might  not  have  been 
finished  had  not  the  old  courthouse  been  rendered  useless  by  fire.  The 
matter  was  discussed  in  the  local  press  and  by  public-spirited  citizens 
some  time  in  1868  before  the  County  Board  took  official  cognizance  of 
it.  At  the  December  term  of  that  body  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  attend  the  Legislature  and  secure  authority  to  issue  bonds  and  take 
other  steps  to  build  a  new  courthouse  and  jail.  Its  members  were  Perry 
Alexander,  Silas  Bailey,  A.  "W.  Blakesly,  Benjamin  Bei'rian  and 
James  H.  Hendriekson.  The  object  of  their  visit  was  accomplished, 
but  in  Februarj',  1869,  the  Board  of  Supervisors  refused  to  approve 
the  bill  passed  by  the  Legislature. 

The  project  seemed  to  rest  most  quiescent  until  on  the  ninth  of 
January,  1875,  when  flames  licked  up  most  of  the  framework  of  the 
old  courthouse,  fortunately  t^paring  the  books  and  records  which  were 
moved  to  neighborhood  buildings.  The  jail,  at  the  rear  of  the  court- 
house, also  escaped,  although  some  of  the  sheriff's  boarders  were 
escorted  to  the  city  police  station  to  be  perfectly  safe  and  provided 
for  possible  contingencies. 

After  holding  several  meetings  the  County  Board  decided  to  pro- 
vide quarters  for  the  sherifi',  county  and  circuit  clerks  and  the  several 
courts  in  the  partially  destroyed  courthouse.  Portions  of  the  first 
floor  were  repaired  for  these  pui-poses,  and,  although  the  accommo- 
dations were  anj^thing  but  convenient  and  comfortable,  especially  in 
the  summer  months,  the  county  officials,  judges  and  the' public  made 
the  best  of  an  unavoidably  bad  situation.  While  the  repairs  were 
progressing,  the  county  and  circuit  clerks  had  their  offices  in  Dill's 
Block,  between  Sixth  and  Seventh  streets.  The  temporaiy  official 
quartei'S  were  occupied  until  the  new  courthouse  was  completed  in 
1877. 

CoATSBURG  Subsides 

Numerous  meetings  were  held  on  the  issue  for  or  against  removal 
of  the  count}^  seat,  which  was  to  be  decided  at  the  coming  election  in 
November.  Coatsburg  was  the  only  place  in  the  running  against 
Quiney,  and  its  claims  for  the  advisability  of  making  the  change  were 
its  more  central  location,  the  probable  saving  of  expense  if  the  new 
courthouse  should  be  built  at  that  point,  and  the  large  number  of 


QLIXLV  AND  ADAMS  fUUNTV  TJO 

voters  who  had  signed  the  petition  for  removal.  The  speakers  for 
Quiuey  were  largely  in  the  majority.  Such  as  Col.  William  A.  Rich- 
ardson, Hon.  A.  H.  Browning  and  lion.  J.  W.  Carter,  with  numerous 
lesser  lights,  pressed  home  their  points  for  Quincy,  while  John  Hen- 
drickson  held  the  fort  for  Coatsburg.  The  entire  vote  polled  was 
7,281,  and  the  majority  against  removal  was  4,172,  which  seemed 
to  lay  the  pretensions  of  Coatsburg  in  the  dust  as  far  as  the  county 
seat  was  concerned. 

Jefferson  Squ.x^re  Selected  as  Site 

Although  various  sites  were  offered  for  the  proposed  new  county 
buildings,  the  contest  finally  settled  down  to  a  rivalry  between  Jeffer- 
son Square  and  Washington  Park.  In  May  after  the  fire  the  County 
Board  received  a  communication  from  the  City  Council  offering  to 
deed  Jefferson  Square  to  the  county,  in  ease  an  agreement  could  be 
made  to  build  a  courthouse  thereon.  Later  the  County  Board  voted 
in  favor  of  Washington  Pai-k,  but  at  its  September  meeting  (1875) 
accepted  the  city's  proposition  and  declared,  by  seventeen  ayes  and 
fourteen  nays,  that  Jefferson  Square  was  preferable.  A  further  reso- 
lution was  adopted  requesting  the  City  Council  of  Quincy  to  prepare 
the  deeds  conveying  the  square  to  the  county  and  have  them  approved 
by  the  county  attorney  :  linally,  that  the  deeds  be  deposited  in  the  hands 
of  a  third  party,  and  in  the  event  of  the  removal  of  the  county  seat 
to  Coatsburg.  or  any  other  point  outside  the  City  of  Quincy,  the  papers 
mentioned  should  be  returned  to  the  party  making  the  same. 

In  the  meantime  V.  S.  Penfield  had  been  in  custody  of  the  papers 
conveying  the  citj-'s  interest  in  Jefferson  Square  to  the  county,  in 
case  the  seat  of  justice  remained  at  Quincy.  Now  it  was  perfectly 
safe  to  pass  them  over.  Therefore,  although  the  deed  to  the  north 
half  of  Jefferson  Square  was  executed  October  1,  1875.  by  Robert  S. 
Benneson,  president  of  the  Board  of  Education,  and  Albert  Demaree, 
clerk,  it  was  not  received  and  entered  of  record  on  the  count}'  clerk's 
books  until  at  the  special  December  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors in  tliat  year. 

Steps  ix  Buildixg  of  Present  Courthouse 

In  the  meantime  the  plan  of  John  S.  McKean  had  been  accepted 
out  of  three  submitted,  after  several  doubtful  points  regarding  the 
strengrth  of  the  main  supports  had  been  settled  by  Captain  Eads  in 
favor  of  the  architect.  A  majority  of  the  Building  Committee  of  the 
board  submitted  a  detailed  report  of  plans  and  specifications  in  Jan- 
uary, 1876,  and  further  recommended  the  construction  of  a  jail  in 
the  ba.sement  of  the  new  courthouse  at  a  cost  of  .$20,000.  which  would 
probably  bring  the  entire  cost  of  the  building  to  .$215,000  or  $220,000. 

Pending  the  consideration  of  this  report,  the  board  was  notified 
of  the  death  of  William  A.  Richardson,  one  of  the  supervisors. 


-<©f 


a 
o 

Eh 

fe 
O 

H 
cc 

O 

o 

a 

m 

a 


QUIXCY  AND  ADA.MS  COUNTY  127 

At  the  Febniary  meeting  in  1876  a  communication  was  received 
from  the  mayor  ol'  Quiney,  suggesting  the  Fourtli  of  July  as  an  appro- 
priate day  for  laying  the  corner-stone  of  the  new  courthouse.  The 
bond  of  Architect  IMcKean  for  $10,000  was  also  received  and  ap- 
proved. 

In  pursuance  of  an  order  issued  by  the  Board  of  Supervi.sors  and  a 
vote  of  popular  approval  at  the  fall  election  of  1876,  an  issue  of  $200,- 
000  eight  per  cent  bonds  was  autliorized  to  aid  in  the  building  of  the 
courthouse.  In  July  of  the  following  year  it  was  ordered  that  half  of 
that  amount,  which  had  been  printed  but  not  issued,  be  destroyed,  and 
that  a  new  issue  be  put  out — one-half  payable  in  March,  1881,  and 
one-half  in  March,  1882.  At  the  same  time,  Messrs.  Larkworthy  and 
Burge  tendered  to  the  use  of  the  board  the  use  of  the  courthouse  for 
that  session,  with  the  proviso,  on  the  part  of  that  body,  that  an  ac- 
ceptance of  such  offer  should  not  be  construed  as  an  acceptance  of  the 
building. 

On  the  ninth  of  July,  1877,  the  Board  of  Supervisors  held  its  first 
meeting  in  the  new  courthouse,  and  a  few  days  afterward  it  was  form- 
ally accepted  as  satisfactorj-  from  the  hands  of  its  builders.  The  cost 
of  its  construction  had  considerably  exceeded  the  original  estimates, 
amounting  to  nearly  $290,000;  and  yet,  in  resigning  as  chairman  of 
the  Board  of  Supei"\'isors,  several  months  after  the  courthouse  had 
been  occupied,  Ira  Tj-ler  wrote  to  his  co-workers  as  follows :  ' '  Fur 
the  last  two  years  your  duties  have  been  very  arduous  and  difficult. 
Witliin  that  period  you  have  constructed  a  courthouse  and  jail,  which 
is  one  of  the  most  substantial,  beautiful  and  economically  constructed 
liuildings  in  the  West,  and  at  so  small  a  cost  for  that  class  of  a 
building,  that  scarcely  a  tax-payer  in  the  county  is  dissatisfied.  So 
low  have  been  the  bids  that  it  is  believed  that  no  contractor  has  made 
a  fair  profit,  w^hile  some  have  lost  money." 

As  completed,  the  handsome  structure,  two  stories  and  basement, 
was  of  brick  faced  with  cut  .stone,  105  by  175  feet  in  dimensions.  A 
massive  and  ornate  dome  rose  above  the  slate  roof  to  a  height  of  ninety 
feet  and  at  the  four  extreme  angles  of  the  building  were  four  turreted 
towers.  The  style  of  exterior  architecture  may  be  called  an  adaptation 
of  the  Corinthiaif  order,  or  Renaissanoe.  In  each  of  the  four  fronts 
is  a  spacious  double  portico,  approached  by  a  wide  staircase  which  gives 
access  to  the  first  storj\  The  basement,  eleven  feet  in  height,  con- 
tained the  jail,  with  the  heating  apparatus  for  the  courthouse.  On 
the  first  floor  were  the  offices  of  the  county  and  circuit  clerks,  the 
county  treasurer,  sheriff,  recorder,  collector  and  surveyor.  The  sec- 
ond story  was  devoted  to  a  chamber  for  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  the 
County  Courtroom  and  the  Circuit  Court,  and  private  rooms  for  the 
judge  and  juries,  and  the  first  sitting  of  the  latter  body  was  held  Oc- 
tober 22.  1877. 

Since  the  completion  of  the  courthouse  in  1877,  many  changes  for 
the  better  have  been  made  in  its  interior  accommodations  and  arrange- 
ments to  meet  the  growing  demands  of  the  years  as  to  sanitation,  eon- 


128  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

venience  and  comfort.  The  county  superintendent  of  schools  has  his 
cfSces  in  the  second  story.  In  1878,  the  next  year  after  the  courthouse 
was  built,  the  pastors  of  Quincy  filed  an  objection  with  the  Board  of 
Supervisors  to  using  the  basement  as  a  county  jail,  and  every  exam- 
ination by  the  state  auditors  has  criticised  that  arrangement.  "How- 
ever," says  Judge  Lyman  McCarl,  in  one  of  his  historical  addresses, 
"the  basement  has  been  used  as  a  jail  from  the  time  of  its  construction, 
thirty-eight  years  ago  (delivered  in  1916),  and  during  all  that  time 
not  a  single  death  has  occurred  as  the  result  of  a  disease  contracted 
in  this  jail." 

All  the  interior  surroundings  of  the  courthouse  are  modern  and 
sanitary,  and  the  well-kept  grounds  without,  which  rise  gradually 
from  the  four  thoroughfares  bounding  the  square,  make  an  attractive 
and  imposing  setting  for  the  structure  which  is  stately  of  itself. 

Representatives  of  the  County 

Adams  County  has  had  many  able  representatives  both  in  the 
county  and  the  state  governments,  as  the  following  roster  will  show. 
In  the  earlier  years,  when  the  population  was  meager,  most  of  the 
able  citizens  of  the  county  were  drawn  into  public  affairs  of  more 
or  less  prominence,  but  with  the  increase  of  settlers  it  was  not  nec- 
essary to  call  upon  the  same  lot  continuously.  Judge  Henry  H.  Snow, 
Earl  Pierce,  Asa  Tyrer,  William  H.  Tandy  and  others,  who  had  almost 
a  monopoly  on  office-holding  for  many  years,  walked  from  the  scene 
and  their  successors  were  legion. 

County  Officers,  1825-69 

James  Black,  recorder July     8,  1825 

Levi  Headley,  sheriff August  30,  1825 

Asa  Tyrer,  coroner August  30,  1825 

Henry  H.  Snow,  judge  probate September  15,  1825 

Henry  H.  Snow,  judge  probate January  23,  1826 

Henry  H.  Snow,  recorder January  23,  1826 

Hugh  White,  surveyor. . ; .-January  23,  1826 

Earl  Pierce,  sheriff September     6,  1826 

Asa  Tyrer,  coroner September    6,  1826 

Heman  Wallace,  coroner September     6,  1828 

Earl  Pierce,  sheriff December     5,  1828 

Earl  Pierce,  sheriff November  27,  1830 

Thomas  Moon,  coroner November  27,  1830 

Earl  Pierce,  sheriff September    5,  1832 

William  P.  Reader,  coroner September     5,  1832 

H.  Patton,  surveyor April  28,  1834 

Harris  Patton,  surveyor , June     2,  1834 

J.  M.  Wliiting,  coroner August  22,  1834 

Earl  Pierce,  sheriff August  29,  1834 


QUINCV  AND  ADAM.S  lOLXTV  1^9 

Harris  Patton.  surveyor Dot-omlier  24,  1834 

C.  M.  Billiugton,  recorder August  22,  1835 

Harris  Patton,  surveyor August  22,  .1835 

Thomas  C.  King,  coroner August  24,  1836 

Earl  Pierce,  sheriff AugiLst  24,  .1836 

Wm.  G.  Flood,  probate  judge February  17,  1837 

Will.  II.  Tandy,  sheriff Xovoinljcr  29,  1837 

Wni.  II.  Tandy,  sheriff Augu.st  21,  1838 

Jas.  JI.  Hattan,  coroner Augu.st  23,  1838 

Jno.  II.  Ilolton,  recorder August  17,  1839 

Joel  G.  Williams,  surveyor August  17,  1839 

Thomas  Jasper,  sheriff August  12,  1840 

John  T.  Gilmer,  coroner August  12,  1840 

Jonas  Grubb,  coroner August  12,  1842 

"Wm.  H.  Tandy,  sheriff August  13.  1842 

John  H.  Ilolton,  recorder August  29,  1843 

Thos.  J.  Williams,  surveyor August  29,  1843 

James  il.  Pittman,  sheriff August  12,  1844 

L.   Frazt-r.  coroner Augu.st  16,  1844 

James  .M.  Pittman,  sheriff August  18,  1846 

Thaddeus  Monroe,  coroner August  18,  1846 

John  II.  Ilolton,  recorder August  19,  1847 

Washington  Wren,  sheriff August  16,  1848 

Thaddeus  Monroe,  coroner August  16,  1848 

Philo  A.  Goodwin,  county  judge .Xovember  17,  1849 

J.  C.  Bernard,  county  clerk Xovember  22,  1849 

Peter  Lott,  circuit  clerk September  4,  1848 

Abner  K.  TIninphrey,  sheriff Xovember  20,  1850 

Thaddeus   .Monroe,    coroner Xovember  20,  1850 

B.  I.  Chatten,  surveyor Xovember  22,  1851 

Levi  Palmer,  sheriff Xovember  20,  1852 

Thaddeus  Monroe,  coroner Xovember  20,  1852 

C.  M.  Woods,  circuit  clerk Xovember  20,  1S52 

G.  W.  Luch.  county  clerk Xovember  21,  1853 

W.   H.  Cather,  county  judge Xovember  20,  1853 

A.  Touzalin,    .school    commissioner February  21.  1854 

John  Field,  county  clerk April  11.  1854 

William    Lane   sheriff Xovember  15,  1854 

Thaddeus  Mojiroe,  coroner Xovember  15,  1854 

15.  I.  Chatten,  surveyor November  15.  185.") 

John  P.  Cadogan,  sheriff November  12,  1856 

Thaddeus  Monroe,  coroner November  12.  1856 

Thomas  W.  Macfall,  circuit  clerk November  14,  1856 

Wm.  II.  Cather.  county  judge Xovember  21,  1857 

Alex.  Johnson,  county  clerk Xovember  21,  1857 

B.  I.  Chatten.  county  surveyor Xovember  21,  1857 

Wilson  Lance,  treasurer November     3.  1857 

A.sa  W.  Blake.sly,  .school  eommi.ssioner Xovember    3.  1857 

Vol.  I— » 


130  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

J.  H.  HendricksoD,  sheriff November  10,  1858 

Thaddeus   Monroe,    coroner November  10,  1858 

N.  T.  Lane,  school  commissioner 1859 

Eli  Seehorn,  county  treasurer 1859 

B.  I.  Chatten  county  surveyor 1859 

Wm.  M.  Avis,  school  commissioner December  25,  1860 

Maurice  Kelly,  sheriff November  26,  1860 

W.  S.  M.  Anderson,  circuit  clerk November  26,  1860 

James  Wimean,  coroner November  26,  1860 

E.  B.  Baker,  county  judge November  18,  1861 

Alex.  Johnson,  county  clerk November  18,  1861 

Peter  Smith,  county  surveyor November  18,  1861 

John  Steinagel,  sheriff November  28,  1862 

Geo.  D.  Watson,  coroner November  28,  1862 

F.  G.  Johnson,  county  treasurer November  13,  1863 

Peter  Smith,  county  surveyor November  13,  1863 

H.  S.  Davis,  school  commissioner 1863 

Samuel  T.  Brooks,  circuit  clerk November  28,  1864 

"Wm.  L.  Humphrey,  sheriff November  28,  1864 

Geo.  D.  Watson,  coroner November  28,  1864 

Chas.  H.  Morton,  county  clerk November  15,  1865 

Thos.  J.  Mitchell,  county  judge .November  22,  1865 

Seth  W.  Grammer,  superintendent  of  schools November  22,  1865 

Chas.  Petrie,  county  surveyor November  25,  1865 

Thos.  W.  Gaines,  county  treasurer November  25,  1865 

Henry  C.  Craig,  sheriff November  25,  1866 

John  W.  jMorehcad,  circuit  clerk November  26,  1866 

Alex.  Brown,  coroner November  28,  1866 

Peter   Smith,   surveyor November  28,  1867 

Joseph  Lummis,   treasurer November  22,  1867 

J.  M.  Earel,  sheriff November  17,  1868 

John  W.  Morehead,  circuit  clerk November  19,  1868 

Alex.  Brown,  coroner November  30,  1868 

Thos.  J.  Mitchell,  county  judge November  (2)   23,  1869 

Chas.  H.  Morton,  county  clerk November  (2)   10,  1869 

N.  Morehead.  circuit  clerk 

Wm.  Fletcher,  treasurer November  (2)  30,  1869 

B.  I.  Chatten,  surveyor November  (2)   18,  1869 

Jno.  H.  Black,  superintendent  of  schools November  (2)   29,  1869 

The  Decade,  1870-79 

1870 — Napoleon  ilorehead,  circuit  clerk:  John  M.  Kreitz,  sheriff; 
Alexander  Brown,  coroner. 

1871 — Edwin  Cleveland,  treasurer ;  Philip  Fahs,  surveyor. 

1872 — ^W.  G.  Ewing,  state's  attorney;  George  Brophy,  circuit 
clerk;  G.  C.  Trotter,  sheriff;  Alexander  Brown,  coroner. 

1873 — J.  C.  Thompson,  county  judge;  Willis  Hazelwood,  county 
clerk. 


QllXCY  AND  A  DA. MS  colXTY  131 

1^7-1 — George  W.  Craifr.  .sheriff:  Alex.  Brown,  coroner. 

1875 — S.  G.  Earel,  trea.surer;  8eth.  J.  Morey,  surveyor. 

1876— William  H.  Govert,  state's  attorney;  George  Brophy,  cir- 
•  iiit  clerk:  John  8.  Pollotk,  sheriff;  Elihu  Seehorn,  coroner;  Philip 
Fahs,  surveyor. 

1877— Benjamin  F.  Berrian,  county  judge:  Willis  Ilazelwood, 
county  clerk ;  Anton  Binkert,  treasurer;  John  II.  Black,  superintendent 
of  schools. 

1878— Edwin  Cleveland,  county  treasurer ;  John  H.  Black,  super- 
intendent of  .schools. 

1879 — Henry  Ording,  sheriff;  Elihu  Scchorii,  coroner. 

Covering  1882-1918 

County  Treasurers— 1882,  John  8.  Cruttenden ;  1886.  John  B. 
Kreitz;  1890.  James  B.  Corrigau;  1894,  George  :\rcAdams;  1898,  James 
-McKinnay;  1902.  Frank  Sonnet;  1906,  HIatcliford  A.  McCoy;  1910, 
Joseph  L.  Thomas;  1914-18,  E.  W.  Peter. 

Surveyors— 1880,  Peter  Smith  ;  1885,  John  R.  Xevins:  1888,  Fergu- 
son A.  Grover;  1896,  Edward  C.  Wells;  1900,  F.  L.  Hancock;  1904 
W.  H.  UeGroot:  1912-15,  Lilburn  Richard.son  (deputy  under  ;\Ir.  De- 
Groot,  died  in  June,  1915,  v,  hile  in  office)  ;  II.  D.  Mueller  appointed 
to  fill  out  unexpired  term  in  1915.  and  elected  in  1916  (still  in  office). 

Coroners— 1888,  Tchabod  H.  .Miller;  1892,  Michael  Ryan;  1896, 
William  K.  Ilasclwood :  1900.  Benjamin  B.  Lummis ;  1904.  W.  R. 
Thomas;  1908,  Michael  J.  Ilealey;  1916,  Lawrence  Amen. 

State's  Attorneys— 1884.  Oscar  P.  Bonney:  1890.  Carl  E.  Epler, 
filled  out  Bonney 's  term;  1892,  Albert  Akers;  1896,  George  H.  Wil- 
son; 1900,  Clay  Crewdson ;  1904,  William  B.  Sheets;  190S.  John  T. 
Gilmer:  1912,  Fred  G.  Wolfe:  1916.  J.  LcRoy  Adair. 

Circuit  Clerks— 1896,  Joseph  L.  Sheridan;  1900.  Hiram  R.  Wheat: 
1904,  Sanford  C.  Pitney ;  1908.  Erde  W.  Beatty  (still  in  office^.  George 
Brophy  served  as  circuit  clerk  from  1876  to  1896. 

County  Clerks — 1897,  Jackson  R.  Pierce;  1910,  John  A.  Connery; 
1914,  W.  J.  Smith  (in  office).  Willis  Ilasclwood  was  county  clerk 
from  1877  to  1897. 

County  Judges— 1894,  Carl  E.  Epler;  1902,  Charles  B.  McCrory; 
Judge  McCrory  resigned  in  the  spring  of  1910  and,  under  appointment 
from  the  governor.  J.  Frank  (iarner  served  until  December  of  that 
year;  Lj-man  JleCarl,  since  that  month. 

Circuit  Judges— 1879,  John  II.  Williams;  1885,  William  Marsh; 
1891,  Oscar  P.  Bonney;  1897.  John  C.  l?roady ;  190:i.  Albert  Akers 
(still  on  the  bench).  Judge  Joseph  Sibley  was  on  the  circuit  Vnch 
from  18.55  to  1879. 

Sheriffs— 1880,  R.  M.  Gray:  1882,  Ben  Heckle;  1886.  Richard  Sea- 
ton;  1890,  J.  W.  Vancil;  1894.  Adolph  F.  Roth;  1898,  John  Roth; 
1902,  Ed  Smith;  1906.  Bennett  W.  Thomas:  1910,  Joseph  If.  Lipps; 
1914,  John  Coens  (in  office). 


132  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Recorders— 1892,  Ben.  Heckle;  1896,  Rolla  McNeall;  1900,  Ben. 
Heckle;  1904,  David  P.  Lawless;  1908,  James  M.  Buffington  (iu 
office). 

Legislative  Representatives 

(Unless  otherwise  stated  from  Adams  County) 

State  Senators— Elected  in  1818,  George  Caldwell,  of  Madison 
Coimty ;  1822,  Theophilus  W.  Smitli,  of  Madison ;  1826,  Thomas  Car- 
lin,  of  Greene ;  1828,  Henry  J.  Ross,  Pike ;  1832,  Archibald  Williams ; 
1836.  0.  H.  Browning;  1840,  James  H.  Ralston;  1844,  Jacob  Smith: 
1848,  Hugh  L.  Sutphen,  Pike;  1850,  John  Woods;  1853,  Solomon 
Parsons.  Pike ;  1854,  William  H.  Carlin ;  1858,  Austin  Brooks ;  1862, 
B.  T.  Schofield,  Hancock;  1S66,  Samuel  R.  Chittenden;  1870,  J.  N. 
Richardson ;  1870,  Jesse  Williams,  Hancock ;  1872,  George  W.  Burns ; 
1873,  Maurice  Kelly;  1874,  Bernard  Arntzen;  1878-85,  JIaurice 
Kelly  (resigned  August  5,  1885)  ;  1886-90,  George  W.  Dean;  1890-97, 
Albert  W.  Wells  (died  and  succeeded  by  John  Mc Adams)  :  1897-1902. 
John  McAdams ;  1902,  Thomas  Meehan,  Scott ;  1904,  Thomas  Bare,  Cal- 
houn ;  1908,  Campbell  S.  Hearne,  who  died  in  1914  and  was  succeeded 
bj'  the  present  encumbent,  Chas.  R.  McNay. 

Representatives — 1818.  Abraham  Prickett,  Madison  County ;  1818, 
Samuel  Whitesides,  Monroe ;  1818,  John  Howard ;  1820,  Nathaniel 
Buckmaster,  Madison ;  1820,  William  Otwell ;  1820,  Joseph  Bronaugh  ; 
1822,  X.  Hansom,  Pike  (ejected)  ;  1826,  Henry  J.  Ross,  Pike;  1826, 
Levi  J.  Roberts;  1828,  John  Turney,  Peoria;  1828,  John  Allen,  Joe 
Daviess:  1828,  A.  W.  Caverly,  Greene;  1830,  Joel  Wright,  Fulton: 
1830,  Samuel  C.  Pearce,  Calhoun;  1830,  Charles  Gregory:  1832,  Wil- 
liam G.  Flood;  1832,  Philip  W.  Martin;  1834,  William  Ro.ss,  Pike; 
1834,  Thomas  H.  Owen;  1836,  George  Galbraith ;  1836,  James  H. 
Ralston;  1837.  Archibald  Williams;  1838,  A.  Williams;  1838,  William 
G.  Flood ;  1840,  Robert  Star ;  1840,  William  Laughlin ;  1842,  John  G. 
Humphrey;  1842,  0.  H.  Browning;  1842,  A.  Jonas:  1842,  R.  W.  Star: 
1842,  P.  B.  Garrett;  1842,  A.  Wheat:  1844,  Peter  Lott;  1844,  William 
Hendrix;  1844,  William  Miller;  1846,  I.  N.  Morris;  1846,  William 
Hendrix:  1846.  James  H.  Seehorn;  1846,  E.  H.  Buckley.  :\Iarr|nette 
(then  attached  to  Adams)  ;  1848,  0.  C.  Skinner;  1848,  John  ilarriott: 
1850,  J.  R.  Hobbs ;  1850,  J.  M.  Pittman ;  1851,  J.  W.  Singleton,  Brown ; 
1852.  John  Moses,  Brown;  1852,  J.  Wolf;  1853.  J.  W.  Singleton. 
Brown ;  1853,  H.  Boyle ;  1854,  Eli  Seehorn :  1854,  H.  V.  Sullivan ;  1856, 
Samuel  Holmes;  1856-58,  M.  M.  Bane:  1858,  W.  Metcalf ;  1860,  J.  W. 
Singleton.  Browai ;  1860,  "\V.  C.  Harrington;  1862.  A.  E.  Wheat;  1862. 
William  Brown ;  1864,  Thomas  Redmond ;  1864,  William  T.  Yeargain ; 
1866,  Henry  L.  Warren;  1866,  P.  G.  Corkins;  1868.  Thomas  Jasper; 
1868,  John  E.  Downing:  1870,  George  J.  Richardson:  1870,  H.  S. 
Trimble:  1870,  Maurice  Kelly;  1872,  Ira  M.  Moore:  1872,  Charles 
Ballon;  1872,  N.  Bushnell:  1873,  John  Tillson ;  1873.  A.  G.  Griffith: 


uriN(  V   AND  ADA.MS  ((ilXTY 


133 


1874,  Ira  M.  Moore;  1874,  R.  H.  Downing;  1874,  J.  C.  Bates;  1876, 
H.  S.  Davis;  1876,  J.  II.  Hendriukson ;  1876,  Thoma.s  G.  IMack;  1878, 
Alisaloin  Saiiuiols;  1878,  Joseph  \.  Carter;  1878,  Samuel  Miloliaiii; 
1880,  Joseph  X.  Carter;  1880,  John  MeAdams;  1880,  William  A.  Rieh- 
ardson;  1882,  Thomas  G.  Bhuk:  1882.  James  E.  Purnell;  1882.  James 

E.  Downing':  1884,  Fred  1".  Taylor;  1SS4.  Sainiiel  Mileliam ;  1S84- 
88,  William  H.  Collin.s;  1886-90,  Albert  W.  Wells;  1886-90,  Ira  Tyler; 
1888,  A.  S.  McDowell:  1890,  Jonathan  Parklun-st ;  1890-94.  George  C. 
MeCroiie ;  1892,  :Mitcliell  Dazey ;  1892.  Joel  W.  Bonney ;  1894-8,  fharles 

F.  Kincheloe;  1894-1900,  Elmer  E.  Perry,  Brown  County:  1894, 
George  W.  Dean;  1896,  George  W.  :Montg(miery ;  1898-1904.  William 
Schlagcnhauf;  1898-1904,  Jacob  Groves;  1900,  John  :\I.  Murphy, 
Brown  County ;  1902-06,  Irvin  D.  Webster,  Pike  County ;  1904,  Camp- 
bell S.  Ilearn:  1904,  R.  B.  Echols;  1906-10.  Chas.  E.  Bolin.  Pike; 
1906,  Chauncey  II.  Castle;  1906,  Campbell  8.  Hearn;  1908,  Jacob 
Groves;  1908-14,  George  II,  Wilson;  1910-14.  Win.  II.  Hoffman; 
1912-16,  E.  T,  Strubinger,  Pike;  1916.  R.  ^].  Wagner. 

RuR.\L  Lands  .\nd  Crrv  Properties 

With  the  progress  of  agricultural  methods  and  the  contiiuious  im- 
provement of  farming  properties,  the  value  of  the  rural  lands  has  long 
since  overtaken  that  of  city  properties  (generally  designated  in  the 
a.ssessors"  reports  as  "lots"),  the  figures  of  1917  being  given  as 
follows : 


Personal  Total  As.ses.sed 


Townships  Lands 

Clayton $  464,355 

North  East 462,820 

Camp  Point  886,805 

Houston    420,305 

Honey  Creek 333,210 

Keene    243,445 

Mendon  424,790 

Lima    320,530 

Ursa    525,305 

Concord    23fl.240 

McKee    104  215 

Beverly    258,825 

Columbns   220,125 

Liberty    225,965 

Richfield  254,670 

Gilmer    ^ 391.020 

Burton    334.205 

Payson    439,452 

Ellington    611.600 

Melrose  744,975 


Lots 

Property 

Value 

.$  69,580 

$  167,317 

.$   701,252 

98,715 

220,822 

782,357 

134,490 

140,485 

661,780 

94,115 

514,420 

29,020 

101,265 

463,495 

36,030 

106.555 

386,030 

94,890 

235,762 

755,442 

17,550 

91,740 

429,820 

30,870 

209,015 

766,190 

.52,090 

291,330 

1,825 

4;5,330 

151,370 

7,172 

87,000 

352,997 

6,!»35 

46.414 

273.474 

26,840 

115.61.-. 

368.420 

77.245 

331,915 

13.815 

101.190 

506.025 

5.940 

95.275 

435,420 

55,720 

200,480 

695,652 

800 

191,645 

807,045 

.344,175 

1,089,150 

134 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


Townships  Lauds 

Fall  Creek  $    428,690 

Riverside    333,590 

Quincy    


Lots 
$     6,455 

17,190 
7,590,595 


Personal  Total  Assessed 

Property  Value 

$    418,550     $      853,685 

67,891  418,671 

3,059,528       10,650,123 


Total  in  county....  $8,172,137     $653,827     $3,209,976     $12,035,940 


Total  in  city  and 
county    


$8,244,422     $6,269,504    $22,686,063 


As  an  offset  to  these  figures  may  be  presented  the  assessed  value 
of  real  and  personal  property  within  the  county  in  1878,  or  forty  years 
previous.  The  tax  returns  for  that  year  indicated  that  the  total 
assessed  value  of  all  lands  (farms),  amounting  to  528,005  acres,  was 
$9,205,718 ;  of  which  area  383,008  acres  comprised  improved  land^. 
The  town  and  city  lots,  amounting  to  10,163  acres,  were  assessed  at 
$6,531,297.  The  per.sonal  property  was  valued  at  $3,538,176 ;  railroad 
property,  $159,182;  land,  both  improved  and  unimproved,  $9,205,718, 
as  stated,  and  town  and  city  property,  $6,531,297.  The  total  value  of 
all  taxable  property  was  therefore  $19,434,373. 

Population  1890,  1900,  1910 

Probably  for  the  past  twenty  years  there  has  been  little  change 
in  the  average  assessed  value  of  i-eal  estate  throughout  the  county, 
since  the  tendency  of  the  population,  as  in  most  of  the  smaller  counties 
in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  has  been  downward.  The  only  increase  in 
population  noted  from  the  figures  of  1900  was  in  the  City  of  Quincj' 
and  the  Village  of  Loraine.    The  tables  are  presented  herewith : 

Civil  Divisions                                                      1910  1900  1890 

64,588  67,058  61,888 

Beverly  Township 890  1,051  982 

Burton  Township   779  1,007  1,174 

Camp    Point    Township     (including    Camp 

Point  Village) 1,845  2,126  2,003 

Camp  Point  Village    1,148  1,260  1,150 

Clayton  Township    1,682  1,822  1,912 

Clayton  Village 940  996  1,033 

Columbus    Township     (including    part    of 

Columbus  Village)    792  951  1,000 

Columbus  Village   (part  of) 104  136  149 

Total  of  Columbus  Village  in  Columbus  and 

Gilmer  townships  134  196  201 

Concord  Township   749  907  1,059 

Ellington   Township    1,200  1,278  1,233 

Fall   Creek  Township 876  983  884 


QL'INCV  AM)  ADAMS  COLXTY  135 

Civil   Divisions  1910  1900  1890 

64,588      67,058      61,888 
Gilmer  Township  (includiug  part  of  Colum- 
bus Village)  916         1,066         1,126 

Columbus  Village  (part  of) 30  GO  52 

Honey   Creek   Township    (ineluding   Coats- 
burg  Village) 1,144         1,259         1,287 

Coatsburg  Village    262  321  308 

Houston  Township 758  822  981 

Keene   Township    (including  Loraine    Vil- 
lage)       1,106         1,168        1,280 

Loraine   Village    417  349  327 

Liberty  Township 

Lima   Township    (including  Lima   Village)   1,282         1,554         1,404 

Lima  Village  797  280  251 

McKee  Township   869         1,059         1,065 

Melrose    Township    (exclusive    of    part    of 

Quincy  City)    1.915        2,117         2,077 

Jlendon  Township    (including  Mendon  ^'il- 

lage)    1,332         1,361         1,489 

Jfendon  Village   640  627  640 

North  East  Townshiji  (including  (!olden  and 

LaPrairie  villages)    1,523         1,511         1,488 

Golden  Village   579  516  466 

LaPrairie  Village 187  182  194 

Payson    Township    (including    Payson    and 

Plainv-ille  villages)    1,508         1,697         1,819 

Payson  Village   467  465 

Plainville    Village    251  296 

Quincy  City  in  Melrose  and  Riverside  town- 
ships     36,587      36,252      31,494 

Ward  1 5.276 

Ward  2 5.036 

Ward  3 5.231 

Ward  4 6.507 

Ward  5 6,767 

Ward  6 4.992 

Ward  7 2.778 

Richfield  Township 897         1.010        1,114 

Riverside   Township    (exclusive  of  part   of 

Quincy  City)   3,546        3,432        2,168 

Ursa  Township  1,381        1,486        1,614 

The  total  taxes  levied  in  the  county  for  1917  amounted  to  the  fol- 
lowing: School  tax,  $391,796.32;  state  tax,  $211,633.55;  county, 
$155,408.79;  high  school,  .$2,364.68;  town.  $11,765.30;  road  and  bridge. 
$75,967.62;  corporation.  .$229..346.97 ;  bond  interest  tax  and  sinking 


136  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

fund,   $14,447.08 ;  uou-high  school,  $14,759 ;  permaueut  road   fund, 
$1,259.87;  back  tax,  $43.90;  total,  $1,108,793.91. 

Adams  County  Home 

Adams  County  was  no  exception  to  the  general  rule  set  forth  in 
Holy  Writ  as  a  universal  fact,  not  to  be  gainsaid — ' '  The  poor  ye  have 
always  with  ye."  As  the  world  has  also  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
poverty  is  no  sin,  and  often  not  even  a  fault,  individuals,  govern- 
ments and  institutions  endeavor  to  keep  in  the  background  of  the 
lives  of  those  who  are  public  charges  all  suggestions  that  they  are  in 
any  way  disgraced.  Such  a  policy  both  lightens  an  existence  which 
is  apt  to  be  monotonous,  if  not  weary,  and  also  tends  to  stimulate 
ambition  and  permanent  reformation  of  character.  Therefore  old-time 
terms;  savoring  of  harshness,  if  not  contempt,  such  as  Poor  House, 
Alms  House  and  Poor  Farm,  have  been  largely  eliminated  from  the 
phraseology  of  such  county  institutions  in  favor  of  County  Home, 
County  Infirmary,  etc. 

At  first  the  deserving  poor  in  Adams  County  were  relieved  by 
benevolent  settlers  in  the  localities  of  their  residence.  But  the  great 
objection  to  this  plan  was  that  those  to  whom  assistance  was  thus 
extended  became  objects  of  charity,  and,  even  when  capable  of  work- 
ing, employment  for  them  was  not  often  at  hand.  In  1847,  there- 
fore, the  County  Commissioners'  Court  decided  to  purchase  a  farm 
upon  which  the  able-bodied  could  be  employed,  and  many  varieties  of 
light  work  found  for  both  sexes.  For  that  purpose  the  eighty-acre 
farm  of  H.  T.  Ellis  was  purchased  near  the  center  of  Honey  Creek 
Townsliip ;  the  transfer  was  made  March  16,  1847,  the  consideration 
for  which  was  $700.  At  the  time  of  the  purchase  the  land  was  in  a 
fair  state  of  cultivation,  and  upon  the  premises  were  a  two-story  frame 
house,  a  barn,  blacksmith  shop  and  other  out-houses.  The  poor  for 
whom  the  county  were  then  caring  were  moved  to  that  property  and 
sustained  there  until  May,  1855.  In  the  meantime  township  organiza- 
tion had  gone  into  effect  under  the  new  constitution  and  other  arrange- 
ments were  being  considered.  At  a  session  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors held  in  January,  1856,  a  committee  consisting  of  William 
Laughlin,  A.  H.  Dean  and  Baptist  Hardy,  was  appointed  by  that  body 
to  select  a  larger  farm  and  arrange  to  erect  more  suitable  buildings 
for  the  care  of  the  county's  charges.  In  June  of  that  year  they  re- 
ported that  they  had  purchased  of  John  P.  Battell  the  160  acres  com- 
prising the  northeast  quarter  of  section  II,  Gilmer  Township,  for 
$5,000.  The  committee  also  reported  at  the  same  meeting  the  pur- 
chase of  50,000  brick  and  other  material  with  which  to  erect  buildings 
thereon.  During  the  following  year  (1857)  the  farm  was  rented  and 
the  former  inmates  were  supported  at  a  specified  price  per  week  per 
capita ;  but  when  the  buildings  were  completed  in  1858  they  were 
moved  to  the  County  Farm,  where  they  were  afterward  maintained. 

In  1874  the  City  of  Quincy  adopted  township  organization,  and  the 


(^riNlV  AND  ADAMS  COUXTY  l:i7 

poor  of  tlie  niimicipality.  wliu  had  previmisly  liceii  careil  for  by  a  com- 
mittee eoinprisiiig:  one  alderman  from  each  ward  aud  an  overseer, 
were  transferred  to  the  county  institution.  This  additional  burden 
rendered  its  accommodations  inailc<|uatc.  and,  as  a  tcmjiorary  ex- 
pedient, the  County  Board  arranged  for  their  care  with  the  Charitable 
Aid  and  Hospital  Association  of  Quiney.  The  agreement  extended 
from  July,  1S74,  to  April  30,  1876.  and  duriufr  the  last  year  of  that 
arrangement  there  were  upon  the  books  of  the  association  an  average 
of  314  persons  monthly,  representing  226  families,  who  received  relief. 

In  December.  187'),  a  new  building  three  stories  high.  32  by  43 
feet,  had  been  completed  on  the  I'ounty  Farm  at  a  cost  of  about 
$8,000.  The  steam  heating  system  and  other  modern  appliances  to 
conserve  the  health  and  comfort  of  the  inmates  probably  added  some 
$2,000  to  that  amount,  ilore  than  twenty  years  afterward,  in  1897, 
becau.se  of  the  great  increase  of  insane  patients,  another  building  for 
their  special  care  was  erected.  Its  dimensions  were  24  by  40  feet  and 
cost  aljout  $10,000.  Then  came  various  outbuildings,  a  new  heating 
plant  and  other  improvements  made  necessary  by  the  growth  of  the 
population  and  modern  demands.  The  grounds  of  the  County  Home 
now  comprise  160  acres,  five  acres  of  which  are  in  orchard.  The  aver- 
age numl)er  of  inmates  accommodated  is  about  eighty. 

The  first  superintendent  of  the  County  Farm,  or  County  Home, 
as  it  has  been  called  for  a  number  of  years  pa.st,  was  D.  L.  Hair, 
appointed  by  the  County  Board  of  Supervi.sors  in  1860.  Mr.  Hair 
served  six  years;  his  successor,  A.  L.  Shiphard,  seven ;  A.sbuiy  Elliott, 
six;  a  ^Ir.  Doren,  one  year;  W.  Beecott,  one;  il.  Doren,  two  years; 
Mrs.  Doren.  six  years  after  the  death  of  her  hu.sband ;  "William  Bates, 
six;  Dave  L.  Hair,  six;  Jacob  W.  Wolfe,  four;  Elmer  J.  Earel,  three; 
John  Schwaiik,  the  present  superintendent  since  January  1,  1910. 


CHAPTER  VII 

PROFESSIONAL  SKETCHES 

Evolution  of  Judiciary  Systems — First  Circuit  Court  Sits — Wood 
vs.  Lisle,  Sure-Enough  Slander — The  Jovial  Judge  Sawyer^ 
Samuel  D.  Lockwood,  Illinois'  First  Lawyer — Peter  Lott — 
Opportunity  for  Stephen  A.  Douglas — Richard  :M.  Young — 
James  H.  Ralston — Congressional  Fight  Betweeos'  Douglas 
AND  Browning — Jesse  B  Thomas — Norman  H.  Purple — William 
A.  Minshali, — New  Judicial  Circuit  Formed — Onias  C.  Skinner 
— Early  Circuit  Judges — Charles  B.  Lawrence — Joseph  Sib- 
ley— Other  Circuit  Judges — The  Probate  and  County  Judges 
— Judge  B.  F.  Berrian — Hangings,  Legai,  and  Illegal — The 
Luckett-Magnor  Murder  Trial — A  Slander  Suit  with  a  Mor.vl 
— The  Killing  op  Major  Prentiss — Famous  Eels  Slave  Case 
— The  Pioneer  Members  of  the  Bar — Archibald  Williams — 
Calvin  A.  Warren — Nehemiah  Bushnell — Isaac  N.  Morris — 
Philo  a.  Goodwin — Edward  H.  Buckley — Almeron  Wheat — 
Hope  S.  Davis — Col.  Willl\m  A.  Richardson — Willlvm  G. 
EwiNG — Col.  William  H.  Benneson — Gen.  James  W.  Single- 
ton— Joseph  N.  Carter — Bern.uid  Arntzen — Jackson  Grimshaw 
— Sterling  P.  Delano — Lawyers  in  1869 — The  Quincy  Bar  As- 
sociation— Uriah  H.  Keath,  Oldest'  Living  Lawyer — Veter^v^t 
Lawrence  E.  Emmons — When  Bench  and  Bar  Were  Pictur- 
esque— The  Physicians — Cholera  in  1833 — The  Cholera  Epi- 
demic op  1849 — Adams  County  ]\Iedical  Society — Edward  G. 
Castle — In  the  Union  Service — City  Board  of  He-^lth  Created. 

The  pioneers  of  Adams  County  were  drifting  tliither  soon  after 
the  first  state  constitution  was  promulgated  and  through  which  the 
first  courts  of  Illinois  were  organized.  Under  the  Constitution  of 
1818  the  judicial  power  of  the  state  was  vested  in  the  Supreme  Court, 
comprising  a  chief  justice  and  three  associates,  with  such  inferior 
courts  as  the  Legislature  might  establish.  When  Adams  County  was 
set  off  from  old  Pike  in  1825,  it  was  in  first  of  the  five  judicial  cir- 
cuits. 

By  the  constitution,  the  terms  of  office  of  supreme  judges  were  to 
expire  with  the  close  of  the  year  1824.  The  Legislature  re-organized 
the  judiciary  by  creating  both  Circuit  and  Supreme  courts.  The 
state  was  divided  into  five  judicial  circuits,  providing  two  terms  of 
court  annuall.y  in  each  county.    The  salaries  were  fixed  at  $600.    The 

138 


yLl.\(  V  AND  AOA.MS  LULXTV  139 

following  circuit  jiiditres  were  chosen  :  Jolin  Y.  Sawyer,  Samuel  Mc- 
Koberts,  Kichard  M.  Young.  James  Hall  and  John  O.  Wattles,  named 
in  the  order  of  their  respective  circuits. 

Pike  County  had  been  organized  in  1821,  and  Fulton,  Peoria, 
Hancock,  Henry,  Kno.x  and  Warren  in  1823-25;  .McDonough  in 
1826,  and  Joe  Daviess  in  1827.  Tiiat  multiplication  of  counties 
overta.xed  the  four  Supreme  Court  .justices  whose  duty  it  wa.s  to  hold 
Circuit  courts  in  the  counties  of  the  state.  The  Sixth  Legislature 
that  convened  at  Vaudalia  on  December  1,  1828,  came  to  their  relief 
by  pa.ssing  an  act  on  January  8,  182!).  fomiing  a  fifth  .judicial  dis- 
trict comprising  all  the  territory  west  and  uorth  of  the  rivei-  within 
the  state's  limits.  The  Legislature  then  elected  Richard  M.  Young 
judge  of  that  circuit  with  a  salary  of  sjiTOO  a  year  to  be  paid  in  (luar- 
terly  instalments;  and  fifteen  days  later,  January  23rd,  he  received 
his  commission  from  Governor  Edwards,  who  probably  experienced  no 
sorrow  in  thus  committing  liim  to  exile. 

For  the  next  six  years  Judge  Young  was  the  only  circuit  judge 
elected  and  commissioned  in  Illinois.  With  his  usual  energy  and  en- 
thusia.sm  he  immediately  commenced  the  work  of  his  new  office  with 
William  Thoma.s,  of  Morgan  County,  as  state's  attorney,  who  was 
commissioned  on  the  same  day  as  himself.  Mr.  Thomas  was  succeeded 
a.s  state's  attorney  of  that  fifth  district  by  Thomas  Ford,  on  March 
15,  1830,  who  was  again  appointed  on  February  15,  183L  Ford  was 
succeeded  by  Wm.  A.  Richardson  on  February  13,  1835,  who  .served 
until  February  25,  1839.  when  he  was  followed  by  Wni.  Elliott,  Jr. 
In  the  autumn  of  1839  Judge  Young  left  Kaskaskia  and  located 
in  Galena,  then  at  the  zenith  of  its  lead-mining  industry,  and  the  most 
I)opulous  and  busy  town  in  the  state.  Judge  Samuel  D.  Lockwood. 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  who  resided  in  Jacksonville,  had  held  court  at 
Galena,  Quincy.  Peoria  and  Lewiston.  but  gladly  relinquished  that  part 
of  his  circuit  to  the  newly  elected  judge. 

In  1831  the  Seventh  General  A.ssembly  organized  and  added  to 
Judge  Young's  circuit  the  counties  of  Cook,  Rock  Island  and  La  Salle, 
completing  the  area  of  his  jurisdiction  from  Galena  to  Lake  Michigan, 
thence  down  the  Illinois  River  to  its  confluence  with  the  ^lissi.ssippi. 

Desiring  a  quieter  place  of  residence  for  his  family  than  Galena, 
then  on  the  extreme  frontier  and  little  more  than  a  mining  camp 
infested  with  speculators,  gamblers,  and  every  variety  of  .social  out- 
casts who  respected  neither  moral  nor  civil  law.  Judge  Young  moved 
to  Quincy  in  the  spring  of  1831. 

Evolution  op  Judicial  Systems 

The  Legislature  of  1840-41  again  took  a  hand  in  manipidating  the 
judicial  system  of  the  state.  By  the  act  which  pa.s.sed  that  body  and 
was  approved  Fcbniary  10,  1841.  all  acts  were  repealed  authorizing 
the  elc'-tion  of  circuit  judges  by  the  Legislature.  It  also  provided  for 
the  appointment  of  five  additional  associate  judges  of  the  Supreme 


140  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Court,  making  nine  iu  all;  reimposed  the  eii-cuit  duties  on  the  mem- 
bers of  the  State  Supreme  Court  and  divided  the  state  iuto  uiue  cir- 
cuits. 

The  continuity  of  the  county  judiciary  inferior  to  the  Circuit  Court 
is  carried  along  through  the  probate  and  county  systems,  with  the 
justices  of  the  peace  as  useful  and,  at  times,  very  busy  auxiliaries.  In 
fact,  under  the  Constitution  of  1818,  and  for  thirty  years  thereafter, 
matters  usually  classed  as  probate  and  those  not  assigned  to  justices 
of  the  peace,  were  under  the  jurisdiction  of  what  were  denominated 
probate  justices  of  the  peace. 

The  Constitution  of  1848-  made  all  judicial  officers  elective  by  the 
people,  and  provided  for  a  Supreme  Court  of  three  judges ;  also  for 
Circuit,  County  and  Justices'  courts,  and  conferred  upon  the  Legis- 
lature power  to  create  inferior  Municipal  courts.  Since  that  time  all 
probate  matters  are  adjudicated  by  the  County  Court  in  Adams. 
Under  the  Constitution  of  1348  appeals  lay  from  the  Circuit  Court  to 
the  Supreme  Court  for  the  particular  division  in  which  the  county 
might  be  located.  The  term  of  office  for  S\ipreme  Court  judges  was 
nine  years  and  for  circuit  judges,  six.  Vacancies  were  to  be  filled 
by  popular  election,  unless  the  unexpired  term  of  the  deceased  or 
retiring  incumbent  was  less  than  one  year,  in  which  case  the  governor 
was  authorized  to  appoint.  Circuit  courts  were  vested  with  appellate 
jurisdiction  from  inferior  tribunals,  and  each  was  required  to  hold  at 
least  two  terms  annually  in  each  county,  as  might  be  fixed  by  statute. 

The  Constitution  of  1870  retained  the  popular  elective  feature  of 
the  judiciary  and  the  terms  of  office  of  the  Supreme  and  Circuit  Court 
judges  as  fixed  by  the  Constitution  of  1848.  The  number  of  Supreme 
Court  judges  was  increased  to  seven,  as  at  present.  In  1873  the  state 
was  divided  into  twenty-seven  circuits  and  in  1874,  into  thirteen. 
Under  the  provisions  of  the  latter  year,  while  the  twenty-six  judges 
already  in  office  were  retained,  an  additional  judge  wa.s  authorized 
for  each  district  to  serve  two  years,  making  the  entire  circuit  judiciary 
to  consist  of  thirty-nine  judges.  In  all  this  legislation  Cook  County 
was  in  a  class  by  itself,  constituting  one  circuit ;  the  same  is  true  re- 
garding the  act  of  1897,  which  increased  the  number  of  circuits  to 
seventeen  (exclusive  of  Cook  County),  while  the  number  of  judges 
in  each  circuit  remained  the  same. 

The  Constitution  of  1870  provided  for  the  organization  of  Appel- 
late courts  after  1874.  The  Legislature  established  four  of  these  tribu- 
nals. Each  Appellate  Court  is  held  by  three  Circuit  Court  judges 
named  by  the  State  Supreme  Court,  each  assignment  covering  three 
years,  and  no  judge  is  allowed  to  receive  extra  compensation  or  sit  in 
review  of  his  own  rulings  or  decisions.  Two  terms  are  held  in  each 
district  yearly.    The  Appellate  courts  have  no  original  jurisdiction. 

After  the  reorganization  of  the  Appellate  Court,  by  legislative 
enactment,  in  1877,  and  the  redistricting  of  the  state,  the  counties  of 
Brown,  Hancock,  Fulton,  Schuyler,  Pike,  McDonough  and  Adams  were 
formed  into  another  circuit. 


(^LINXV  AND  ADA-M8  COUNTY  141 

First  Circuit  Colrt  Sits 

With  the  groundwork  of  the  judicial  systems  tiius  laid  in  Adams 
County,  the  personal  and  local  details  calculated  to  briuj;  home  the 
picture  of  the  bench  and  bar  of  this  part  of  the  state  arc  marshaled 
at  this  point.  The  first  session  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  Adams  County, 
or  of  any  court  whatever  in  the  county,  was  held  in  August,  1825. 
in  Willard  Keyes'  log  house.  This  first  temple  of  justice  wa.s  a  cabin 
about  si.xteen  feet  square,  situated  at  what  would  now  be  the  foot  of 
Vermont  Street.  The  main  room  was  for  the  court,  over  which  pre- 
sided John  Yorke  Sawyvr,  witli  J.  Turncy  as  circuit  attorney  and  John 
H.  Snow  as  clerk.  A  small  outside  porch  was  set  aside  for  the  Petit 
jury,  while  the  Grand  jury  was  to  retire  to  the  shade  of  a  large  oak 
tree  not  far  from  the  courthouse. 

The  lists  of  citizens  who  had  been  drawn  to  sit  upon  any  liusiness 
which  might  be  brought  before  them,  and  decide  upon  the  rcasunable- 
ness  of  bringing  various  matters  and  persons  to  trial,  were  as  follows: 

Grand  Jury — ilorrill  Martin,  Lewis  Kinney,  Daniel  Whipple, 
Joshua  Strecter.  John  L.  Soule,  Samuel  Goshong,  John  Wood,  John 
Droulard,  Ira  Pierce,  .Amos  Bancroft,  Daniel  Moore,  John  Thomas, 
2d,  William  Burritt,  Abijah  Caldwell,  Zephaniah  Ames,  Peter  Jour- 
ney. Ebenezer  Ilarkness,  Cyrus  Ilibbard,  Thomas  ^IcCrary,  Luther 
Whitney,  Hiram  R.  Ilawley,  IJenjamin  ilcN'itt,  Samuel  Stone  and  Levi 
Wells. 

Petit  Jury — Willard  Kcycs,  Lewis  C.  K.  Hamilton,  Hezekiah  Spill- 
man,  William  Journey,  Elias  Adams,  Earl  Wilson,  Curtis  Caldwell, 
Samuel  Seward,  Truman  Streeter,  James  Moody,  Evan  Thomas,  Silas 
Brooks,  James  Greer,  George  Campbell.  Peter  Williams,  Henry  Jacobs, 
Thomas  Freeman,  Riell  Crandall,  William  Snow,  David  Ray  and  David 
Beebe. 

Wood  vs.  Lisle,  Slre-Enougu  Sl.vnder 

As  nearly  all  the  citizens  of  the  county  were  included  in  the  lists 
of  the  jurors,  or  the  roster  of  officials,  the  Grand  jury  found  few  in- 
dictments. A  couple  of  the  male  inhabitants  were  ordered  into  court 
for  i|uarrcling  on  election  day,  and  among  the  few  cases  actually  tried 
was  an  exciting  suit  for  slander  brought  by  John  Wood  against  Daniel 
Li.sle.  It  seems  that  Lisle  had  charged  Mr.  Wood  with  having  drowned 
a  horse  thief  in  Bear  Creek.  The  basis  for  the  story  was  the  fact  that 
Messrs.  Wood  and  Keyes  had  bought  .some  hogs  from  a  stranger, 
who  had  afterward  sneaked  away  and  been  accused  of  horse  stealing. 
If  "honest  John  Wood"'  had  known  of  the  charge  at  the  time  of  his 
dealings  with  the  unknown  he  would  undoubtedly  have  arrested  him ; 
i)Ut  the  stranger  com])letely  dropped  out  of  sight ;  it  was  said  that  he 
was  a  horse  thief;  the  energetic  .Mr.  Wood  was  known  to  be  very  bitter 
against  that  class  of  criminals.  Lisle  was  an  undoubted  bu.sy-body 
with  a  rapid  tongue — and  there  you  have  the  combination  that  started 


^""^«     i^^  J 


^5 


o 


c 
C 

z 


a; 


'S    o 
=  Z 


-»    o 


p 


B  O 


c      =  CO 


o 

--^  a: 

00  ^ 

CO  M 

CO  s 


•CC 


(1^ 

be 

a 


O 

cs 

ft 

o 

p-i 


•-      *     CO 
OJ      n      r; 

o 
O 


t  S 


Ql'IXCY  AND  ADAMS  CorXTY  143 

the  trouble.    But  there  was  nothing  to  the  ease  when  it  was  brought 
into  court. 

The  Jovial  Judge  S.vwyer 

It  is  said  that  on  the  31st  of  October  a  more  businesslike  term  of 
the  Circuit  Court  was  held  than  that  of  August,  which  was  more  a 
formal  and  an  initial  .sitting  designed  to  oil  the  legal  machinery  and 
get  it  in  motion.  As  Jutlge  Sawyer  would  force  the  scales  well  up  to 
400  pounds,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  some  little  time  was  re- 
quired to  get  him  in  motion.  He  was  of  a  jolly  nature  and.  as  he  was 
also  honest  and  a  man  of  ability  and  wit,  he  was  respected  and  popular 
during  his  two  years'  term.  •'Madam,"  said  he,  upon  one  oeeasion 
to  an  old  Quincy  landlady,  •'aren't  your  cows  of  different  color?" 
"Yes,"  she  answered,  "we've  got  'em  black,  red,  white  and  spotted." 
"I  thought  so,"'  concluded  the  judge.  "Your  butter  speckles  that 
way."  Judge  Sawyer  was  a  Vermont  Yankee,  whose  name  first  ap- 
pears enrolled  as  a  lawyer  on  l)cccnil»er  7,  18'20.  After  leaving  the 
bench  in  1827  he  resumed  his  profession  at  Vandalia  and  died  March 
13,  1836.  at  which  time  he  was  editor  of  the  \'andalia  Advocate. 

S.\ML'EL  D.  LocKwooD,  Illixoi.s'  First  L.VWYER 

Judge  Sawyer  was  succeeded  liy  Saiiiucl  1).  Lockwood.  one  of  the 
Supreme  judges,  whose  name  stands  recorded  as  the  first  lawyer  to 
commence  practice  in  Illinois.  licensed  Jlay  14,  1819.  Judge  Lock- 
wotul  was  born  in  Central  New  York  and  came  to  Illinois  in  liSl8,  when 
statehood  had  just  been  adopted.  He  first  stopped  at  Kaskaskia,  but 
finally  settled  at  Jacksonville,  making  that  place  his  home  until  his 
final  retirement  from  the  bench  in  1848.  He  then  moved  to  Matavia, 
Kane  County,  where  he  died  about  1873.  One  of  his  professional 
friends  thus  speaks  of  him:  "He  had  an  excellent  education,  a  very 
relined  mind,  studious  habits  and  ]iroverbial  j)urity  of  character. 
Lifted  early  in  life  to  the  Supreme  liencli.  he  honored  the  ermine  as 
few  others  have.  His  appearance  was  ap])ropriate  and  imposing — 
white-haired  while  yet  young,  of  graceful  form,  ilignitied  and  courteous 
in  demeanor,  he  was  a  model  jurist  and,  if  not  pos.se.ssing  the  higher 
native  intellect  of  .some  who  graced  the  Supreme  l)Cnch.  in  the  aggre- 
gate of  qualifications  he  was  une.\celled.  No  public  man  of  Illinois 
pa.s-sed  under  a  longer  period  of  constant  observation  and  has  been 
clothed  with  as  much  of  general  confidence  and  respect." 

RiCH.VRD  M.  Yot'NG 

Judge  Lockwood  was  successively  a  whig  and  a  republican,  and 
his  successor,  Richard  M.  Young,  was  his  opposite  both  in  polities 
and  general  character.  Judge  Young  ascended  the  bench  in  1831, 
when,  because  of  the  increase  of  business  devolving  on  the  Supreme 


Ittrt  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

judges,  a  fifth  judicial  circuit  was  created  in  Illinois.  He  was  a 
Keutuckiau  by  birth,  settled  in  the  state  when  it  was  yet  verj-  j'oung, 
and  for  many  years  held  public  positions  of  great  prominence.  He 
was  a  man  of  strong  common  sense  and  much  dignity ;  had  virtually 
no  elasticitj'  or  magnetism,  and  seemed,  at  times,  almost  dull.  Yet  he 
steadily  forged  ahead  of  associates  who  seemed  far  abler  than  he,  and 
whatever  he  accomplished  added  to  the  general  confidence  reposed 
in  him.  His  politics  were  of  the  stei-n  Jaeksonian  demoei'aey.  Judge 
Young 's  service  on  the  circuit  bench  ceased  in  1837,  when  he  took  a  seat 
in  the  United  States  Senate  to  which  he  had  been  elected  during  the 
previous  winter.  Filling  out  his  full  term  of  six  years,  during  which 
period  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Carlin  state  agent,  he  visited 
Europe  in  the  latter  capacity.  Later,  he  was  appointed  to  the  Supreme 
bench,  and  became  successively  clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
and  commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office.  Later  he  was  engaged 
in  a  legal  and  agency  business  and  although  he  spent  several  of  the 
last  months  of  his  life  under  medical  treatment  in  the  Government  Hos- 
pital for  the  Insane  at  AVashington,  he  partially  regained  his  mentality 
but  finally  died  of  physical  exhaustion  in  November,  1861.  He  was 
buried  in  the  Congressional  Cemetery  at  the  National  Capital. 

James  H.  Ralston 

The  seat  on  the  circuit  bench  vacated  by  Judge  Young  in  1837  was 
filled  by  the  appointment  of  James  H.  Ralston,  who  for  several  years 
had  been  an  active  practicing  lawyer  of  Quincy,  and  member  of  the 
Legislature.  Unlike  Judge  Young,  he  seemed  to  have  no  talents  for 
politics,  although  unduly  ambitious  iu  that  field,  and  it  was  the  gen- 
eral opinion  among  his  friends  and  professional  associates  that  he 
would  have  attained  far  more  success  had  he  confined  his  industry 
and  undoubted  abilities  to  the  province  of  the  law.  He  was  a  tall, 
rather  ungraceful  man,  and  not  attractive  as  a  speaker,  so  that  his 
reputation  on  the  bench  exceeded  that  which  he  made  at  the  bar. 

James  H.  Ralston  was  born  in  Bourbon  Coimty,  Kentucky,  in  1807, 
and  soon  after  attaining  his  majority  moved  to  Quincy  and  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  the  law.  He  served  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and 
subsequently  represented  his  district  in  the  lower  house  of  the  State 
Legislature  at  a  time  when  Lincoln,  Douglas,  Hardin,  Shields  and 
Baker  were  members  of  that  body.  After  serving  as  circuit  judge 
from  1837  to  1839,  he  resigned  from  the  bench,  and  in  1841  was  elected 
to  the  State  Senate. 

Judge  Ralston  took  an  active  interest  in  politics  until  the  Mexican 
war,  when  he  was  commissioned  captain  and  placed  in  command  of 
the  Alamo  at  San  Antonio,  Texas.  From  that  point  all  supplies  and 
munitions  of  war  were  forwarded  to  the  American  army  operating  in  . 
Northern  Mexico.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the  Mexican  war  he  moved 
to  California,  and  was  a  member  of  its  first  State  Senate.  In  1856 
he  was  an  unsuccessful  candidate  for  the  chief  justiceship  of  Cali- 


Qr-IXCV  AM)  ADAMS  roCXTV  14.') 

fornia.  Ronioviug  to  Xevadu  in  1860,  he  became  prominent  as  a  public 
character  in  the  formative  period  of  that  commonwealth  and  died  near 
Austin  in  1864,  the  ^ear  of  statcbirth. 

Petek  Lott 

Peter  Lott's  service  of  two  years  brought  credit  to  the  judge  per- 
sonally and  to  the  Circuit  Court  as  an  institution.  As  a  lawy.r,  he 
was  genial  almost  to  the  point  of  indolence,  but  iiad  a  naturally  keen 
legal  mind  balanced  by  sound  judgment.  A  native  of  New  Jersey, 
Judge  Lott  came  to  Illinois  from  that  state  in  18;5.j  and  located  for 
practice  at  Carthage,  Hancock  County.  A  few  months  later  he  movcii 
to  (^uincy.  where  he  resided  during  the  succeeding  four  years  as  a 
lawyer  engaged  in  somewhat  indifferent  practice,  because  of  his  tem- 
(icramcntal  drawbacks  noted  heretofore.  His  many  friends  and  ad- 
mirers, however,  believed  that  he  would  make  a  good  judge;  and  they 
were  not  mistaken,  although  he  was  retired  from  the  bench  under  the 
operations  of  the  law  of  1S41.  In  his  prime  Judge  Lott  is  described 
as  above  the  medium  height,  powerfully  built,  of  light  complexion  and 
hair,  with  a  broad  face  singularly  expressive  of  humor.  Like  Judge 
Ralston,  he  was  a  whig  until  i  bout  1886.  when  he  joined  the  democratic 
I)arty.  of  which  he  became  a  state  leader. 

After  his  retirement  from  the  bench.  Judge  Lott  resumed  legal 
practice,  was  elected  to  the  lower  house  of  the  Legislature  in  1844: 
enli.sted  in  Colonel  Bissell's  regiment  of  Illinois  infantrj-  on  the  out- 
break of  the  Mexican  war.  soon  after  became  captain,  and  acijuired 
credit  at  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista.  At  bis  return  from  Mexico,  in 
1848,  he  was  elected  circuit  clerk  and  recorder,  and  shortly  after  the 
expiration  of  his  four-year  term  he  went  to  California.  He  wa.s  placed 
in  charge  of  the  I'nited  States  mint  at  San  Francisco,  and  died  a  few 
years  later. 

OPPORTrNTTY  FOR  STEPHEN  A.  DOIGI-.^S 

It  is  said  that  the  I'hangc  in  the  state  judiciary,  brought  about 
by  the  Legislature  of  1840-41,  was  caused  by  the  dissatisfaction  of  the 
democratic  party  with  its  personnel.  As  the  State  Supreme  Court 
then  stood,  three  of  its  judges  were  whigs  and  only  one  a  democrat; 
an<l.  under  the  constitution,  they  all  had  a  life  tenure  of  office,  de- 
pendent upon  sanity  and  good  behavior.  Under  the  circumstances, 
the  judicial  outlook  was  no*  l)riglit  for  the  majority  democrats;  but 
they  controlled  the  Legislature  of  tliat  session,  and  the  law  was  there- 
fore pas.sed  by  which  the  old  circuit  judge  system  was  abolished  (and 
with  it.  Judge  Lotti,  its  five  judges  being  replaced  by  the  addition 
of  (ive  dcniderats  to  the  State  Sui)rcme  Court. 

The  appointee  for  the  district  including  Adams  County  was 
Stephen  A.  Douglas.  He  assinncd  the  office  of  circuit  judge  in  1841. 
Judge  Douglas  has  long  a;.'o  irone  into  history  as  a  national  character, 


146  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  it  cannot  therefore  be  given  a  local  stamp.  Even  at  that  time 
he  was  not  considered  as  ranking  among  the  leading  lawyers  of  Illi- 
nois, but  rather  as  a  democratic  politician  and  a  coming  statesman 
of  gi'eat  strength  and  wonderful  personality.  He  had,  however,  sev- 
eral vexatious  local  questions  to  judicially  determine,  such  as  those 
connected  with  the  Mormons  and  the  division  of  Adams  County. 
There  was  sharp  division  of  sentiment  over  them,  but  Judge  Douglas 
managed  to  compromise  the  difficulties  while  he  was  on  the  bench, 
so  that  he  descended  from  it  without  loss  of  popularity  or  prestige. 
In  1843  he  was  elected  to  Congress  over  0.  H.  Browning,  afterward  a 
public  man  of  national  fame  himself. 

Congressional  Fight  Between  Douglas  and  Browning 

The  contest  between  Douglas  and  Browning  became  historical, 
and  in  the  political  history  of  Illinois  had  perhaps  only  one  parallel 
as  to  ability  of  leadership  and  fierceness  of  warfare ;  the  people  of 
Adams  County  would  hardly  concede  superiority  in  those  features  to 
the  famous  Lincoln-Douglas  debates  and  campaigns.  General  John 
Tillson  thus  writes  of  the  home  affair:  "Unusual  interest,  of  course, 
attached  to  an  election  which  would  determine  who  were  to  be  the 
future  'great  men'  of  Illinois,  and  special  attention  was  turned  toward 
the  Quincy  District,  which  was  of  doubtful  political  complexion,  and 
in  which  the  two  foremost  of  the  rising  leaders  in  their  respective 
parties  were  pitted  in  opposition.  These  were  Stephen  A.  Douglas, 
the  presiding  judge  on  this  circuit,  and  0.  H.  Browning,  the  ad- 
mitted head  of  the  bar  in  the  western  part  of  the  state,  both  residents 
of  Quincy.  Each  enjoyed  a  prestige  of  almost  unbroken  political 
success,  a  most  devoted  party  popularitj',  and  a  personal  reputation 
for  consistency  and  integrity  which  was  unassailable.  They  were 
nearly  of  the  same  age.  Douglas  had  been  a  conspicuous  politician 
from  his  first  coming  to  the  state.  Browning,  whose  eminence  was 
more  definitely  legal,  held  an  equally  prominent  political  reputa- 
tion, and  his  ambitions  were  then  strongly  in  that  direction.  He  was, 
and  no  doubt  correctly,  considered  at  the  time,  as  the  most  attractive 
and  able  debater  of  the  two.  Douglas,  though  strong  on  the  stump, 
had  not  attained  that  peculiar  position  he  studied  for  and  after- 
ward attained,  of  being,  as  he  unquestionably  ranked  in  later  years, 
the  most  popular  and  powerful  stump  speaker  of  the  day. 

"Douglas  was  not  the  first  choice  of  his  party  in  convention. 
Judge  Cavalry,  of  Greene,  and  Governor  Carlin  preceded  him  in  the 
early  ballots,  but  the  nomination  finally  fell  to  him.  Browning  was 
nominated  by  his  party  within  opposition.  It  is  more  than  probable 
that  had  either  of  the  two  first  named  received  the  Democratic  nomina- 
tion. Browning's  popularity  would  have  won  for  himself  the  elec- 
tion, and  it  is  equally  sure  that  against  any  other  candidate  than 
Browning,  Douglas'  majority  of  about  400  would  at  least  have  been 
doubled.     Thev  canvassed  the  district  most  exhaustively  during  the 


(^nXCV   AM)   ADAMS  'Ol-NTV  147 

early  summer  months  to  witliiii  less  than  a  week  before  tlie  election 
ill  Aiifriist.  wluMi  luitli  wen-  taken  down  with  sickness  wliit-h  nearly 
l)rovcd  fatal,  and  from  the  effects  of  which  it  took  many  months  to 
restore  them.  This  was  the  most  complete  carrying  out  of  the  old 
"sttiuip  speaking'  custom  that  could  he  imagined.  The  parties  trav- 
licil  together,  sometimes  slept  together,  spoke  together  almost  daily 
at  half  a  dozen  or  more  places  in  each  of  the  counties. 

"The  result  of  this  spirited  contest  between  two  men  whose  names 
have  since  become  national,  was  that  Browning  carried  the  city  by 
a  majority  of  19  and  the  county  by  410,  but  was  beaten  in  the  dis- 
trict by  40!t  votes.  It  is  curious  to  speculate  how  delayed  might 
have  been  the  growth  to  eminence  of  Judge  Douglas  had  he  failed 
at  this  election.  That  his  great  talents  would  have  sooner  or  later 
made  themselves  controlling  is  true,  but  his  advent  to  national  notice 
at  this  jiarticular  time  was  several  years  gained  in  his  movement  to 
fame." 

Judge  Douglas  was  a  citizen  of  tjuincy  from  1841  to  18.52.  which 
covered  his  careers  as  circuit  judge,  his  five  years  in  Congress  and 
the  earliest  period  of  his  service  as  United  States  senator.  He  moved 
to  Chicago  in  1852  and  died  in  that  city  while  a  memiier  of  the  upper 
house  of  Congress,  in  1861.  Although  his  state  prominence  had  not 
been  cradled  in  Adams  County,  it  was  from  Quincy.  as  he  once 
expres.scd  it,  that  he  "was  first  placed  upon  a  national  career,  where 
he  was  ever  after  kept."  His  old-time  rival  and  lifelong  admirer, 
(),  H.  Browning,  filled  out  his  unexpired  term. 

Jksse  B.  Tik'mas 

Stephen  A.  Douglas  was  succeeded  as  circuit  judge  by  Jesse  B. 
Thomas,  a  son  of  the  Jesse  B.  Thomas  who  was  territorial  judge  of 
Illinois  in  1809-18,  one  of  *.he  first  two  I'liited  States  senators  and 
author  of  the  Mis-souri  Couipromise.  Judge  Thomas  was  probably 
born  in  Indiana  Territory.  He  was  a  well  educated  gentleman,  ple- 
thoric and  dignified,  and  not  wanting  in  ai)ility.  His  judicial  record 
falls  in  the  ela.ssification  Creditable,  without  placing  special  emphasis 
even  on  that  indifferent  word.  He  was  also  a  democrat.  Transferred 
after  a  term  of  two  years  to  a  northern  circuit,  he  ilied  a  few  years 
later. 

Norman   II.  Pnti-i.K 

There  have  been  few  occ\ipants  of  judicial  positions  in  the  country 
who  have  been  more  closely  adapted  to  the  requirements  of  the  office 
than  Norman  II.  Purple,  who,  in  184:<,  succeeded  Judge  Thomas  on 
the  circuit  bench  of  Adams  County.  He  allowed  himself  to  be  led 
away  by  no  side  issues.  The  law.  whether  he  practiced  it  or  admin- 
istered it,  was  all-in-all  to  him;  so  that  both  as  a  lawyer  and  a  judge 
he  achieved  eminence,  although  he  had  more  admirers  for  his  work 


148  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

on  the  bench  than  that  at  the  bar.  He  was  well  read,  aud  had  a 
quick,  clear  intellect,  and  an  intuition  directed  by  a  keen  analytic 
mind,  which  could  not  be  swerved  by  fancy  or  personal  considera- 
tions. Prompt,  precise  and  brief  in  his  rulings,  as  a  judge  he  held 
the  confidence  of  the  bar,  and  all  his  social  and  individual  relations 
earned  him  the  same  unshaken  belief  in  his  absolute  honesty  and 
impartiality.  Judge  Purple's  physical  characteristics  were  a  strik- 
ing index  of  his  character;  he  was  tall  and  of  rather  slender  frame, 
with  sharp  and  regularly-cut  features  and  a  facial  expression  indica- 
tive of  concentrated  thought  and  reserve.  The  constitution  of  1848 
making  judges  elective,  and  the  circuits  being  changed  at  the  same 
time  disuniting  Adams  and  Peoria  counties.  Judge  Purple,  whose 
residence  had  been  at  Peoria,  declined  further  service  on  the  bench 
in  that  circuit!  As  an  expression  of  their  regret  at  such  action,  the 
members  of  the  bar  honored  him  with  a  farewell  banquet.  Judge 
Purple  subsequently  practiced  law  successfully  at  Peoria,  where  he 
died  about  1864. 

William  A.  ]\Iinshall 

The  election  for  the  circuit  judgeship  in  1848,  and  under  the  pro- 
visions of  the  new  constitution,  developed  considerable  acrimon}' 
between  the  whig  candidate,  William  A.  ilinshall,  of  Schuyler  County, 
and  William  R.  Archer,  of  Pike.  The  former  was  elected.  Judge 
Minshall  was  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  resided  for  .some  time  in  Ohio 
before  coming  to  Illinois.  At  the  time  he  was  elevated  to  the  bench 
he  was  one  of  the  oldest  lawyers  in  the  state.  In  his  earlier  years 
he  had  stood  at  the  head  of  the  Schuyler  County  bar,  but  as  a  member 
of  the  Circuit  Court  he  brought  to  the  bench  more  solidity  than  quick- 
ness of  thought  and  decision.  At  that  period  of  his  life  he  was  a 
heavily-built  man,  of  medium  height,  and,  as  the  phrase  nins,  had 
"seen  his  best  da.ys."  Judge  Minshall  died  at  Rushville,  Schuyler 
County,  about  1860. 

New  Judicial  Circuit  Formed 

The  old  Fifth  Judicial  Circuit,  originally  including  all  the  coun- 
ties in  the  Military  Tract,  taking  in  the  northwestern  section  of 
the  state  and  formed  in  1829,  was  bj-  an  act  of  the  Legislature  in 
1851  divided  and  a  new  circuit  formed  which  was  composed  of  the 
counties  of  Adams,  Hancock,  Henderson  and  Mercer.  This  broke 
up  many  of  the  old-time  legal  associations  and  limited,  to  some  extent, 
the  practice  of  the  Quincy  lawyers,  who,  for  twenty  years,  had  been 
accustomed  to  "follow  the  circuit"  twice  a  year  and  appear  at  the 
bar  of  each  county  in  the  tract.  Many  of  them  had  local  partners 
outside  of  Adams.  0.  C.  Skinner,  who  had  resided  in  Carthage  before 
coming  to  Adams  County,  and  while  there  had  rapidly  risen  to  the 
leading  position  at  the  Hancock  County  bar,  a  reputation  whiieh  he 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COl'NTY  141) 

had  more  than  sustained  in  (Jui'i'T,  was  rcconinu'iidcd  l)y  the  bar  for 
the  judgeship  of  tlie  new  circuit. 

The  desire  was  then,  as  it  had  been  at  the  first  judieial  election, 
to  keep  the  contest  from  becoming:  political.  I'pon  this  occasion,  the 
wisli  succeeded.  The  circuit,  on  a  party  vote,  was  undoubtedly  whig, 
and  Skinner  wa.s  a  radical  democrat,  but  his  high  judicial  capacity  was 
recognized  and,  no  opposition  being  made,  hi'  was  unanimously  elected. 
It  is  said  some  effort  was  made  to  bring  party  considerations  into  the 
campaign  for  prosecuting  attorney,  but  it  cut  no  figure,  and  J.  H. 
Stewart,  an  experienced  lawyer  from  Henderson  County,  a  whig,  but 
not  a  politician,  was  elected  to  that  office. 

Onias  C.  Skixxer 

Adams  and  Hancock  counties  having  l)een  created  a  separate  cir- 
cuit, as  stated.  Judge  Minsjiall  was  succeeded  by  Onias  C.  Skinner, 
who  for  several  years  had  been  a  prominent  lawyer  both  in  Hancock 
County  and  at  Quincy.  Judge  Skinner  was  a  remarkable  lawyer,  a 
remarkable  judge  and  a  remarkable  man.  and  it  was  a  matter  of  deep 
regret  that  his  service  on  tho  circuit  bench  could  not  have  been  longer. 
He  was  born  in  Oneida  Count}',  New  York ;  was  a  cabin  boy  on  the 
Erie  Canal,  a  sailor  on  the  lakes,  school  teacher,  farmer  and  jtreacher, 
before  he  finally  forced  his  energies  and  talents  into  tlie  cluunn'ls  for 
which  they  were  destined.  Although  hampered  by  a  limited  educa- 
tion, his  remarkable  intellect  and  legal  aptitude  lifted  him  above  all 
earlier  defects  to  a  front  rank  among  the  lawyers  and  jurists  of  Illi- 
nois. As  a  lawyer  he  was  the  most  daring,  speculative  and  successful 
litigant  that  ever  practiced  at  the  Adams  County  bar.  No  stronger  or 
more  energetic  reliance  in  doubtful  or  desperate  cases  could  be  found 
than  he.  As  a  counselor,  out  of  court,  he  was  not  so  valuable.  On  the 
bench  his  standing  was  high.  Acute,  courteous  and  proud  of  his 
position,  he  fully  filled  the  requisites  of  his  j)lace,  and  it  was  a  regret 
to  the  profession  that  he  was  elected  to  a  vacancy  in  the  State  Supreme 
Court. 

Judge  Skinner  was  a  member  of  the  lower  house  of  the  Legislature 
in  1848-50.  Twenty  years  afterward,  when  he  had  retired  with  honors 
from  the  supreme  bench  and  also  practiced  snccessfidly  in  Quincy, 
he  served  in  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1870  as  chainnan  of 
the  judiciarj'  committee.  His  death  occurred  at  Quincy  February 
4.  l!^77.  and  a  strong  man.  a  remarkable  advocate  and  an  able  judge 
disappeared  from  the  earthly  stage  witli  his  passing. 

Early  Circiit  Jidges 

"Under  the  Constitution  of  1848,  which  provided  for  a  Supreme 
Coiirt  of  three  judges,  one  to  be  chosen  from  each  of  the  three  gra?id 
divisions,  and  for  circuit  judges,  one  for  each  circuit.  Judge  Lyman 
Trumbull  was  chosen  from  *he  first,  or  southern  grand  division.  Judtre 


150  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Samuel  H.  Treat  from  the  second  or  central  grand  division,  and  John 
D.  Caton  from  the  third,  or  northern  grand  division. 

"Judge  Treat,  upon  his  resignation  in  1855,  was,  the  same  year 
succeeded  by  Judge  O.  C.  Skinner,  and  he  in  1858  by  Judge  P.  H. 
Walker,  wlio  served  until  his  death  in  1876. 

"Judge  Caton,  after  a  long  service  upon  both  benches,  resigned 
in  1864,  when  for  a  few  months  his  place  was  ably  filled  by  Judge 
Corydon  Beckwith ;  but  at  the  election  of  that  year  Judge  C.  B.  Law- 
rence was  chosen  successor.  He  filled  the  position  one  term  of  nine 
years. 

"Of  the  judges  above  named  as  chosen  under  the  Constitution  of 
1848,  Judges  Walker  and  Lawrence  were  in  office  at  the  adoption  of 
the  constitution  of  1870,  and  were  not  displaced  by  it. 

Charles  B.  L.wvrence 

"Charles  B.  Lawrence  was  a  citizen  of  Quincy  for  more  than  ten 
j'ears,  but  such  was  the  man,  such  was  his  genius  for  evading  pub- 
licity and  the  printer's  ink,  that  1  i-annot  find  anything  relating  to  him 
in  the  histories  or  recollections.  He  was  here  as  early  as  1847,  for 
on  the  20th  of  January,  1847,  he  signed  his  name  to  the  record  of  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Second  Congregational  (Unitarian)  Society  as 
Secretarv.  He  was  a  inem])er  of  the  law  firm  of  William  &  Lawrence 
during  most  of  the  time  of  his  stay  here,  but,  owing  to  ill  health  he 
bought  a  farm  up  near  Galesburg  and  lived  on  it.  In  1856  he  appears 
to  be  living  at  Prairie  Cit.v  in  McDonough  County.  He  was  on  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  State  from  1864  to  1873."— Contributed  by  W. 
A.  Richardson. 

Joseph  Siblet 

At  his  elevation  to  the  State  Supreme  Court  in  1855,  Judge  Skinner 
was  succeeded  on  the  circuit  bench  by  Joseph  Sible.y,  a  New  Hamp- 
shire man  who  had  been  practicing  law  and  legislating  for  about  nine 
years  as  a  resident  of  Nauvoo  and  Warsaw,  Hancoclc  County.  Soon 
after  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1846,  he  had  settled  at  the  former 
place,  where  he  commenced  practice  and  from  which  he  was  twice 
sent  as  a  member  of  the  Legislature.  In  1853  he  became  a  resident 
of  Warsaw  and  two  years  later  was  elected  to  the  circuit  bench.  He 
was  re-elected  for  three  successive  terms,  and  when  the  Appellate 
Court  was  reorganized  in  1877,  Judge  Sibley  was  appointed  by  the 
Supreme  Court  to  that  bench,  .serving  thus  until  the  expiration  of  his 
term  in  1879.  He  had  moved  to  Quincy  and  made  that  city  his  home 
thereafter  until  his  death  June  18,  1897,  in  the  seventy-ninth  year 
of  his  age.  Judge  Sibley  was  honest  and  solid  in  character,  both  as 
a  man  and  a  .iudge.  Strangers  often  considered  him  offensively  blunt, 
but  those  who  knew  him  best  saw  beneath  his  surface  a  kind  heart. 

The  political  circumstances  attending  the  accession  of  Judge  Sibley 


gllMV   AM)  ADA.MS  (((IXIV  151 

to  tlu'  Circuit  Court  are  thus  described  by  Geiierul  Tillson :  "The 
appoiutuieut  of  Judge  Treat  as  I'nited  iStates  district  jud^je  for 
southern  Illinois  made  a  vacancy  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  tiie  State  in 
the  Second  district,  and  Juilge  Skinner,  who  had  acceptably  presided 
over  the  Adams  and  Hancock  circuit,  offered  ii.s  a  candidate  for  that 
position.  Opposed  to  him  wire  Stephen  T.  I^ogan  of  Sangamon,  antl 
Charles  II.  Constable,  of  Wabash  counties.  Political  feeling  was  not 
enlisted  in  this  election,  but  like  the  election  on  the  liipior  ipiestion, 
local  sentiment  and  preference  were  active  and  controlling;  each 
aspirant  receiving  the  general  vote  of  his  own  section  of  the  district, 
Judge  Skinner  wa.s  eiusily  successful  by  about  lO.OOU  majority. 

"The  contest  for  the  Circuit  judgeship  and  a  successor  to  Judge 
Skinner  was  like  the  above,  a  sort  of  triangular  duel,  and  was  at- 
tended with  more  of  i)ersonal  bitterue.ss  than  often  attaches  to  a 
purely  political  contest.  The  Adams  County  bar,  with  a  desire  to 
avoid  political  strife,  had  almost  unanimously  recommended  for  this 
position  George  Edmunds,  an  active  and  rising  young  lawyer  of 
Quincy.  A  personal  ho.stility  to  Mr.  Edmunds  brought  forward  an 
opposition  and  some  severe  attacks  which  were  refuted,  but  operated 
upon  the  election.  Resultant  on  tiiis  was  the  camlidacy  of  Joseph 
Sibley  and  John  W.  Marsh,  of  Hancock  County;  the  first  as  the 
nominee  of  a  Democratic  convention,  and  the  latter  one  of  the  oldest 
and  most  e.xpcrienceil  lawyers  of  the  state,  supported  generally  by 
such  Whigs  of  the  di.strict  a.s  had  not  committed  themselves  to  the 
i-andidacy  of  Jlr.  Edmunds.  It  was  a  dase  and  doubtful  election,  end- 
ing in  the  election  of  Mr.  Sibley  by  a  small  nfajorily.  Judge  Sii)ley 
was  three  times  re-cho.sen  to  this  office,  holding  it  for  twenty-four 
years,  the  longest  term  of  judicial  circuit  service  known  in  the  state." 

Other  Circuit  Jidges 

Judge  Sibley  was  succeeded  by  John  H.  Williams,  who  served  with 
excellent  credit  until  1K8.").  Judge  Williams  died  Sei)t.  24.  1912.  He 
was  the  first  native  of  Quincy  to  attain  the  circuit  jndgiship.  A  son 
of  the  well  known  Archibald  Williams,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  IS")");  became  a  iiicmlicr  of  tlie  tinn  of  Williams,  (■rimshaw  &  Wil- 
liams. As  an  attorney  Judge  Williams  is  said  to  have  been  "a  man 
of  high  attainments,  honorable  and  upright"  and  "as  a  judge  he 
made  a  rcct)rd  for  his  siiicci'c  and  learned  opinions."  He  entered  the 
law  firm  of  his  noted  father,  Archibald  and  Judge  Lawrence,  which 
continued  until  the  latter  was  elevated  to  the  supreme  bench  in  1864. 

William  Marsh,  who  snc-eeded  Judge  Williams,  sirved  from  1SS3 
to  1891.  He  was  a  Xew  York  man  and  graduated  from  Union  College 
in  1842.  Judge  Marsh  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1845  ami,  after 
I)racticing  at  Ithaca,  .settled  at  Quincy  in  18."i4.  He  had  therefore 
been  in  practice  over  thirty  years  when  he  was  elected  to  the  circuit 
jurlgeship.  and  during  that  long  period  of  professional  activity  and 
useful  citizenship  had  earned  a  high  and  broad  station  in  the  com- 
munity. 


152  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Oscar  P.  Boniiey,  the  next  circuit  judge,  served  during  the  term 
covering  the  years  1891-97.  He  was  a  native  of  Missouri  and  previous 
to  his  admission  to  the  bar  in  1873  lived  with  the  parental  familj' 
at  various  places  in  that  state  and  Illinois.  He  came  to  Quiucy  in 
his  youth,  studied  law  with  Wheat,  Ewing  &  Hamilton ;  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  the  year  named;  was  successively  city  and  state's  at- 
torney and  was  holding  the  latter  office  when  he  was  elevated  to  the 
bench.  During  his  term  as  circuit  judge,  he  was  nominated  for  the 
supreme  bench,  but  was  defeated  by  Joseph  N.  Carter.  Judge 
Bonney  was  a  courteous  and  an  able  lawyer  and  a  sound  judge,  and 
his  record  served  to  elevate  the  standard  of  both  the  bench  and  bar  of 
Adams  County.     His  death  occurred  in  Chicago,  February  14,  1905. 

John  C.  Broady  succeeded  Judge  Bonney  in  1897  and  served  his 
six  years'  term,  or  until  1903.  Judge  Broady 's  record  was  excellent, 
and  his  practice  as  a  lawyer,  both  before  and  after  his  elevation  to 
the  bench,  has  made  him  a  leader  at  the  Adams  County  bar. 

Judge  Albert  Akers,  present  incumbent  of  the  circuit  bench,  suc- 
ceeded Judge  Broady  in  June,  1903. 

The  Probate  and  County  Judges 

At  the  head  of  the  list  stands  the  name  of  Henry  H.  Snow,  the 
champion  office  holder  of  the  county,  whose  first  commission  as  pro- 
bate judge  dates  from  September  15,  1825.  His  second  term  which 
covered  a  period  of  eleven  years  and  nearly  one  month  commenced 
January  23,  1826.  Judge  Snow  was  succeeded  by  William  F.  Flood 
on  February  17,  1837,  and  Judge  Flood  was  still  in  office  when  the 
judiciary  was  reorganized  by  the  Constitution  of  1848.  Under  its 
provisions  all  probate  matters  were  absorbed  by  the  county  judge- 
ship. 

Philo  A.  Goodwin,  the  first  county  judge  under  the  new  constitu- 
tion, commenced  his  four  years'  term  November  17,  1849;  Judge  W. 
H.  Cather  went  into  office  in  November,  1853,  and  served  for  two  terms ; 
Judge  E.  B.  Barker,  in  1861 ;  Judge  Thomas  J.  Mitchell,  1865 ;  Judge 
J.  C.  Thompson,  1873 ;  Judge  Benjamin  F.  Berrian,  1877 ;  Judge 
Carl  E.  Epler,  1894 ;  Judge  Charles  B.  MeCrory,  1902 ;  Judge  Frank 
Garner,  1910;  Judge  Lyman  McCarl,  since  December  of  the  last 
named  year. 

Judge  B.  F.  Berrian 

Wilcox's  "Representative  Men  and  Homes  of  Quincy,  Illinois": 
"While  ex-Governor  Wood  is  the  founder  of  Quincy,  to  the  late 
George  W.  Berrian,  father  of  Judge  B.  F.  Berrian,  belongs  the  dis- 
tinction of  discovering  the  site  of  the  Gem  City.  In  the  spring  of 
1818  Mr.  Berrian,  with  his  uncle,  Richard  Berrian,  started  from  New 
York  in  a  covered  buggy  to  visit  that  section  of  western  Illinois  known 
as  the  Military  Tract.    Their  trip  was  a  long  and  eventful  one,  much 


QUINCV  AND  ADAMS  (.orNTV  Ij.i 

of  the  west  still  beiug  in  the  possession  of  the  Indians  and  the  white 
settlements  being  hundreds  of  miles  apart.  In  June,  1819,  accom- 
panied by  a  man  named  Jacobs  who  had  lived  for  some  time  within 
the  present  boundaries  of  Adams  county,  they  visited  the  blulfs  where 
(^uincy  is  now  loi-atetl.  Oltl  poles,  remnants  of  wigwams  or  teepees, 
were  still  numerous,  but  the  visitors  were  satisfied  at  that  early  day 
that  this  would  be  the  site  of  an  important  city.  Some  time  after 
leaving  this  locality,  near  Atlas,  the  Berrians  met  John  Wood  and 
ever  after  these  early  pioneers  were  warm  personal  friends.  Judge 
Herrian  still  has  in  his  possession  letters  written  by  his  father  from 
Edwardsville   in    1819. 

■Judge  Berrian  was  born  in  New  York  City,  October  2,  1830. 
With  his  father "s  family  he  left  New  York  on  the  last  day  of  April, 
1844,  to  come  west.  They  went  by  boat  to  Perth  Amboy,  New  York, 
thence  by  cars  to  Harrisburg,  via  Philadelphia,  where  they  took  a 
passenger  boat  on  the  canal  to  Ilollidaysburg.  The  mountains  were 
crossed  by  train  on  five  inclined  planes,  the  cars  being  hauled  up 
and  lowered  by  wire  cables  operated  by  powerful  engines.  From 
Johnstown,  on  this  side  of  the  mountains,  the  journej-  was  made  by 
canal  to  Pittsburg,  tJiencc  by  steamboat  to  St.  Louis  and  Quincy, 
where  the  party  arrived  on  the  morning  of  May  20.  A  long,  round- 
about and  tiresome  journey  fifty  years  ago,  now  made  in  comfort  in 
a  single  day. 

''In  the  development  of  Quincy  Judge  Berrian  has  been  a  promi- 
nent factor.  He  was  one  of  the  first  aldermen  to  represent  the 
Fourth  Ward,  elected  in  18.57  and  re-elected  in  1859.  In  1869  he  was 
elected  mayor  and  under  his  administration  the  city  resumed  ca.sh 
payments.  Previous  to  that  time  the  resources  of  the  city  had 
become  so  reduced  tiuit  all  payments  had  been  made  in  vouchers 
which  were  at  a  discount  of  40  per  cent,  but  he  determined  to  restore 
the  credit  of  the  city  and  by  rea.son  of  his  careful  and  successful 
financial  management  cash  jiayments  were  resumed. 

"In  1876  he  was  elected  county  judge  and  held  that  important 
office  for  seventeen  years.  During  his  long  term  of  service  on  the 
bench  the  affairs  of  tho  court  were  administered  with  even-handed 
and  impartial  justice  and  Judge  Berrian  is  universally  regarded  as 
one  of  the  most  honorable  officials  of  the  city  and  county." 

H.wGiNGS,  Leg.m.  and  Ii.i.eg.«> 

In  the  palmy  early  days  when  Earl  Pierce  was  .sheriff  of  Adams 
County  occurred  the  first  and  the  last  execution  in  that  part  of  the 
state.  It  was  also  the  first  hanging  in  the  Military  Tract,  so  far  as 
known.  In  the  month  of  December,  1834.  one  Bennett  was  executed 
in  Quincy  for  the  murder  of  one  Baker,  poor  wretches  whose  fiimily 
names  only  have  come  down  to  the  present.  The  killing  was  at  Ben- 
nett's cabin  above  town,  on  or  near  the  bay.  where  both  f>f  the  prin- 
cipals had  been  carousing  for  some  days.    The  case  was  clear  against 


154  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

him,  and  at  10  o'clock  A.  ^1.  of  that  winter's  day,  the  militia  of  the 
town  and  neighborhood  was  paraded  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Hedges  and  others  to  form  a  guard  at  the  execution.  JNIany  spec- 
tators, including  a  number  of  women,  attended.  Bennett  was  a  tall, 
lean  old  man,  and  when  brought  out  of  the  old  log  jail,  dressed  in  a 
long  white  shroud  and  cap,  he  walked  behind  the  wagon  (driven  bj' 
old  John  aiy,  who  was  dressed  in  a  buckskin  hunting  shirt)  to  the 
gallows.  All  were  impressed  with  the  firm,  Indian  like  tread  and 
carriage  of  the  murderer.  He  behaved  with  the  utmost  firmness  and 
dignified  resignation.  It  is  said  that  his  last  words  of  regret  and 
admonition  drew  many  tears  from  the  crowd  of  spectators. 

An  old  settler  who  witnessed  the  execution  adds  to  his  account  of 
it:  "That  day  six  fights  occurred  in  town.  Not  one  of  the  offenders 
was  arraigned  or  fined.  The  writer,  who  had  been  there  only  about 
a  month,  began  to  think  Quincy  a  hard  place." 

After  the  execution  of  Bennett,  the  gallows  were  not  again  called 
into  requisition  to  expiate  the  crime  of  any  Adams  County  criminal 
for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  In  1861  Attisou  and  Nelson 
Cunningham  murdered  a  feeble  old  man  named  Harrison,  who  lived 
some  miles  south  of  Quincy  and  was  supposed  to  possess  some  money. 
For  this  crime  Attison  Cunningham,  the  leader  in  the  terrible  aft'air, 
swung  from  the  gallows  in  the  rear  of  the  courthouse,  Friday  morn- 
ing, November  29,  1861. 

The  hanging  of  Rose,  the  bushwhacker,  in  1865,  by  a  Quincy  mob, 
is  the  only  instance  in  the  history  of  Adams  Count}*  in  which  lynch 
law  has  been  applied  to  an  offender.  He  was  accused  of  having  shot 
a  Mr.  Trimble,  a  prominent  democrat  of  Marcelline.  Rose  was  taken 
from  the  jail  by  some  of  the  convalescent  soldiers  in  the  hospital  at 
Quincy  and.  aided  by  a  number  of  other  citizens  of  little  prominence, 
met  an  illegal  death  at  the  hands  of  the  maddened  rioters. 

The  Luckett-Magnor  Murder  Tri.vl 

This  was  one  of  the  most  sensational  criminal  ca.ses  ever  brought 
into  the  Adams  County  courts.  Thurston  J.  Luckett  and  William 
Magnor  were  local  printers,  in  18-17,  the  former  with  quite  wealthy 
connections.  The.y  were  intimate  friends  before  a  woman  came 
between  them  and  caused  jealous  su.spicions  and  mortal  hatred. 
Finally  the.y  had  a  quarrel  in  the  Clay  Hotel  and  Magnor  was  stabbed 
to  death.  Browning  &  Bushnell  were  engaged  to  defend  Luckett  and 
no  money  was  spared  to  clear  him ;  public  sentiment  also  inclined 
toward  the  defendant,  and  the  members  of  the  bar  were  especially 
partial  to  him.  Such  circumstances  rather  tended  to  weaken  the 
morale  of  the  prosecution,  its  chief  official  representative  even  leav- 
ing the  city  during  the  progress  of  the  trial  and  his  assistant  handling 
the  situation  rather  feebly.  The  killing  was  done  in  the  spring  and 
the  trial  was  conducted  at  the  October  term  of  the  Circuit  Court.  The 
feature  of  the  case  which  made  it  noteworthy,  aside  from  the  standing 


QL'INCY  AND  ADAMS  CuL'XTV  155 

of  tlie  priucipals  in  the  tragedy,  was  O.  II.  Browning's  address  to 
the  jurj',  ill  defense  of  Luekett,  wJiieh  from  all  aeeounts  of  those 
who  heard  it  was  one  of  the  most  masterly  appeals  ever  made  by  that 
master  of  eloquence  and  persuasion.  After  its  delivery  the  last  vestige 
of  doubt  as  to  the  outcome  of  the  trial  disappeared;  Luekett  was 
promptly  acquitted. 

A  Slander  Suit  with  a  Moral 

The  j'ear  18-19  is  marked  by  two  events  which  were  brought  into 
court  and  causccf  more  than  local  interest.  The  Hi-st  was  a  slantler 
trial  which  was  conducted  during  the  June  term  of  the  Circuit  Court, 
and  was  the  outcome  of  bitter  j)ersonal  a.s  well  as  political  quarrels. 
S.  M.  Hartlett,  editor  of  the  Whig,  brought  the  suit  against  C.  M. 
Woods,  publisher  of  the  Herald.  Woods  and  Austin  Brooks  were 
the  Herald  proprietors,  and  Brooks  was  the  editor  who  had  written 
the  articles  alleged  to  be  slanderous,  but  the  suit  was  brought  against 
Woods  as  being  e<iually  liable  and  perhaps  financially  preferable  as 
a  defendant.  The  Herald  was,  of  course,  solidly  democratic,  and  the 
proceedings  assumed  an  even  broader  i)artisan  character  from  the 
fact  that  most  of  tiie  whig  lawyers  of  the  city  were  engaged  for  the 
plaintiff,  while  the  lawyers  of  the  democracy  were  lined  up  for  the 
defense;  also,  beca\ise  Judge  Minsliall  had  .just  been  elected,  umler 
the  new  eon.stitution  as  the  whig  candidate  for  the  circuit  bench.  The 
judge,  who  was  undoubtedly  honest,  although  inclined  to  slowness  of 
wit,  was  placeil  in  a  very  cml)arrassing  position,  which  certainly  did 
not  add  to  the  clearness  or  jiromptness  of  his  decisions.  If  they 
leaned  toward  the  whig  side  of  the  contention  the  democrats  all 
charged  him  with  being  politically  prejudiced,  and  if  he  seemed  to 
incline  the  other  way  by  so  much  as  a  hair's  breadth  the  whigs  claimed 
that  he  was  afraid  to  be  fair  to  them  on  account  of  his  known  political 
preferences.  The  suit  swung  back  and  forth  for  .several  days,  and  the 
result  was  a  nominal  verdict  for  the  plaintiff;  the  whigs  had  achieved 
a  -sort  of  a  moral  victory  and  the  democrats  were  left  intact  in  the 
region  of  the  pocket-book.  Those  who  followed  the  sequel  of  the 
famous  slander  suit  insisted  that  one  of  its  results  was  to  broaden, 
if  not  to  sweeten,  the  spirit  of  the  local  pres.s,  and  that  since  that  time 
Quiney  editors  have  come  to  understand  that  the  public  is  not  in- 
terested in  their  personal  quarrels,  and  that  it  has  a  right  to  demand 
that  space  in  the  prints  for  whidi  they  pay  their  good  money  should 
be  devoted  to  mattci-s  of  a  public  nature  only. 

TiiK  Kn.i.i.vc  ciF  .Ma.iok  Tukntis-s 

The  murder  of  Maj.  Henry  L.  Prentiss,  who,  on  Christmas  eve  of 
1849.  was  found  dead  near  the  courthouse,  stirred  Quiney  deeply,  as 
he  was  well  known  in  local  jxilitics  and  a  i)oi>ulnr  and  esteemed  citi- 
zen.   In  this  ease  Austin  West,  who  was  charged  with  the  offense,  was 


156  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

tried  iu  the  following  year  and  sentenced  to  three  years  in  the  peni- 
tentiary'. It  was  evidently  an  unpremeditated  homicide,  the  killing 
perhaps  being  the  result  of  a  hot-blooded  quarrel  incited  by  promis- 
cuous conviviality. 

The  court  records  show  that  West  was  indicted  for  the  murder 
of  Major  Prentiss  at  the  May  term  of  the  Circuit  Court,  1850 ;  that 
William  A.  Minehell  was  judge  and  R.  S.  Blackwell,  prosecuting 
attorney. 

Famous  Eels  Slave  Case 

It  was  not  until  1853  that  the  famous  fugitive  slave  case  which 
so  harassed  the  life  of  Dr.  Richard  Eels  was  decided  in  his  favor,  and 
the  decision  rendered  that  he  had  been  unjustly  convicted  by  the 
lower  court  sixteen  years  before.  He  died  in  the  West  Indies  about 
the  time  the  suit  was  determined.  To  begin  at  the  beginning  of  the 
trouble — one  evening,  in  the  late  summer  of  1837,  a  tall  and  rather 
lean  black  man  arrived  in  Quincy  from  Missouri.  He  swam  the 
Mississippi  River  and  was,  of  course,  as  wet  as  a  half-drowned  rat. 
A  colored  agent  of  the  Underground  Railway,  Barryman  Barnet, 
communicated  his  arrival  to  Doctor  Eels.  The  doctor  had  a  good 
buggy  and  a  fast  horse  and,  after  giving  the  black  man  a  dry  shirt 
and  a  pair  of  pantaloons,  started  north  with  him ;  no  doubt  expect- 
ing to  reach  the  next  station,  where  other  friendly  parties  would 
forward  the  escaping  slave  to  his  next  stopping  place.  But  his 
master  had  arrived  in  Quincy  and  organized  a  pursuing  party,  some 
of  whom  met  Doctor  Eels  and  the  fugitive  negro  and  ordered  them 
to  halt.  Instead,  the  doctor  stirred  up  his  steed  and  outdistanced 
his  pursuers  for  the  time  being.  Another  squad  overtook  him,  how- 
ever, and,  hiding  the  black  in  a  corn  field,  he  circled  around  toward 
home.  But  the  slave  was  caught  by  Sara  Pearson,  and  a  party  of 
pursuers  followed  the  doctor  to  his  residence  where  they  found  the 
buggy  containing  the  towel,  linen  shirt  and  l>reeches  of  the  negro 
still  wet  with  Mississippi  water. 

On  the  following  day  a  warrant  was  sworn  out  by  the  master  of 
the  slave  before  Henry  Asbury,  justice  of  the  peace,  and  a  preliminary 
trial  was  held  at  the  courthouse  to  determine  whether  the  doctor  should 
be  held  to  bail  to  answer  the  charge  of  "hai-boring  and  aiding  a  fugitive 
to  escape  from  the  service  of  his  master."  Says  Squire  Asbury: 
"The  examination  took  place  in  the  courthouse  and  was  largely  at- 
tended, with  able  lawyers  on  each  side.  The  doctor  was  held  to  bail. 
The  case  was  afterward  tried  in  the  Circuit  Court,  I  believe  before 
Judge  Douglas  (Judge  Skinner — Editor),  and  Eels  was  convicted 
and  fined.  The  case  thence  went  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  tlie  State 
and  finally  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  Both  deci- 
sions may  be  found.  The  justice  of  the  peace  delivered  a  written 
opinion,  and  he  is  almost  sorry  to  saj'  that  all  the  courts  above  him 
took  substantially  the  same  views  of  the  case  as  he  had  taken.     The 


Ql'INCV  AND  ADAMS  COUXTY  157 

affair  cost  Doctor  Eels  many  thousands  of  dollars  and  almost  broke 
him  up,  but  the  great  notoriety  of  the  Eels  case,  especially  when  it 
reached  tlie  Supreme  Coprt  of  the  United  States,  no  doubt  brought 
some  of  the  anti-slavery  people  of  New  England  forward  with  money 
to  assist  in  the  defense." 

As  stated,  the  controversy  over  the  Eels  case,  as  it  affected  the 
doctor  pei-sonally  and  disturbed  the  friendly  relations  between  Quincy 
and  the  Missouri  side  of  the  river,  was  decided  by  Judge  Skinner, 
of  the  Circuit  Court,  in  an  opinion  which  he  delivered  on  .Taiuiary 
21,  1853.  It  was  to  the  effect  that  the  authorities  of  the  United  States 
only  had  jurisdiction  over  suits  concerning  runaway  slaves.  A  public 
meeting  had  previously  been  held  in  Marion  County,  Mis.souri,  unan- 
imously resolving  to  sever  all  business  intercourse  with  Quincy  on 
account  of  the  disposition  of  so  many  of  its  people  to  aid  the  escape 
of  runaway  slaves.  The  question  agitated  on  the  Illinois  side  of  the 
river  was  a.s  to  the  obligation  of  citizens  in  this  matter,  under  the 
provisions  of  the  Black  laws  incorporated  into  the  constitution  of 
1848,  and  how  far  the  legal  machinery  of  the  state  could  be  made 
subservient  to  the  demand  for  the  return  of  the  fugitive  slaves.  Judge 
Skinner's  decision  placed  the  cognizance  of  such  cases  with  the  I'nited 
States  Government,  which  seemed  to  cut  the  claws  of  the  State  of 
Illinois  in  its  dealings  with  the  masters  of  runaway  negroes. 

The  Pioneer  Members  of  the  B.\r 

The  first  lawyer  to  make  Quincy  his  residence  was  Louis  Mas- 
<iuerier  or  Jla-scjuerre.  who,  about  1828,  located  at  the  little  settle- 
ment known  as  Quincy,  the  .seat  of  justice  of  Adams  County.  He 
does  not  seem  to  have  made  more  than  a  ripple,  or  to  have  deterred 
others  from  entering  the  field,  as  several  members  of  his  profession 
located  there.  Among  those  who  afterward  became  most  famous 
were  0.  H.  Browning,  who  has  already  figured  considerably  in  these 
pages,  and  Archibald  Williams,  another  strong  character,  whose  high 
and  broad  reputation  sin-ead  far  beyond  the  confines  of  Ailams  County. 

It  is  true  that  Mr.  Masquerier  dropped  somewhat  suddenly  out 
of  sight,  although  he  is  described  as  a  notable  man  in  his  short  day 
as  a  member  of  the  Adams  County  bar.  He  was  evidently  a  read.v 
speaker  and  writer,  a  man  of  ambition  and  much  information,  but 
capricious  and  quite  lacking  in  common  sense.  Clever  and  generally 
liked,  nevertheless  he  was  probably  well  hit-off  by  a  local  wag,  who 
pronounced  him  a  graduate  from  an  institution  "for  the  promotion 
of  useless  knowledge  and  the  general  confusion  of  the  human  under- 
standing." After  residing  a  short  time  in  Quincy,  Mr.  Masquerier 
mover  to  Southern   Illinois  and  there  died. 

ARcniB.\LD  "Williams 

Mr.  Williams  located  in  Quincy  two  years  before  the  arrival  of 
^Ir.  Browning.     He  became  a  resident  of  the  young  county  seat  in 


158  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1829,  only  four  years  after  it  had  been  staked  and  platted.  Judge 
Williams  was  a  Kentuekiau,  like  so  manj-  other  of  the  able  men  of 
the  city  and  county.  He  was  born  in  1801  and  his  early  struggles 
for  an  education  and  general  self-improvement  seasoned  him  into 
school-teaching  material  and  a  sturdy  young  man,  well  adapted  to 
make  his  way  in  the  undeveloped  West  of  the  Mississippi  Valley. 
From  teacher  he  graduated  to  law  student  and  the  final  choice  of 
his  profession  indicated,  by  his  after  success,  that  his  decision  was 
the  re.sult  of  wise  self-analysis.  In  1828  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  Tennessee  and  moved  to  Quiney  during  the  following  year.  There, 
during  his  first  six  years  of  practice,  he  achieved  the  highest  rank 
as  a  lawyer  and  a  splendid  citizen.  He  was  elected  to  the  Legislature 
three  times  and  in  1847  selected  against  a  democrat,  in  a  democratic 
district,  to  serve  in  the  Constitutional  Convention.  Twice  he  was 
nominated  by  the  whigs  as  their  choice  for  United  States  senator,  but 
the  overwhelming  opposition  was  too  much  even  for  his  popularity ; 
he  was  also  defeated  as  a  whig  candidate  for  Congress  immediately 
preceding  the  birth  of  the  republican  party.  Mr.  Williams  was 
offered  a  seat  on  the  United  States  Supreme  Bench  so  late  in  life  that 
he  refused  the  honor  on  the  ground  that  his  advanced  age  would*  dis- 
qualify him  from  completely  performing  the  arduous  and  honorable 
duties  of  that  position.  In  1849,  while  in  the  prime  of  his  professional 
strength  he  was  appointed  by  President  Taylor  district  attorney  for 
Illinois,  and  in  1861  was  appointed  by  President  Lincoln  United  States 
di.strict  judge  of  Kansas.  Strong,  kind,  charitable,  generous,  polished 
and  courteous,  Judge  Williams  left  numerous  warm  friends  and  count- 
less admirers  to  regret  his  earthly  departure  from  them,  on  Septem- 
ber 21,  1863.  At  the  time  of  his  decease,  he  had  been  a  resident  of 
Quiney  for  more  than  thirty-four  years,  and  few  of  its  citizens  ever 
became  more  firmly  intrenched  in  its  confidence  and  affection. 

Besides  Messrs.  Masquerier  and  Williams — the  one,  who  dropped 
so  soon  out  of  sight,  and  the  other  who  proved  so  enduring  a  factor 
in  the  upbuilding  of  the  community — the  members  of  the  local  bar, 
in  1831,  comprised  J.  H.  Ralston,  who  became  circuit  .judge  in  1837, 
and  Orville  H.  Browning.  This  select  array  was  augmented  later 
in  the  former  year  by  Richard  ]M.  Young,  who  came  to  accept  his 
appointment  as  circuit  judge,  and  by  Thomas  Ford,  the  prosecuting 
attorney  of  the  circuit,  who  afterward  became  governor  of  the  state. 
Adolphus  F.  Hubbard,  the  eccentric,  whose  ambitions  so  far  exceeded 
his  abilities  and  who  had  already  served  as  lieutenant  governor  under 
the  courtly  and  able  Edward  Coles,  also  joined  the  legal  group  at 
the  county  seat ;  with  Henry  Asbury  and  James  W.  Whitney,  the 
latter  popularly  designated  as  "Lord  Coke." 

Calvin  A.  Warren 

Calvin  A.  Warren,  able  himself  and  the  associate  of  several  of 
the  ablest  members  of  the  profession  in  Western  Illinois,  transferred 


QUINX'Y  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  159 

his  residence  from  Ohio  to  Quiucy  in  1836.  He  was  a  native  of  New 
York  as  a  youth  and  young  man,  mastered  the  printer's  trade  (work- 
ing with  Horace  Uredey  for  a  time);  supjiortod  liimself  thus,  while 
studying  law,  and  in  1834  graduated  from  Translyvauia  University, 
Kentucky.  Reserving  his  diploma  and  license  to  practice  from  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Ohio,  he  eonnnenced  active  professional  work  at 
Batavia,  that  state,  ui  partnership  with  Tliomas  .Morris,  afterward 
United  States  senator  from  Ohio..  Senator  Morris  was  the  father  of 
Hon.  Isaac  N.  Morris,  well  known  to  the  Quincy  bar. 

Although  Mr.  Warren  first  settled  at  (Quiucy  in  1836,  after  a 
year's  practice  there  he  moved  to  Warsaw,  but  returned  to  the  county 
seat  of  Adams  County  in  1839  and  formed  a  partnci-ship  with  J.  H. 
Ralston,  who  had  recently  resigned  from  the  Circuit  Bcndi  ami  was 
then  making  the  canvass  for  a  seat  in  the  State  Senate.  .Mr.  Warren 
was  also  associated  with  Judge  0.  C.  Skinner,  Alexander  E.  Wheat 
and  George  Ivlmunds,  Jr.,  of  Hancock  County.  He  al.so  served  for 
a  time  as  prosecuting  attorney.  His  death  occurred  at  his  home  in 
Quincy  February  22,  1881. 

Nehemi.\h  Blshnell 

The  partnership  between  O.  H.  Browning  and  Nehemiah  Bushnell 
was  historical,  both  for  the  length  of  time  it  endured  and  from  the 
fact  that  the  association  was  between  men  of  nuu-ked  abilities  and 
constantly  increasing  reputation.  They  were  both  young  men  when 
they  formed  it  in  1837 — Bushnell  a  graduate  of  Yale  and  an  energetic 
and  educated  Yankee,  and  Browning  a  genial,  jiolished,  eloquent  and 
ambitious  Kentuckian.  Mr.  Bushnell  located  in  Quincy  soon  after 
being  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1837.  .Mr.  Browning  had  been  elected 
to  the  State  Senate  a  few  montiis  ])revious  and  liad  higher  political 
ambitions.  They  joined  issues  instinctively,  as  from  all  contempo- 
raneous accounts  and  the  trend  of  their  subsequent  careers,  Mr.  Bush- 
nell was  content  to  devote  his  talents  solely  to  the  prosecution  of 
professional  i)ractice.  He  had  neither  inclination  nor  talent  for  pol- 
ities or  i)ublic  affairs,  although  for  a  short  time  after  coming  to 
Quincy  he  conducted  the  editorial  columns  of  the  Quincy  Whig.  The 
result  was  that  their  a.ssociation  was  one  of  ideal  strength  and  harmony 
and  was  only  dissolved  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Bushnell  in  1874 — a  period 
of  some  thirty-seven  years.  Thp  modest  field  to  which  he  confined 
his  git'ts  did  not  detract  from  the  admiration  of  the  al)le  men  of  otlier 
temperaments  who  had  felt  his  rare  influence  and  perhaps  been  un- 
consciously moulded  by  it.  Hon.  O.  C.  Skinner  referred  to  him  as 
an  "example  of  a  life  of  patient,  public  ami  professional  labor,  public 
usefulness  and  unsullied  fame,  distinguished  alike  by  learning  and 
talent — a  great  and  good  man."  Hon.  W.  A.  Richanlson  said:  "He 
could  have  adorned  the  presidency  of  any  institution  of  learning  in 
the  land.  He  was  qualified  to  have  discharged  the  duties  of  any  depart- 
ment  of   their   institutions.      His   talent,   his   learning,   his   sense   of 


160  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

justice,  would  have  made  him  conspicuous  and  eminent  on  the  bench 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States. ' '  Judge  Sibley  said : 
"The  needy  always  found  him  a  generous  giver,  the  unfortimate  a 
ready  sympathizer,  and  the  intelligent  conversationalist  a  mind  stored 
with  the  richest  fruit  of  miscellaneous  knovvedge. "' 

Isaac  N.  Morris 

Isaac  N.  Morris  studied  law;  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  his 
native  state  of  Ohio ;  in  1836  settled  at  Warsaw,  Illinois,  and 
in  1838  at  Quincy.  He  formed  a  partnership  with  C.  A.  Warren 
and  Judge  Darling,  and  in  1839  edited  the  Quincy  Argus,  to  eke  out 
his  finances,  which  were  none  too  plump  at  that  period.  Mr.  ilorris 
became  president  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  in  1841 ;  served 
as  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  1846  and  held  a  seat  in  Congress 
from  1856  to  1860.  Subsequently,  by  appointment  of  President  Grant, 
he  rendered  valuable  service  as  commissioner  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad.    His  death  occurred  at  his  home  in  Quincy  October  29,  1879. 

Philo  A.  Goodwin 

Philo  A.  Goodwin,  a  Connecticut  man,  located  at  Quincy  about 
1840  and  practiced  his  profession  there  until  his  death  in  June,  1873. 
He  was  a  sound  lawj-er  and  a  good  citizen. 

Mr.  Goodwin's  partner,  Horace  S.  Cooley,  resided  in  Quincj'  for 
a  number  of  years,  and,  although  comparatively  a  young  man  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  had  attained  public  prominence  as  secretary  of 
state  and  adjutant  general  of  Illinois.  Mr.  Cooley  was  tall  and  hand- 
some, a  popular  speaker  and  generally  attractive,  but  his  election  to 
public  office  forced  him  to  change  his  residence  to  Spi'ingfield.  He 
was  appointed  secretary  of  state  by  Governor  French  in  December, 
1846.  Mr.  Cooley  had  become  the  owner  of  the  ten  acres  afterward 
held  by  the  Collins  Estate,  corner  of  Maine  and  Eighteenth  streets, 
which  he  intended  to  improve  as  a  permanent  homestead.  But  he  died 
in  April,  1850,  before  his  return  to  Quincy  and  this  beautiful  tract 
was  sold.  Mr.  Cooley  had  fought  his  way  to  the  front  ranks  of  his 
profession.  He  was  a  man  of  education,  as  well  as  natural  talents, 
and  came  from  the  New  England  locality  which  sent  foi'th  Bushnell 
and  others  of  the  Quincy  bar  who  gave  such  a  good  account  of  them- 
selves. 

Edward  H.  Buckley 

Edward  H.  Buckley  may  be  said  to  fall  in  the  class  of  the  second 
immigration  of  legal  talent  to  add  to  the  strength  of  the  Adams 
County  bar.  He  was  among  the  arrivals  of  the  early  '40s.  Before 
he  finally  settled  on  Quincy  as  his  home  he  had  quite  a  varied  ex- 
perience in  the  West  of  his  day,  east  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and 


QL'IXCY  AXD  ADAMS  COUNT V  161 

he  did  not  at  ouce  locate  iu  the  fouiity  seat,  as,  for  a  number  of  years, 
he  was  the  strongest  champion  lined  up  for  Columbus,  of  which  he 
was  the  resident  lawj'er.  But  when  he  saw  the  fight  was  hopeless 
he  moved  to  Quincy.  Mr.  Buckley  was  a  Connecticut  man;  went  to 
Chicago  when  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  in  1834  located  at  Rich- 
mond, Indiana.  There  he  taught  school  and  studied  law  until  1839, 
when  he  was  admitted  to  tiie  liar.  In  1841  he  located  in  Columbus, 
and  in  1846-47  was  a  representative  of  tiie  new  County  of  Marquette, 
which  had  been  taken  from  the  territory  of  Adams  but  remained 
attached  to  it  judicially.  In  1848  he  moved  to  Quincy.  where  he  com- 
menced practice  and  served  as  deputy  under  County  Clerk  J.  C.  Ber- 
nard. After  reorganizing  the  records  under  the  new  constitution,  he 
was  appointed  city  clerk  l)y  Governor  Wood  in  1852-53.  Mr.  Buckley 
formed  a  law  partnci-ship  with  S.  I'.  Delano,  in  1857,  and  at  the  death 
of  the  latter  the  firm  became  Buckley,  Wentworth  &  Marcy.  Went- 
worth  retired  in  1865  and  Buckley  &  Jlarcy  dissolved  in  1870.  Mr. 
Buckley  himself  died  January  14.  ISDO.  and  at  his  passing  liad  given 
to  the  county  nearly  half  a  century  of  liis  ])rofessional  and  public 
life  and  good  citizenship. 

Almeron  ^V'heat 

Almeron  "Wheat,  deceased,  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  promi- 
nent attorneys  of  Quincy  and  a  man  of  influence  in  the  community. 
He  was  born  near  Auburn,  Xcw  York,  on  the  7th  of  March,  1813,  and 
was  a  son  of  Luther  and  Elniira  (ilarvin)  Wheat.  Ilis  father  was  a 
native  of  the  same  state,  being  born  near  Albany,  and  from  that 
place  removed  with  a  brother  to  a  farm  near  Auburn,  wliere  he  carried 
on  agricultural  pui-suits  until   his  death. 

Almeron  Wheat  began  the  study  of  law  in  Auburn,  New  York,  but 
shortly  afterward  removed  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  where  he  made  his 
home  until  1839,  his  time  iieing  devoted  to  tiic  profession  wiiich  he 
had  chosen  as  his  life  work.  In  the  latter  year  he  decided  to  locate 
in  Springfield,  but  on  hearing  of  his  intention  Drs.  Iliram  and  Samuel 
Rogers,  who  were  pioneer  physicians  of  Quincy,  went  to  see  him  and 
induced  him  to  settle  in  that  city.  There  he  successfully  engaged  in 
the  practice  of  law  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the 
12th  of  July,  1895. 

At  the  time  of  his  deatli  Mr.  Wheat  was  the  oldest  member  of 
the  Adams  County  bar  both  in  age  and  practice  and  always  ranked 
with  the  highest  in  the  profession.  It  was  said  of  him  that  he  was 
possessed  of  a  powerful,  analytical  and  logical  mind  and  indefatigable 
industry.  These  finalities  made  him  a  strong  character,  an  excellent 
lawyer  and  a  formidable  opponent  in  the  management  and  trial  of  a 
case  before  either  court  or  jury.  In  all  his  dealing  with  the  profes- 
sion he  was  fair  and  courteous  but  unyielding  so  far  as  the  rights 
of  his  clients  were  concerin^d.  Both  as  a  lawyer  and  a  man  he  was 
actuated  by  the  strictest   integrity  and  had  no  patience  with  any 


162  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

kind  of  dishonesty,  frauds  or  shams.  Mr.  Wheat's  practice  in  the 
courts  of  this  state  extended  through  a  period  of  more  than  half 
a  century,  all  of  which  time  he  devoted  exclusively  to  his  profession, 
eschewing  all  other  pursuits  and  especially  political  preferment.  He 
never  sought  nor  held  any  office  except  that  early  in  his  career  he  was 
elected  to  the  Legislature  and  by  his  efforts  in  that  body  the  removal 
of  the  county  seat  from  Quincy  was  prevented.  It  was  a  well  known 
fact  that  Mr.  Wheat  spent  hundreds  of  dollars  of  his  own  money  to  do 
this  and  when  on  account  of  the  decision  that  Quincy  was  to  con- 
tinue as  the  county  seat  the  county  was  divided,  it  was  due  principally 
to  his  efforts  and  expenditures  that  the  county  was  again  united. 
Subsequently,  although  a  member  of  the  dominant  party,  which  could 
and  would  have  given  him  any  position  he  sought,  he  always  re- 
fused to  be  a  candidate  for  any  office,  prefemng  to  devote  his  ener- 
gies to  his  profession.  He  was,  however,  county  attorney  for  over 
twenty  years. 

Alexander  E.  Wheat,  a  brother  of  Almeron,  was  also  a  prominent 
early  member  of  the  bar.  In  1857  he  was  appointed  city  attorney, 
five  years  later,  while  still  a  young  man,  was  sent  to  the  Legislature, 
and  was  long  a  member  of  the  law  firm,  Warren  &  Wheat.  His  death 
occurred  September  2,  1885. 

Hope  S.  Davis 

Hope  S.  Davis,  who  was  the  oldest  member  of  the  bar  in  Quincy 
at  his  death  December  21,  1905,  was  born  in  New  York  in  1828,  studied 
law  in  Rochester,  and  soon  after  his  admission  to  the  bar  in  1852 
settled  in  this  city.  From  1856  to  1862  he  served  as  city  superintend- 
ent of  schools  and  was  the  author  of  the  legislative  act  creating  the 
Board  of  Education.  He  served  four  years  as  county  superintendent 
of  schools,  1862-66,  and  was  sent  to  the  Assembly  in  1876. 

Col.  William  A.  Richardson 

William  A.  Richardson  had  become  a  leading  figure  in  military 
matters,  as  well  as  state  legislation,  when  he  succeeded  Judge  Douglas 
in  Congress  during  1847.  At  the  time  of  his  election  Colonel  Richard- 
son was  a  resident  of  Schuyler  Countj',  which  he  had  represented 
almost  continuously  in  the  Legislature  and  had  just  returned  from 
the  Mexican  war  with  a  well  earned  reputation  for  bravery  and  skill. 
As  the  successor  and  confidential  associate  of  Judge  Douglas,  and  from 
his  own  inherent  force  of  character,  his  position  and  influence  in  the 
national  councils  was  always  high.  At  the  August  election  he  carried 
Adams  County  over  N.  G.  Wilcox,  the  whig  candidate,  by  819  ma- 
jority. 

But  little  political  feeling  was  manifest  in  this  election,  although, 
during  the  canvass,  the  merits  of  the  Constitution  which  was  to  be 
voted  on  during  the  following  spring  were  much  discussed.     The 


QLINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  163 

elective  judiciary  was  au  experiment  about  which  mauy  liad  doubts, 
aud  the  proposed  chauge  iu  the  Couuty  Court  system  was  another  iuno- 
vation  which  was  by  uo  meaus  unanimously  favored. 

At  the  time  of  his  election  to  the  United  States  Senate  after 
Stephen  A.  Douglas'  death  in  1861,  Senator  Kichardson  had  made 
history  as  governor  of  the  Wild- West  Territorj-  of  Nebraska,  and  the 
conclusion  of  his  terms  as  United  States  senator  in  1865  terminated 
his  public  services  as  a  national  character.  He  died  in  Quincy,  De- 
cember 27,  1875,  having  made  that  city  his  home  for  the  preceding 
twentj'-six  years.  Quincy  and  Adams  County  are  therefore  especially 
proud  of  his  prominence  and  stalwart  personal  character. 

Colonel  and  Senator  Richardson,  for  he  was  fairly  entitled  to  both 
designations,  was  a  Kentuekian  born  in  Fayette  County  in  1811.  He 
was  a  graduate  of  Transylvania  Univereity,  Lexington,  and  was  quite 
liberally  educated  for  one  of  that  period  before  he  studied  law.  Soon 
after  his  admission  to  the  bar,  in  1831,  he  located  at  Shelbyville, 
Illinois,  but  had  not  secured  any  business  of  consequence  before  he 
felt  called  upon  to  volunteer  for  the  Black  Hawk  war.  After  ser\'ing 
thus  about  four  months,  he  located  at  Rushville,  the  countj-  seat  of 
Schuyler  County,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until  1849,  when  he 
moved  to  Quincy.  This  period  of  fifteen  years — from  the  time  of  the 
Black  Hawk  war  to  the  year  of  ilr.  Richardson's  coming  to  Quincy — 
was  bristling  with  events.  In  1835  he  was  elected  state's  attorney 
of  Schuyler  County,  resigning  that  office  in  the  following  j-ear  to 
take  his  scat  iu  the  Assembly.  He  was  sent  to  the  State  Senate  in 
1838 ;  was  a  presidential  elector  in  1844:,  and  in  1846  raised  a  company 
in  Schuyler  County  for  service  in  the  Mexican  war.  As  captain  of 
that  organization,  he  joined  the  Illinois  troops  at  Alton  and  was  placed 
in  the  first  regiment  under  command  of  Col.  J.  J.  Hardin.  During 
the  war  the  regiment  saw  considerable  active  service,  and  at  the  battle 
of  Buena  Vista  he  w'as  promoted  from  the  captaincy  of  his  company 
to  the  lieutenant-colonelcy  of  the  regiment. 

In  1847,  as  stated.  Colonel  Richardson  was  elected  to  Congress 
and  continued  to  serve  in  that  body  until  1856.  In  the  latter  year 
he  resigned  his  seat  to  canvass  the  state  for  the  governorship,  but 
owing  to  the  unpopularity  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill,  which  he  de- 
fended, he  was  defeated  by  4,000  votes  in  a  total  poll  of  240,000.  And 
that  was  his  first  and  only  political  defeat.  In  1857  President 
Buchanan  appointed  him  governor  of  Nebraska;  and  he  found  the 
territory  in  the  wildest  confusion ;  as  neither  civil  nor  criminal  laws 
were  in  force.  Before  leaving  his  diflioult  post,  however,  he  had  the 
satisfaction  of  establishing  in  that  troubled  countrj'  the  criminal  code 
of  Illinois  and  the  civil  practice  of  Ohio.  In  1860  Governor  Richard- 
son retumetl  to  Quim-y  and  was  n^-eleeted  to  Congress  from  that  dis- 
trict, which  he  served  until  called  to  the  United  States  Senate  iu  1861 
to  succeed  the  lamented  Douglas.  At  the  expiration  of  his  senatorial 
term  in  1865  he  resumed  his  residence  in  Quincy,  and  among  his 
last  public  acts  performed  was,  as  county  supervisor,  in  using  his 


164  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

potent  intiuence  to  permanently  retain  the  seat  of  justice  at  Quiney. 
Tlie  last  eft'ort  to  remove  the  county  seat  was  made  ouly  a  few  mouths 
before  his  death. 

A  character  of  great  personal  magnetism,  a  powerful  and  com- 
pelling speaker  and  a  stalwart  democrat,  Senator  Richardson  was, 
nevertheless,  so  tolerant  of  the  opinions  of  others  and  so  considerate 
in  both  his  mental  and  physical  beai'ing  toward  those  who  differed 
from  him,  that  while  he  raised  up  many  oppouents  in  the  course  of 
his  long  and  active  career,  he  passed  away  with  few  enemies.  His 
strength  and  his  influence  for  good  spread  over  a  wide  area  of  the 
country,  from  Quiney  as  the  home  center,  and  no  personality  who  has 
woven  himself  into  the  progress  of  Adams  County  is  remembered 
with  more  profound  i-espect  than  that  of  William  A.  Richardson. 

William  G.  Ewing 

ilr.  Ewing,  who  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Bloomington,  came  to 
Quiney  in  1863.  He  was  elected  city  attornej^  in  1866  and  the  city 
council  appointed  him  superintendent  of  public  schools  in  August  of 
the  same  j-ear.  Mr.  Ewing  was  re-elected  city  attorney  and  in  1868 
prosecuting  attorney  for  the  district  comprising  Adams  and  Hancock 
counties.  In  the  early  '80s  he  moved  to  Chicago  where  he  also  held 
judicial  positions. 

Col.  William  H.  Benneson 

But  Col.  William  H.  Benneson  was  generallj-  designated  as  the 
last  member  of  the  old  Adams  County  bar  to  survive.  He  died  at  his 
home  near  Quiney  January  27,  1899.  He  was  a  native  of  Delaware, 
and  in  1843,  after  receiving  a  collegiate  education  in  that  state  and 
teaching  for  several  years  in  Virginia,  was  admitted  to  the  practice 
of  the  law  and  opened  an  office  in  Quincj'.  His  first  partner  was 
Stephen  A.  Douglas,  who  in  June  of  that  year  had  resigned  from 
the  Supreme  bench  of  Illinois,  and  M'as  being  drawn  into  his  remark- 
able career  of  politics  and  statesmanship.  The  close  friendship  thus 
formed  continued  through  life.  In  1849  Mr.  Benneson  went  to  Cali- 
fornia, mined  for  three  years,  and  then  resumed  practice  at  Quiney. 
From  1853  to  1861  he  was  master  in  chancery  under  Judges  Skinner 
and  Sibley,  and  during  the  Civil  war  Governor  Yates  appointed  him 
colonel  of  the  Seventy-Eighth  Illinois  Infantry.  Ill  health  compelled 
him  to  resign  and  he  resumed  his  law  practice.  He  was  not  active 
either  in  professional  work  or  public  life  during  his  last  ten  or  fifteen 
years,  but  he  had  already  made  a  reputation  for  substantial  ability 
which  endured  to  the  last. 

Charles  Gilman  was  also  a  member  of  the  pioneer  bar,  who  was 
cut  down  by  the  cholera  scourge  of  1849  as  a  young  man  of  great 
promise.  He  had  already  made  a  name  as  a  leading  local  practitioner 
and  through  his  record  a.s  a  reporter  for  the  State  Supreme  Court. 


gllNCV  A.XIJ  AIJA.MS  LUUX:  V  •  1(JJ 

Capt.  Wellington  S.  Lee,  a  soldier  of  two  wai-s,  practieed  in  Quiney 
for  some  time  previous  to  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  lie  was  born  on 
a  Pennsylvania  farm  and,  as  a  youth,  served  in  the  ilexicau  war 
before  locating  in  tliat  eity  during  1850.  In  the  summer  of  1861,  after 
practicing  for  more  than  a  decade,  he  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Third 
Illinois  Cavalry,  and  within  the  siieeeeding  two  years  was  promoted 
to  a  captaincy.  He  died  August  21.  1863,  from  the  effects  of  the  acci- 
dental discharge  of  a  pistol  in  the  luuids  of  one  of  his  own  men.  Ilis 
only  regret  at  his  approaching  death  was  thus  expressed:  "Oh,  why 
could  I  not  have  fallen  in  battle?" 

Gen.  James  W.  Singleton 

Gen.  James  W.  Singleton  did  not  practice  law  in  Adams  County 
for  many  years;  he  loved  excitement  and  the  rush  of  active  politics 
too  much  to  confine  himself  to  any  one  profession.  He  was  a  Vir- 
ginian, but  in  early  life  moved  to  Schuyler  County,  Illinois,  where 
he  practiced  medicine  and  studied  law.  General  Singleton  represented 
that  count}-  twice  in  the  State  Legislature  and  as  a  delegate  to  the 
Constitutional  Convention  of  1848.  During  the  Mormon  troubles,  he 
had  charge  of  the  military  at  Nauvoo,  probably  as  brigadier  general 
in  the  state  service.  In  18r)2  he  became  a  resident  of  Quincy:  con- 
structed the  railroad  from  Camp  Grant  to  Meredosia ;  served  a  term 
in  the  Legislature  from  Adams  County ;  was  an  emis.sary  of  President 
Lincoln  to  the  Southern  Confederacy  on  a  peace  mission:  was  de- 
feated for  Congress  in  1868,  elected  in  1878  and  failed  of  a  re-election 
for  the  succeeding  term.  He  died  in  Baltimore,  ilaryland,  April  23, 
1892,  admired  for  his  versatile  talents,  respected  for  his  integrity,  and 
loved  for  his  generosity  and  warm  personality.  During  the  years  of 
General  Singleton's  residence  in  Adams  County,  there  was  no  spot 
within  its  limits  which  was  more  the  center  of  charming  hospitality 
and  unaffected  friendliness  than  Boscobel.  his  country  home  ju.st  east 
of  Quincy.  If  such  was  his  brand  of  politics,  it  was  certainly  of 
the  elevating  kind. 

Joseph  X.  C.\rter 

"Joseph  X.  Carter  was  born  in  Hardin  county.  Kentucky.  Alarch 
12,  1843;  graduated  at  Illinois  College  at  Jacksonville,  in  1S66,  and 
entered  the  law  Department  of  the  Michigan  University  in  the  fall  of 
the  same  year;  graduated  in  that  institution  in  1868;  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  this  city  in  1869;  elected  to  the  State  Legislature  from 
this  county  at  the  Xovember  election,  of  1878;  Republican  in  politics 
and  senior  of  the  firm  of  Carter  &  Govert.  attorneys  at  law." — Murray, 
Williamson  &  Phelps'  History  of  Adams  County  (1879). 

Judsre  Joscjih  X.  Carter:  "Quincy  has  given  many  eminent  men 
to  the  public  service  of  the  state  and  nation,  and  among  these  is  Joseph 
X.  Carter,  chief  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Illinois.    Judge  Carter 


166  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

is  a  quiet  and  unostentatious  gentleman,  always  the  same  to  friends 
old  and  new,  and  j-et  he  ranks  as  one  of  the  ablest  jurists  in  the 
country. 

"Judge  Carter  is  a  republican  in  polities,  and  in  1878  was  elected 
as  a  member  of  the  lower  house,  &c. 

"In  1894  Judge  Carter  was  nominated  by  the  republicans  of  the 
Fourth  supreme  judicial  district  as  their  candidate  for  the  supreme 
court  to  succeed  Judge  Simeon  P.  Shope ;  the  district  was  democratic 
by  12,000,  being  composed  of  twelve  counties.  Judge  Carter's  abilities 
were  so  fully  recognized  and  his  pereonal  popularity  was  so  great 
that  that  majority  was  overcome  and  he  was  elected  by  4,500.  The 
campaign  attracted  attention  all  over  the  country,  and  Judge  Carter 
at  once  sprang  into  national  fame.  His  services  on  the  supreme  bench 
have  been  brilliant,  and  in  1898  he  became  chief  justice  of  that  august 
tribunal." — Wilcox's  Representative  Men,  1899.  He  died  on  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1913,  as  the  ultimate  result  of  a  stroke  of  apoplexy  suffered 
five  years  before. 

Rufus  L.  Miller,  a  native  of  Maryland,  came  to  Qxiincy  in  his  boy- 
hood, and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1854.  During  the  Civil  war  he 
served  in  an  Iowa  regiment,  but  afterward  returned  to  Quincy  and 
practiced  thei'e  until  his  death  in  1881. 

Bernard  Arntzen 

Bernard  Arntzen,  a  Prussian,  came  to  Quincy  with  the  rush  of 
German  revolutionists  in  1849  and  established  a  drug  business.  But 
he  had  a  legal  mind  and  political  ambitions,  studied  law,  was  graduated 
from  the  Cincinnati  Law  School  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1857. 
Mr.  Arntzen  was  elected  city  attorney  in  1858 ;  was  the  democratic 
candidate  for  state  auditor  in  1860  and  in  1874  was  elected  state 
senator,  serving  in  the  last  named  capacity  for  four  years.  Afterward 
he  was  appointed  special  agent  of  the  Interior  Department  to  allot 
lands  to  Indians,  and  while  engaged  in  that  line  of  work  in  Nevada 
had  a  physical  break-down.  During  his  last  years  he  lived  in  Duluth, 
Minnesota,  where  he  died  in  1895. 

Jackson  Grimshaw 

Jackson  Grimshaw,  a  partner  of  Archibald  Williams  in  1857,  the 
year  of  his  coming  to  Quincy,  was  a  Philadelphian,  and  in  his  j-outh 
and  early  manhood  a  railroad  engineer  on  the  New  York  &  Erie  line. 
In  1843,  soon  after  his  admission  to  the  bar,  he  located  for  practice 
in  Pike  County,  whence  he  moved  to  Quincy,  as  stated.  He  was  a 
leading  member  of  the  Blooraington  convention  of  1856  which  or- 
ganized the  republican  party;  was  collector  of  internal  revenue  from 
3865  to  1869,  after  which  he  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
His  death  oceun-ed  at  Quincy  in  1875. 


QriNCV  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  1G7 

Sterling  P.  Delano 

Capt.  Sterling  P.  Delauo  was  another  promising  young  lawyer  of 
the  Quiucy  bar  whose  record  was  closed  by  the  stern  hand  of  war. 
When  nine  years  of  age  his  parents  brought  him  from  Vermont  to 
Indiana,  and  in  1848,  then  a  youth  of  eighteen,  he  went  with  the 
family  to  Hancock  County,  Illinois.  In  1855  he  located  at  Quincy 
and  entered  the  law  office  of  Browning  &  Bushnell,  while  in  1858  he 
formed  the  law  partnership  with  E.  II.  Buckley.  During  the  Civil 
war  he  enlisted  in  Captain  ^Mead's  Home  Guards,  of  which  he  was 
afterward  elected  captain.  He  died  in  1862  from  the  effects  of  a  wound 
accidentally  received  while  in  the  military  ser^'ice  of  his  country. 

Active  Lawyers  in  1869  and  After 

In  his  "History  of  Quincy  and  Its  Men  of  Mark,"  Pat.  II.  Red- 
mond, son  of  that  prominent  and  sturdy  pioneer,  Hon.  Thomas 
Redmond,  gives  a  list  of  the  men  who  were  engaged  in  professional 
activities  at  Quincy  in  1869,  the  year  of  the  publication  of  that  work. 
The  attorneys  at  law  then  active  were  Anitzen  &  Richardson,  Benncson 
&  Janes,  Browning  &  Bushnell,  E.  H.  Buckley,  J.  M.  Cyrus,  Duff  & 
Tj-rer,  Emmons,  Butz  &  Prentiss,  W.  G.  Ewing,  Goodwin  &  Davis, 
Jackson  Grimshaw,  E.  B.  Hamilton,  U.  H.  Keth,  J.  H.  &  J.  W.  Mc- 
Gindley,  E.  Prince,  G.  J.  Richardson,  Seoggan  &  ^IcCann,  Skinner 
&  Marsh,  J.  C.  Thompson,  R.  K.  Turner,  Wan-en  &  Wheat,  Wheat 
&  Marey,  J.  H.  Williams,  Henry  Asburj',  G.  W.  Fogg,  F.  S.  Giddlngs, 
C.  Grc'ly,  H.  H.  Jansen,  R.  L.  Jliller,  I.  :M.  Moore,  H.  T.  Patten  and 
A.  Wheat,  Jr.  This  list  is  re-published,  as  1869  seems  to  be  a  sort 
of  a  half-way  post  between  the  old  order  and  that  of  today.  A  new 
generation  of  lawj-ers — several  generations  almost — has  been  raised 
up  since  the  lawj'ers  mentioned  were  the  strength  of  the  Adams 
County  bar.    None  of  those  mentioned  are  now  living. 

Among  the  attorneys  of  that  generation,  and  perhaps  the  last  to 
pass  away  was  All)ert  A.  Wells,  who  came  from  the  State  of  New 
Jersey  and  located  in  Quincy  in  1870,  and  soon  after  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  Lawrence  E.  Emmons  which  partnership  continued  as 
Emmons  &  Wells  to  the  death  of  the  latter  which  occurred  in  1897. 
Mr.  Wells  was  twice  elected  to  the  Legislature  from  this  district  and 
also  to  the  State  Senate  of  which  body  he  was  a  member  at  the  time 
of  his  death.  Mr.  Wells  had  a  splendid  physique  and  was  a  fine  look- 
ing man.  He  was  a  good  lawjer  and  an  able  advocate.  He  preferred 
office  duties  rather  than  the  excitement  of  the  court  room.  He  is  better 
known  and  will  be  remembered  longer  for  the  work  he  did  in  the 
Legislature  and  Senate.  He  was  the  father  of  the  Labor  Day  Law 
in  Illinois. 

There  are  doubtless  others  of  broad  caliber  and  stanch  professional 
fiber,  who  threw  their  fortunes  with  the  Adams  County  bar  at  a  com- 
paratively early  day.    In  fact,  several  arc  recalled  before  this  sentence 


168  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

is  fairly  complete — Abraham  Jonas,  a  Keutuckian,  who  served  in  the 
Legislature  of  that  state  before  he  came  to  Quincy,  repeated  that  part 
of  his  record  in  the  Illinois  House,  was  also  master  in  chancerj'  and 
died  in  1864 ;  J.  H.  Richardson,  the  Indiana  lawyer,  who  practiced  in 
Quincy  from  1862  until  his  death  in  1891,  was  city  attorney  and 
served  in  the  State  Senate;  Judge  Joseph  C.  Thompson,  who  occupied 
the  county  bench  with  credit  from  1873  to  1877,  who  had  practiced 
law  for  fourteen  years  before  coming  to  Qxiincy  in  1868,  was  a  leading 
democrat  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1893  was  sen'ing  as  post- 
master; Col.  W.  W.  Berrj',  who  had  made  a  brilliant  military  record 
as  commander  of  the  Louisville  Legion  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
before  he  located  in  Quincy  as  a  lawyer  and  afterward  became  com- 
mander of  the  Illinois  Encampment  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public and  an  influential  republican  leader ;  Ira  M.  Moore,  who  resided 
in  Quincy  for  a  third  of  a  century  as  a  member  of  the  local  bar,  a 
representative  of  the  Legislature,  justice  of  the  peace  and  author  of 
several  standard  legal  works,  who  died  in  1905 ;  and  George  A.  Ander- 
son, a  Virginian  who  located  at  Quincy  soon  after  his  admission  to 
the  bar  in  1879,  was  a  lawyer  of  rare  ability,  city  attorney  and  mem- 
ber of  the  Fiftieth  Congress.     IMr.  Anderson  died  in  1896. 

Gen.  E.  B.  Hamilton,  who  died  March  20,  1902,  was  a  Civil  war 
soldier  and  officer  from  Hancock  County,  Illinois,  and  in  1866  moved 
to  Quincy.  He  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1869  and  in  1877,  in  recog- 
nition of  his  services  as  colonel  of  the  Eighth  Illinois  Infantry  at  the 
great  railroad  strike  in  East  St.  Loiiis,  was  commissioned  brigadier 
general.  He  was  afterward  inspector  general  of  the  Illinois  militia. 
General  Hamilton  was  an  eloquent  orator  and  an  able  lawyer.  He  died 
March  20,  1902. 

Frederick  V.  Marcy,  a  Dartmouth  College  young  man,  came  to 
Quiuc.y  before  his  admission  to  the  bar.  After  completing  his  studies 
with  Wheat  &  Groves  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm.  He  was  a 
classical  scholar  and  a  broad-minded  attorney.  He  died  July  14, 
1884. 

Other  members  of  the  Quincy  bar  who  have  practiced  law  in 
Adams  County  and  have  won  for  themselves  more  or  less  distin- 
guished records  and  who  are  now  deceased — and  whose  historj-  for 
lack  of  space,  cannot  be  given  in  detail  here,  are : 

Thos.  H.  Brooker,  J.  E.  Balthorpe,  L.  H.  Berger,  C.  A.  Babcock, 
\V.  Clay  Crewdson,  Sterling  P.  Delano,  Isaac  M.  Grover,  Chas.  M. 
Gilmer,  John  F.  Gilmer,  Abraham  Jonas,  H.  H.  Jansen,  Geo.  M. 
Janes,  Aaron  McMurray,  Ira  M.  Moore,  Edward  Prince,  Geo.  J. 
Richardson,  Jas.  N.  Sprigg,  Jos.  A.  Roy,  Almeron  Wheat,  Jr. 

The  Quincy  Bar  Association 

With  verv-  few  exceptions  the  lawyers  of  Quincy  have  numbered 
the  leading  attorneys  of  Adams  County;  so  that  they  have  never  felt 
called  upon  to  formally  extend  the  scope  of  their  organization.     As 


(,iri.\(V  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  169 

it  is  provided  iu  the  constitution,  liowevcr,  that  "judges  of  courts  of 
records  in  Illinois  and  members  of  the  Bar  of  Illinois,  may  likewise 
hceonu'  memliers,"  ni)  lawyer  of  good  standing  in  the  county  is  really 
barred  from  j)artieii)ation  in  its  delilierations. 

The  certificate  of  incorporation  of  the  Quincy  Bar  Association  was 
filed  by  Joseph  X.  Carter.  ITope  S.  Davis  and  Rufus  L.  Miller,  on  the 
18th  of  Januarj-,  1876.  It  is  stated  that  its  particular  object  is  "to 
establish  and  maintain  the  honor  and  dignity  of  the  profession  of  the 
law,  to  cultivate  social  intercourse  among  its  memboi-s,  and  to  increase 
its  usefulness  in  promoting  the  due  administration  of  justice."  The 
names  of  the  managers  selected  for  the  first  year  were  Orville  H. 
Browning.  Alexander  E.  Wheat.  Frederick  Y.  ^larcy.  "William  ^larsli. 
John  H.  Williams,  Ira  M.  Jfoore  and  Henry  Asliury.  Mi'.  Rrowuing 
was  the  president;  Messrs.  Marsh  and  Wheat,  vice-presidents;  Rufus 
L.  ^liller,  secretary,  and  James  F.  Carrott.  treasurer. 

After  a  considerable  period  of  official  life,  the  a.ssociation  became 
inactive,  but  was  reorganized  April  5,  1902.  Since  that  year  Joseph 
N.  Carter  and  Samuel  Woods  have  served  as  its  presidents.  Its  first 
vice  president  is  F.  M.  MeCann ;  second  vice  president,  John  E.  Wall ; 
secretarj-,  Walter  H.  Bennett ;  treasurer,  George  W.  Govert. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  present  membei"s:  J.  L.  Adair, 
Albert  Akcrs,  Edward  P.  Allen,  Charles  L.  Bartlett,  Walter  H.  Ben- 
nett, A.  J.  Brockschmidt,  M.  F.  Carrott,  L.  E.  Emmons,  Sr.,  L.  E. 
Emmons,  Jr.,  Carl  E.  Epler.  W.  G.  Feigenspan.  J.  Frank  Garner, 
William  H.  Govert.  George  W.  Govert,  Joseph  H.  Hanly.  S.  A.  Hub- 
bard. John  T.  Inghram,  Roy  D.  Johnson,  U.  H.  Keath,  W.  E.  Lan- 
caster. W.  P.  Martindale.  F.  :M.  McCann,  Lyman  :\rcCart,  F.  R.  Mc- 
Kennan,  W.  Miller.  S.  B.  Montgomery,  F.  W.  ^lunroe.  Frank  J.  Penick, 
Elmer  C.  Peter.  Thomas  P.  Petri.  T.  C.  Poling.  Arthur  R.  Roy,  Thomas 
A.  Scherer.  P.  J.  Schlagenhauf,  William  Schlagenhauf.  H.  E.  Schmied- 
eskamp,  ilauriee  Vasen.  R.  ]\I.  Wagner.  John  E.  Wall.  George  IT. 
Wilson,  J.  M.  Winters,  Fred  Wolfe,  C.  H.  Wood,  Samuel  Woods. 

Uriah  II.  Keath,  Oi-Df:sT  Livi.vo  L.wvver 

Uriah  IT.  Keath.  with  one  exception  the  oldest  practitioner  at  the 
Quincy  bar,  was  bom  in  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  November  3,  1831. 
]\\<  father.  Gabriel  Keath.  was  born  in  Montgomery  County,  Ken- 
lucky,  October  13.  1807,  and  died  in  1865.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
stock-raiser.  He  first  visited  Illinois  in  1828.  but  afterwards  re- 
turned to  Kentucky  and  it  was  not  until  1832  that  he  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Adams  County,  locating  at  Columbus.  There  he  remained 
until  the  spring  of  1834.  when  he  removed  to  T'rsa  Township,  where 
lie  purchased  a  farm,  residing  thereon  until  his  di-ath.  There  he 
reared  his  family  and  in  the  management  of  his  farming  interests  he 
displayed  good  business  ability.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  in  which  he  .served  as  elder  and  in  the  work  of 
which  he  took  an  active  and  helpful  i)art.    His  early  political  support 


170  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

was  given  to  the  whig  party  and  upon  its  dissolution  he  joined  the 
ranks  of  the  new  republican  party.  He  married  Lucinda  Randolph, 
daughter  of  James  Randolph  and  a  cousin  of  John  Randolph  of 
Roanoke.  She  was  born  in  Kentucky  and  it  was  in  1879  that  she  was 
called  to  her  final  rest  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight.  Gabriel  and 
Lucinda  Keath  were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  four  sons  and  four 
daughters. 

To  the  public  school  system  of  Adams  County  Uriah  H.  Keath 
is  indebted  for  the  early  educational  privileges  he  enjoyed.  In  1849 
he  entered  McKendree  College,  at  Lebanon,  Illinois,  and  on  leaving 
that  institution  in  1852  he  went  to  Kentucky,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  teaching  for  several  months.  Following  his  return  to  Adams 
County,  he  again  taught  school  for  a  time  and  then  took  up  the  study 
of  law  in  the  office  of  Archibald  Williams  and  C.  B.  Lawrence  of 
Quincy,  being  admitted  to  the  bar  on  the  5th  of  February',  1855.  He 
began  practice  at  Sigourney,  Keokuk  County,  Iowa,  and  was  thus 
engaged  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  in  the  spring  of  1861.  He 
was  then  commissioned  by  Governor  Kirkwood  as  a  recruiting  officer 
and  assisted  in  raising  three  regiments.  He  was  made  first  lieutenant 
of  Company  F,  Fifth  Iowa  Infantry,  under  the  command  of  Col.  W.  H. 
"Worthington,  and  a  year  later  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain 
in  September,  1862,  having  command  of  his  company  until  mustered 
out  of  service  on  the  27th  of  October,  1864,  at  Atlanta,  Georgia.  He 
served  in  all  of  the  campaigns  in  llissouri  under  Generals  Fremont, 
Pope,  Hunter  and  others  and  during  the  gi'eater  part  of  his  connec- 
tion with  the  army  was  with  the  Fifteenth  and  Seventeenth  Corps. 
He  was  in  twenty-one  battles,  among  which  may  be  mentioned  New 
Madrid,  Island  No.  10,  luka,  Corinth,  Yieksburg,  Knoxville,  siege 
of  Corinth,  Missionary  Ridge  and  the  Atlanta  campaign,  and  he  did 
his  full  duty  as  a  soldier,  being  most  capable  and  loyal  in  the  discharge 
of  every  task  that  devolved  upon  him. 

"On  leaving  the  army  Mr.  Keath  returned  to  his  home  in  Iowa, 
but  in  1865  became  a  resident  of  Quincy,  where  he  at  once  opened 
a  law  office  and  has  since  practiced  in  all  the  courts.  He  enjoys  the 
enviable  reputation  with  court,  counsel  and  client  of  a  practitioner 
scrupulously  accurate  in  statement  and  in  every  action  or  position 
governed  by  the  nicest  sense  of  professional  honor.  His  political 
support  is  given  to  the  republican  party  and  he  has  exercised  consider- 
able influence  in  political  circles.  He  served  as  United  States  deputy 
collector  of  revenue  under  President  Harrison,  being  appointed  in 
1889,  and  was  assistant  superintendent  of  the  public  schools  of  the 
county  from  1865  until  1869.  He  served  for  several  terms  as  chair- 
man of  the  republican  executive  committee  of  Adams  County  and  has 
been  a  member  of  the  state  central  committee.  *  *  *  His  time  and 
attention,  however,  have  been  principally  devoted  to  the  practice  of 
law  and  he  is  today  the  oldest  member  of  the  Quincy  bar  in  continuous 
practice  with  the  exception  of  Hope  S.  Davis  (Editor:  'Slv.  Davis  has 
since  died).    As  a  man  he  is  of  genial  nature  and  social  tastes  and 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COIXTV  171 

these  qualities  have  won  him  a  host  of  warm  and  devoted  friends." — 
Wilcox's  Representative  Men. 

(Since  the  death  of  Judjje  Williams  and  Mr.  Davis,  ilr.  Kcath  is 
the  oldest  living  member  of  the  bar.  lie  is  still  living,  May  20,  1918 — 
Note  by  W.  A.  Richardson.) 

Veteran  L.vwrexce  E.  Eiiiioxs 

"Lawrence  E.  Emmons  was  born  in  New  York  city,  October  1, 
1836;  was  married  to  Jliss  Eliza  II.  Fletcher  in  1856;  she  was  born 
in  Savannah,  Georgia ;  they  have  two  children,  Lawrence  E.  and  Lilly 
F. ;  he  studied  law  in  the  Chicago  Law  School ;  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1861 ;  and  removed  to  Bri.stol,  Kendall  county,  where  he  prac- 
ticed law  until  1865,  when  he  was  commissioned  First  Lieutenant  of 
the  147  Regt.  Illinois  Infantry,  with  which  regiment  he  served  until 
the  spring  of  1866 ;  after  being  mustered  out  he  came  to  Quincy  and 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  has,  by  close  attention, 
built  himself  up  an  enviable  reputation  and  very  lucrative  business. 
He  is  Republican,  and  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church." — History 
of  Adams  County,  1879. 

"Mr.  L.  E.  Emmons,  the  eminent  attorney,  was  born  in  New  York 
City,  but  came  west  when  quite  a  boy,  and  was  reared  on  a  farm  near 
Bristol,  Illinois.  He  went  to  the  district  school  in  the  winter  time,  and 
attended  two  terms  at  ilt.  Morris  Seminary.  At  twenty-three  he  com- 
menced the  study  of  law  in  the  law  department  of  the  old  Chicago 
University,  graduated  in  1861,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  l)y  the 
supreme  court  the  same  year.  He  practiced  his  profession  in  Kendall 
county  until  1864,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  army  and  helped  to  organize 
the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry.  He  was  com- 
missioned First  Lieutenant,  but  was  a.ssigned  by  the  department  to 
detached  service  as  ordnance  oflficer,  subsequently  as  assistant  com- 
missary, in  which  position  he  sened  until  discharged  in  ]March,  1866. 
He  was  married  to  Miss  Fletcher  in  Marietta,  Ga.,  in  May,  1866,  and 
came  to  Quincy  in  September  of  that  year.  He  at  once  opened  a  law 
o'xice  and  has  been  in  active  practice  here  ever  since,  rising  to  a  most 
eminent  position  at  the  bar,  a  place  which  has  been  won  by  his  com- 
prehensive knowledge  of  the  law  and  his  conscientious  care  of  the  in- 
terests of  his  clients.  His  first  partners  were  Gen.  B.  il.  Prentiss,  the 
hero  of  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  and  M.  R.  Butts.  In  1873  Mr.  Emmons 
formed  a  partnership  with  the  late  Senator  Albert  W.  Wells,  which 
continued  to  the  deatli  of  the  later  in  1896,  and  he  then  took  his  son, 
L.  E.  Emmons,  Jr.,  as  a  partner." — Wilcox's  Representative  Men, 
1899.    Mr.  Emmons  is  still  living. 

When  Bench  and  Bar  Were  Picturesque 

Gen.  John  Tillson,  whose  fame  is  more  of  a  military,  literary  and 
public  man  than  that  of  a  lawyer,  nevertheless  practiced  among  the 


172  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

earlier  members  of  the  local  bar,  and  is  well  qualified,  from  close  con- 
tact aud  broad  observation,  to  give  a  picture  of  the  pioneer  period 
of  the  bench  and  bar.  He  has  thus  laid  on  the  rich  colors  in  his 
"Histoiy  of  Quincy":  "Well  was,  and  is  it  known  that  during  the 
earlier  periods  of  our  state  history,  the  prominence  of  the  Quincy,  or 
Bounty  Tract  bar,  was  an  admitted  Illinois  fact.  Here  were  taught, 
needed,  developed  the  stalwart  qualities  that  attach  to  and  betoken  the 
most  complete  fruition  of  legal  excellence,  as  attained  in  the  recogni- 
tion, study,  comprehension  and  application  of  the  obtuse  and  limitless 
principles  and  history-  of  that  noblest  portion  of  jurisprudence— land 
law.  On  this  broad  field,  years  since  inviting  and  fast  filling  with 
adventurous  immigration,  where  existed  land  titles  of  every  shade, 
affected  by  conflicting  legislation,  varying  as  the  years,  was  gained 
the  rare  training  and  reputation  of  our  legal  athletes— an  arena  such 
as  was  found  in  no  other  section  of  the  state ;  and  in  addition  to  these 
advantages,  themes  of  practice,  the  professional  necessities  of  the  bar 
vastly  aided  its  members  in  their  advance  to  self-reliant  supremacy. 
The  reasons  for  this  are  novel,  but  conclusive. 

"Law,  in  those  past-off  days,  demanded  of  its  votaries  different 
qualities  from  now.  It  exacted  tlie  instincts  of  the  smarter  men,  of 
genius,  and  nerve  and  novelty.  It  was  the  intellectual  over  the  edu- 
cated that  led  the  van.  Of  books  there  were  few.  Authorities  and 
precedents  slumbered  not  in  the  great  handy  libraries.  The  entire 
resources  of  the  Bounty  Tract  could  hardly  to-day  fill  out  the  shelves- 
of  one  ordinary  lawj^er's  library.  Hence  alike,  whether  engaged  in 
counsel  or  litigation,  native  resources,  remembrance  of  past  reading, 
but  mainly  the  readiness  and  aptitude  with  which  legal  principles, 
drawn  from  rudimentary  reading  or  educated  by  intuition,  could  be 
applied  to  any  interest  or  exigence  in  'the  infinite  variety  of  human 
concerns,'  were  the  only  armories  whence  were  drawn  their  needed 
weapons  of  assured  success.  He  was  a  luckless  lawyer  who  had  to  hunt 
his  books  to  settle  a  sudden  controverted  point,  or  answer  a  bewildered 
client's  query;  and  he  was  a  licensed  champion  who,  theorizing  from 
his  instored  legal  lore  or  instinctive  acumen,  knew  on  the  instant 
where  best  to  point  his  thrust,  and  was  equally  ready  with  every  form 
of  parry  and  defense.  The  off-hand  action  and  advice  of  such  men, 
nerved  by  necessity  and  skilled  by  contest,  became  of  course  to  be  re- 
garded almost  like  leaves  of  law. 

"One  can  thus  somewhat  realize  what  keen,  pliant,  incisive  re- 
source was  attained  by  such  careers;  how  inspiring  and  attractive 
were  their  conclusions;  how  refined,  subtle  and  sharpened  their  in- 
tellects must  have  become. 

"It  should  not  be  supposed  that  looseness,  lack  of  accuracy  or 
legal  formula  marked  the  rulings  of  the  bench  and  bar.  There  was 
friendship  and  familiarity,  it  is  true ;  because  everybody  knew  every- 
body. The  court  houses  were  shambling  great  log  houses ;  their  furni- 
ture, chairs  and  desks,  split  bottomed  and  unplaned,  would  have  set 
a  modern  lawyer's  feelings  on  edge;  but  the  bench  was  always  filled 


(^II.\(Y  AND  ADA.MS  COrNTV  17:5 

with  character,  knowledge  ami  dignity,  and  tlic  forensic  ruling  and 
requirement  were  governed  by  as  much  judicial  precision  and  profes- 
sional deference  as  would  mark  the  records  of  the  most  pretentious 
tribunal  in  the  land. 

"The  bar  in  those  early  days  was  a  sort  of  a  family  to  itself. 
There  was  mutual  aciiuaintance.  All  traveled  the  circuit,  went  to 
every  county  on  court  week,  came  from  all  quarters.  Kgypt  and 
Galena  had  their  representatives.  Some  went  there  becau.se  they  had 
business ;  some  because  they  wanted  to  get  business,  and  all  that  they 
might  learn. 

"In  court,  by  practice  and  observation,  was  acquired  much  of 
knowledge  that  the  paucity  of  books  denied  the  student  and  young 
practitioner.  Out  of  court  their  a.s.sociations  were  like  those  of  a  de- 
bating society  or  law  school.  They  mingled  iu  common ;  ate,  drank, 
smoked,  joked,  disputed  together.  The  judge,  at  the  tavern,  had  the 
spare  room,  if  such  a  room  there  was,  and  the  lawyers  bunked  cozily, 
dozens  together,  in  the  'omnibus,'  as  the  big,  many-bedded  room  was 
called,  and  there  they  had  it.  Whatever  of  law  point,  past  or  present, 
pending  or  probable,  could  be  raised,  they  went  for  it,  discussed,  dis- 
sected, worried,  fought  over  it,  until  whether  convinced  or  not,  all 
knew  more  than  when  they  rrst  commenced;  and  thus  struggling  over 
these  made-up  issues  of  debate  became  sharpened,  by  mutual  attri- 
tion, the  legal  faculties  that  were  panting  for  future  and  more  serious 
contests. 

"These  lawyers  were  on  exhibition,  and  they  knew  it.  Every  man 
in  the  county  came  to  town  court  week,  if  he  could.  There  were  but 
few  people  in  the  county  then,  and  court  week  was  the  natural  period- 
ical time  for  the  farmers  to  meet,  swap  stories,  make  trades,  learn  the 
news,  hear  the  speeches,  and  form  their  own  opinion  as  to  which  of 
the  'tongue  fellows  it  is  safest  to  give  business  to,  or  vote  for  the 
Legi-slature. '  A  pretty  good  idea  of  how  universal  was  the  gathering, 
of  necessity  at  the  county  seat  in  those  primitive  days,  may  be 
gleaned  from  the  fact  that  at  the  a.s.senibling  of  the  fii*st  court  in 
Adams  County,  every  man  in  Adams  and  Hancock  (then  a  part  of 
Adams)  wa.s  either  on  the  grand  or  petit  jury,  except  two — and  one 
(if  them  was.  and  perhaps  both,  under  indictment.  Host  of  them  were 
young.  They  had  jolly  old  times — those  limbs  of  the  law — jolly  in- 
deed I  All  were  instinct  with  the  very  cream  of  zeal,  enterprise  and 
originality  that  inheres  to  a  new  community;  and  among  them  jibe, 
jest  and  fun.  yarn  and  repartee,  were  tossed  al)out  like  meteoric 
showers. 

"An  amusing  incident  is  told,  in  which  the  judge,  prosecuting  at- 
torney and  another  member  of  the  bar  were  traveling  over  the  prairie, 
and,  while  lighting  their  pipes,  either  thoughtlessly  or  accidentall.v, 
set  the  gra.ss  on  fire.  It  spread,  swept  toward  the  timber,  destroyed 
a  settler's  fences  and  improvements,  and  some  luckless  wight  was  in- 
dicted for  the  offense.  The  lawyer  who  formed  one  of  the  traveling 
party  defended  the  culprit.    The  prosecuting  attorney,  of  course,  had 


174  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

his  duties  to  perform  in  the  furtherance  of  the  ends  of  justice.  The 
judge  had  the  outi-aged  interests  of  law  to  protect  under  the  solemnity 
of  his  position  and  oath;  but  it  required  all  the  earnest  efforts  of  the 
gifted  counsel,  all  the  generous  rulings  of  the  judge,  all  the  blundering 
action  of  the  prosecuting  attorney — the  united  sympathies,  in  fact, 
of  this  secretly  sinning  legal  trinity — to  prevent  the  jury  from  finding 
a  verdict  against  the  innocent  accused." 

The   Physicians 

The  character  of  the  physicians  who  first  settled  in  Quincy  and 
throughout  the  county  was  lullj-  up  to  the  best  standard  of  the  coun- 
try doctor  of  the  West;  and  no  more  faithful  soul  could  anywhere  be 
found  in  that  wilderness  country.  As  with  the  lawyers,  the  cream  of 
the  medical  and  surgical  profession  gathered  at  the  county  seat — the 
Rogers  brothers.  Doctor  Hornsby,  Dr.  J.  N.  Ralston,  Dr.  Richard  Eels 
and  others. 

Dr.  Samuel  W.  Rogers,  the  elder  of  the  brothers,  was  the  first  phys- 
ician to  settle  in  Quincy,  if  not  in  the  county.  Like  most  members  of 
his  profession  in  a  new  country,  if  possessed  of  really  strong  character, 
he  became  prominent  in  the  public  affairs  of  the  locality.  He  was  a 
democrat  of  radical  convictions  and  considerable  influence  and  held 
the  Quincy  postmastership  for  some  time.  Doctor  Rogers  died  about 
1900  at  his  daughter's  residence  ia  New  Hampshire.  He  commenced 
practice  at  Quinej'  in  1829,  and  lived  to  a  venerable  age. 

Dr.  Hiram  Rogers,  the  younger  brother,  was  also  a  physician  of 
education  and  skill,  and  came  from  New  York  to  Quincy  in  1843.  He 
first  engaged  in  the  drug  business  with  Dr.  J.  N.  Ralston,  who  had 
been  residing  at  the  county  seat  for  more  than  a  decade.  This  Doctor 
Rogers  was  register  of  the  land  office  from  1845  to  1849  and  died  in 
Quincy  about  twenty  years  ago.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Capt. 
Nathaniel  Pease,  the  Boston  merchant  and  capitalist  who  came  to 
Quincy  in  1833  to  embark  in  the  packing  business  and,  after  making  a 
great  success  of  it  and  forming  many  warm  friendships  in  the  town 
and  county,  died  in  1836.  His  daughter,  the  widow  of  Dr.  Hiram 
Rogers,  lived  in  Quincy  many  years  after  the  death  of  her  husband. 

Dr.  Joseph  N.  Ralston  was  a  native  of  Bourbon  County,  Kentucky, 
and  spent  his  early  manhood  as  a  farmer.  At  the  death  of  his  first 
wife  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  and  after  attending  medical 
lectures  at  Lexington  obtained  his  license  to  practice,  and  in  1882 
settled  at  Quincy  for  that  purpose.  For  nearly  forty-five  years,  or 
imtil  his  death  in  June,  1876,  he  gave  a  large  measure  of  his  strength 
and  talents  to  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  during  that  long 
period  always  maintained  an  acknowledged  leadership  both  as  a  prac- 
titioner and  a  public  spirited  citizen  of  practical  worth  and  high 
ideals.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  and  the  first  president  of  the 
Adams  County  Medical  Society  and  was  re-elected  to  that  position 
several  times  afterward.    From  its  organization  in  1850  until  the  year 


ivMIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  175 

of  his  death,  he  generally  held  some  position  of  honor  or  trust  in  the 
society. 

Dr.  Ralston  also  was  pleased  to  devote  his  time  and  abilities  to 
public  local  affairs  quite  divorced  from  any  professional  considera- 
tions. In  the  earlier  history  of  the  city  he  served  in  the  Common 
Council,  and  later  assisted  in  the  establishment  of  the  Catherine 
Beecher  select  school  at  Quincy  and  the  college  placed  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  Methodist  Church.  He  was  a  devoted  iIa.son  and  rose  high 
in  that  order,  being  one  of  the  founders  of  Bodley  Lodge  No.  1  of 
Quincy  and  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Illinois.  Few  citizens  of  the  county 
have  had  a  wider  or  warmer  acquaintance  than  Doctor  Ralston.  Phys- 
ically, he  is  described  as  "rather  tall  and  spare  in  figure,  dignified  in 
carriage,  courteous  almost  to  punctiliousness  in  manner,  clean  and 
precise  in  speech." 

Cholera  in  1833 

The  elder  Doctor  Rogers  and  Doctor  Ralston  were  the  bulwarks  of 
the  profession  against  which  the  cholera  epidemic  of  1833  fiercely 
dashed  itself.  It  first  appeared  in  Adams  County  on  the  Fourth  of  July 
of  that  year,  and  two  days  later  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  court  house  to 
determine  what  general  measures  should  be  taken  to  prevent  its  spread. 
William  G.  Flood  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  meeting  and  0.  H. 
Browning  secretary.  The  town  was  divided  into  three  districts,  with 
J.  F.  Holmes,  O.  H.  Browning  and  R.  S.  Green  as  chainnen  of  the 
respective  vigilance  committees.  Together,  these  gentlemen  constituted 
an  autocratic  health  board,  as  the  matter  which  they  had  in  hand  was 
one  of  life  and  death.  They  were  instructed  to  meet  daily,  or  oftencr 
if  necessarv-,  procure  attendance  and  nourishment  for  the  sick,  and 
.superintend  the  burial  of  the  dead.  The  disease  spread  with  great 
rapidity,  despite  these  precautions,  and  this  was  all  the  more  noticeable 
in  a  small  and  thinlj-  settled  country.  On  the  7th  of  July  there  were 
forty-three  cases  of  sickness — not  all,  however,  of  cholera.  There  is 
no  reliable  record  of  the  actual  number  of  deaths  which  occurred  from 
cholera  alone,  but  from  the  best  authority  to  be  obtained  it  is  believed 
that  between  thirty  and  forty  died  in  Quincy  out  of  a  population  of 
about  400.  In  that  day  the  people  were  not  so  well  prepared,  either 
with  means  or  remedies,  to  battle  with  an  epidemic  a.s  they  were  at  a 
lat^r  period,  when  they  possessed  a  contingent  fund  to  draw  upon. 
Their  means  of  communication  were  al.so  sadly  deficient.  During  the 
progress  of  the  first  epidemic,  the  expenses  of  preventive  and  curative 
measures  were  borne  by  public  subscription,  and  the  report  of  Levi  B. 
Allen,  treasurer  of  the  relief  committee,  for  July  10th.  shows  that  he 
had  then  received  .t26.95  and  disbursed  the  sum  of  .$4.  But  in  spite 
of  these  days  of  small  things  of  a  material  nature,  the  hearts  of 
the  citizens  and  the  little  band  of  physicians  who  were  holding  the 
sanitary  line  against  the  enemy  were  large  and  stout. 


176  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  Cholera  Epidemic  of  1849 

The  thirteen  years  which  had  elapsed  since  cholera  made  such  in- 
roads to  the  population  of  young  Quincy  and  Adams  County  had 
brought  several  more  physicians  into  the  ranks  of  the  profession,  and 
in  other  ways  the  communities  were  better  prepared  to  check  the  epi- 
demic ;  but  no  section  of  a  county  or  state  is  really  prepared  to  fight 
the  unexpected.  Cholera  did  not  make  its  appearance  until  the  be- 
ginning of  the  warm  weather  of  that  year,  and  did  not  obtain  a  foot- 
hold in  Quincy  until  brought  by  immigrants  or  by  passengers  from  the 
river  boats. 

One  of  the  first  deaths  to  get  wide  notice  and  spread  the  alarm  in 
Western  Illinois  was  that  of  Capt.  C.  L.  Wright  of  Galena,  who,  on 
April  20, 1849,  died  of  undoubted  Asiatic  cholera  on  the  steamer  "War 
Eagle, ' '  at  some  point  south  of  Quincy  on  the  waj'  to  St.  Louis.  Pre- 
viously, there  had  been  some  cases  at  Leonard's  Mill,  and  on  the  17th 
of  March  three  Irishmen  had  died  in  Quincj'.  One  of  them  had  occu- 
pied a  room  in  St.  Louis  in  which  a  person  had  recently  died  of  the 
disease.  According  to  Doctor  Ralston  and  some  other  of  the  physicians 
on  home  ground,  that  circumstance  had  no  bearing  on  the  death  of  the 
Quincy  victim;  they  denied  their  belief  in  the  contagious  nature  of 
cholera. 

The  Latter  Day  Saints  had  not  a  few  cases  to  combat  and  a  local 
paper  speaks  of  their  methods  of  treatment  in  the  cases  of  two  of  their 
young  ladies  who  were  attacked:  "The  process  consisted  in  anointing 
with  oil,  prayer,  brandy,  psalm-singing,  flannels,  exhortation  and  hot 
water.  The  prescription  was  carried  into  effect  with  great  vigor  and 
perseverance  throughout  an  entire  night,  and  in  the  morning  the 
patients  were  quiet  and  without  pain — both  being  dead." 

But  the  progress  of  the  disease  soon  became  too  serious  a  matter 
for  the  application  of  any  facetiousness,  especially  after  the  death  of 
Charles  Steinagel,  an  active  and  prominent  German  citizen  of  Quincy. 
By  the  10th  of  ilaj',  according  to  the  report  of  Adam  Schmidt,  ten 
deaths  had  occurred  the  previous  week  among  the  German  emigrants 
and  their  relatives.  Among  the  number  were  Mrs.  Gertrude  Gost  and 
child,  Adam  Elder  and  his  wife  and  Philip  Zink.  It  is  stated  that 
Mrs.  Elder  wrapped  herself  in  the  blankets  in  which  her  husband  had 
died  and  joined  him  as  a  suicide. 

There  appears  to  have  been  a  lull  in  the  late  spring  in  the  progress 
of  the  disease,  but  in  June  it  reappeared  in  an  even  more  persistent 
form.  The  "sulphur  remedy"  seemed  to  be  the  favorite  among  the 
local  physicians.  At  this  time,  when  deaths  in  St.  Louis  were  occur- 
ring at  the  rate  of  fifty  daily,  another  meeting  was  held  in  the  court 
house  at  Quincy.  A  local  newspaper  of  July  30th  states  that  on  the 
previous  Saturday  afternoon  and  night  there  were  five  deaths  from 
cholera,  and  manj^  talked  of  leaving  town.  Travel  upon  the  river  and 
country  trade  were  both  suspended,  and  a  portentous  silence  seemed 
to  rest  like  a  pall  over  the  land.    During  the  week  preceding  Jul}-  15th 


QllXt  V  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  177 

tlierc  were  thirty-five  interments  of  eholera  vii-tinis  at  Qiiinc\ ,  iiiiiuiig 
whom  was  the  wife  of  Capt.  B.  il.  Prentiss.  Tiiere  were  lifty-tive 
deaths  in  the  next  week,  Mayor  Enoch  Conyers  being  among  the  num- 
ber of  the  deceased.  He  wai^  interred  under  tlie  auspices  of  the  Ma.sonic 
fraternity.  Another  prominent  victim  wa.s  Charles  Oilman,  a  leading 
attorney,  author  of  Oilman's  Supreme  Court  Reports  and  editor  of 
the  "'Western  Lepral  Observer." 

The  'Quincy  Wliig'"  of  July  31,  1849,  has  the  following:  "Whole 
number  of  deaths  the  past  week,  sixty -three;  the  greatest  number 
buried  any  one  day  was  fifteen,  on  Sunday,  the  29th. 

"Notice — Friday,  the  3d  of  August,  Innng  reconnncnded  by  the 
President  as  a  day  of  general  prayer  and  supplication,  our  offices  will 
therefore  be  closed  on  that  day.    (Signed)  Land  Office, 

"Samuei,  Hoi-mf.s,  Register. 
Hiram    Rogers,   Receiver. 
A.  Jonas,  Postmaster." 

The  deaths  for  the  following  week  decreased  to  twenty-seven,  but 
the  pestilence  still  lingered,  and  on  August  13th  announcement  is 
made  of  the  death  of  one  of  Quincy 's  old  and  honored  citizens.  Artemus 
Ward.  It  was  a  sickly  season  altogether  and  cholera  cut  a  particularly 
wide  swath.  The  total  of  deaths  from  the  epidemic  up  to  the  fourth 
week  of  August  was  286.  divided  by  months  as  follows:  In  March, 
six;  April,  none;  May,  fifteen;  June,  twelve;  July,  139;  August,  114. 
Later  in  the  fall  commenced  a  marked  decline  in  cholera  fatalities  and 
soon  afterward,  as  the  tireless  efforts  of  the  citizens  were  supplemented 
by  the  natural  advantages  of  high  altitude  and  pure  air,  the  dark  cloud 
of  death  and  apprehension  passed  away  completely. 

Adams  County  Medical.  Society 

The  hard  campaign  waged  by  the  physicians  of  the  county  against 
cholera  and  other  diseases  which  swept  the  country  in  1849  called 
very  forceful  attention  to  the  necessity  of  organization  and  co-opera- 
tion, both  to  meet  emergencies  and  for  purposes  of  consultation  and 
progress  in  ordinary  times.  The  Adams  County  Medical  Society  was 
organized  at  Quincy,  March  28,  18.')0,  at  a  meeting  presided  over  by 
Dr.  Samuel  W.  Rogers  and  in  which  the  following  participated :  Drs. 
Warren  Chapman,  James  Elliott,  J.  W.  Hollowbush,  F.  B.  Leach, 
Joseph  N.  Ralston.  M.  J.  Roeschlamb,  M.  Shepherd.  Louis  Wat.son 
and  Isaac  T.  Wilson.  Of  those  named  Doctor  Elliott  was  a  resident  of 
Clayton  and  Dr.  Shepherd  of  Payson;  the  others  lived  in  Quincy. 

The  officers  selected  at  the  organization  of  the  Adams  County 
Medical  Society  were:  President,  Joseph  N.  Ralston;  vice-presidents, 
S.  W.  Rogers  and  M.  Shepherd ;  recording  secretary,  J.  W.  Hollow- 
bush;  corresponding  .secretary.  Louis  Wat.son:  treasurer,  F.  B.  Leai'h : 
censors.  I.  T.  Wilson,  M.  J.  Roeschlamb  arid  L.  Watson.  Vice-Presi- 
dent Shepherd  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  American  Medical  Asso- 


178  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ciation,  meeting  that  j-eai*  in  Cincinnati.  Thus  was  fully  organized 
the  second  oldest  medical  society  in  Illinois,  its  only  senior  being  the 
^sculapian  Society  of  the  Wabash  Valley,  founded  in  1846.  The 
Adams  County  society  antedates  the  State  Medical  Society  by  about 
two  months. 

The  career  and  personality  of  Doctor  Ralston,  the  first  president  of 
the  county  organization,  as  well  as  of  Dr.  S.  "W.  Rogers,  the  vice-pres- 
ident, have  been  already  depicted. 

Before  means  of  travel  were  at  all  easy,  and  during  a  period  when 
the  few  members  of  the  society  had  wide  stretches  of  territory  to 
cover  in  the  prosecution  of  their  practice,  it  was  most  difficult  to  get 
a  quorum  together  even  for  the  annual  meetLugs.  There  is,  therefore, 
a  break  in  the  records  from  November  10,  1850,  to  April  19,  1856,  at 
which  date  the  society  held  a  special  meeting,  or  what  proved  to  be  a 
revival ;  for  at  the  annual  gathering  of  the  following  month  fourteen 
new  members  were  elected,  and  the  organization  has  since  remained 
unbroken,  though  its  line  was  considerably  bent  during  the  Civil  war, 
when  so  many  of  its  members  were  called  into  the  service. 

Edward  G.  Castle 

Perhaps  the  best  known  member  of  the  society  who  joined  during 
the  1856  revival,  was  Dr.  Edward  G.  Castle,  surgeon  in  charge  of  Di- 
vision No.  1,  Quincy  Hospital,  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  From 
1867  to  1873  he  was  absent  from  the  United  States  as  consular  agent 
at  Carlisle,  England,  the  early  home  of  his  wife.  After  his  return  he 
did  not  resume  active  practice  in  Quincy,  but  continued  his  old-time 
interest  in  matters  connected  with  his  profession,  as  they  assumed  a 
semi-public  scope.  He  accepted  re-election  to  the  presidency  of  the 
County  Medical  Society  and  as  head  of  the  medical  staff  of  Blessing 
Hospital,  and  was  holding  both  of  these  positions  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  September  20,  1880.  Doctor  Castle  was  the  personification  of 
courtesy  and  honor  and  all  meanness  was  shamed  by  his  presence. 

In  the  Union  Service 

Down  to  the  close  of  the  Civil  war  fifty-seven  members  had  been 
enrolled  in  the  Adams  County  Medical  Society,  of  whom  the  following 
were  in  the  Union  service :  Dr.  Moses  M.  Bane,  colonel  of  the  Fiftieth 
Illinois  Infantry,  who  lost  his  right  arm  at  Shiloh,  and  was  subse- 
quently assessor  of  internal  revenue  and  register  of  the  General  Land 
Office  (at  Salt  Lake  City)  ;  Dr.  Garner  K.  Bane  (brother  of  Colonel 
Bane,  whose  arm  he  amputated  on  the  field),  assistant  surgeon  of  the 
Fiftieth  Illinois  Infantry;  Dr.  Frederick  K.  Bailey,  surgeon  of  the 
Twentieth  Illinois  Infantry,  detached  and  in  charge  of  Division  No.  3, 
Quincy  Military  Hospital;  Dr.  Leander  D.  Baker,  surgeon  Twenty- 
Fourth  Missouri  Infantry  and  afterward  di\4sion  surgeon  of  the  De- 
partment of  the  Gulf ;  Dr.  Moses  F.  Bassett,  assistant  surgeon  for  the 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  179 

Board  of  Enrollment,  Fourth  Congressional  District,  Quincy;  Dr. 
Edward  G.  Castle,  temporarily  iu  charge  of  Division  Xo.  1,  Quincy 
Hospital;  Dr.  Henry  G.  Churchman,  surgeon,  Aniiy  of  the  rotomac; 
Dr.  Bartrow  Darrack,  surgeon,  died  of  smallpo.x  soon  after  being 
mustered ;  Dr.  Samuel  "\V.  Everett,  brigade  surgeon  on  staff  of  Gen. 
B.  M.  Prentiss,  who  was  killed  at  Shiloh  while  rallying  retreating 
troops;  Dr.  A.  .M.  D.  Hughes,  adjutant  of  the  Fiftieth  Illinois  In- 
fantry, killed  at  Shiloh ;  Dr.  J.  R.  Kay,  surgeon  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Twenty-Fourth  Illinois  Infantry;  Dr.  Henry  W.  Kendall, 
surgeon  of  the  Fiftieth  Illinois  Infantry ;  Dr.  Samuel  C.  Moss,  surgeon 
Seventy-Eighth  Illinois  Infantry;  Dr.  Charles  II.  Morton,  major  and 
afterward  licntcnant-eolonel  of  the  Eighty-Fourth  Infantry,  who 
was  captured  at  Chickamauga  and  confined  in  Libby  Prison  and 
after  the  war  became  clerk  of  Adams  County;  Dr.  Virgil  ilcDavitt, 
surgeon  First  Alabama  (colored)  Cavalry;  Dr.  N.  II.  ^McNeall,  assist- 
ant surgeon  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Seventh  Illinois  Infantry ;  Dr. 
George  0.  Pond,  surgeon  Seventy-Third  Illinois  Infantry ;  Dr.  Daniel 
Stahl,  surgeon  Seventh  Illinois  Cavalry;  Dr.  Joel  G.  Williams,  assistant 
surgeon  Second  Illinois  Cavalry;  Dr.  Louis  Watson,  surgeon  Sixteenth 
Illinois  Infantry  and  later  medical  inspector  of  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland;  Dr.  Isaac  T.  Wilson,  contract  surgeon  in  charge  of  Di- 
vision Xo.  2.  Quincy  Hospital ;  Dr.  Reuben  AYoods,  surgeon  One  Hun- 
dred and  Nineteenth  Illinois  Infantry  and  later  division  surgeon  of 
the  Department  of  the  Gulf.  Dr.  Robert  W.  McMahan,  who  joined  the 
society  after  the  war,  was,  during  the  earlier  part  of  that  period,  sur- 
geon on  the  Mississippi  River  fleet  commanded  by  Colonel  Ellet,  and 
later  surgeon  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-Sixth  Illinois  Infantry. 

Crrr  Bo.\rd  op  He^vlth  Createp 

Naturally,  general  .sanitation  early  engaged  the  attention  of  the  so- 
ciety. In  November.  186.5,  Drs.  E.  G.  Castle  and  Joseph  Robbins  ap- 
peared before  the  City  Council  and  asked  that,  in  view  of  a  probable 
visitation  of  epidemic  cholera,  steps  be  taken  to  put  the  city  in  a 
proper  sanitary  condition.  The  authorities  acted  promptly,  created 
a  Board  of  Health  of  which  Doctor  Castle  was  made  president,  and  un- 
der his  direction  the  city  was  placed  in  such  hygienic  condition  that 
when,  in  the  following  summer,  disea.se  came  up  the  Mississippi  River, 
Quincj-  escaped  with  less  than  a  dozen  cases,  and  only  two  or  three  of 
these  were  fatal.  In  the  late  '60s  the  society  induced  the  City  Council 
to  provide  regulations  by  which  records  of  deaths  and  certificates  of 
burial  should  be  required,  .ind  it.s  efforts  were  supplemented  by  state 
laws  providing  penalties  for  neglect.  In  1870  an  efficient  City  Board 
of  Health  was  established,  replacing  the  old  body  which  had  virtually 
fallen  into  decay.  The  reorganized  board  comprised  five  members, 
three  of  whom  were  regular  physicians,  witli  one  la%Tnan,  like  them 
appointed  by  the  mayor,  who  was  himself  a  member  ex-officio.  Later, 
the  Board  of  Health  lost  its  medical  character,  and,  many  think,  much 
for  the  worse. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

ROADS  AND  BRIDGES  OF  ALL  KINDS 

QuiNCY  JMails  Through  Judge  Snow — Illinois  and  ]\Iissouri  Bounh 
BY  Ferry' — Northern  Cross  Railroad,  Old  and  New — Operations 
Reluctantly  Suspended — Outlet  Further  North — Connection 
WITH  Chicago  Complete — Express  Lines  Extended — The  Wa- 
bash— First  Voting  of  Railroad  Bonds — The  Quincy  &  Toledo 
Railroad  Company — Railroad  Connections  West  of  the  Missis- 
sippi— Railroad  Bridges  Across  the  River — All  Sections  Being 
Gradually  Accommodated — Adams  County  Highways — Leading 
TO  THE  Quincy,  Atlas  &  Warsaw  Road — Why  Highways  Were 
Not  Needed  Until  1825 — Viewers  Report  on  State  Road — Pio- 
neer Roads  and  Bridges — Improvements  in  Road  and  Bridge 
Building — The  Tice  Hard  Road  Law — Gravel  and  Macadam 
Roads — Illinois  State  Highway  Plan. 

If  any  other  proof  were  needed  that  man  is  naturally  a  gregarious 
and  social  animal  it  could  be  conclusively  furnished  by  the  persistency 
with  which  he  cuts  roads  through  the  forests  and  swamps  of  a  new 
country,  throws  bridges  across  its  streams  and  finally  backs  his  instinct 
with  his  money  and  strength  in  the  building  of  permanent  highways 
and  iron  ways.  Of  course,  it  is  a  matter  both  of  normal  love  for 
mutual  intercourse  and  of  self-interest,  as  the  healthy  human  being 
long  ago  discovered  that  he  can  do  much  more  and  be  much  happier  by 
working  as  the  unit  of  a  co-operative  body  thau  by  laboring  as  a  soli- 
tarj'  and  lonely  individual. 

From  the  first  the  settlers  in  Adams  County  were  of  that  tempera- 
tui'e  which  inclined  them  to  get  together,  to  interweave  their  lives  one 
with  another  as  you  see  cow3  and  horses,  face  to  face  and  neck  to  neck 
in  the  fields  and  woods,  obvioiisly  seeking  comfort  and  strength  in 
companionship.  Man's  determined  efforts  to  get  together  in  settle- 
ments, communities,  towns,  cities,  states  and  nations,  through  the 
various  means  of  transportation  and  communication  which  have  so 
multiplied  with  the  years,  is  a  higher  and  broader  manifestation  of 
this  common  and  suggestive  picture  set  forth  by  the  beasts  of  the  field, 
wild  as  well  as  domesticated. 

Quincy  Mails  Through  Judge  Snow 

The  dozen  people  who  had  settled  within  the  present  limits  of 
Adams  County  before  it  was  politically  created  in  1825  received  a 

180 


QLINCV  AND  ADAMS  toLXTV 


18] 


letter,  now  ami  tlieii.  when  lliey  eoulil  raise  tlie  price  of  tiie  jiostage, 
from  t'arroUton  l>y  way  of  Atlas.  Very  soon  after  the  original  plat  of 
Quiney  was  filed  in  the  oflBce  of  Henry  II.  Snow,  county  clerk,  probate 
judge,  etc.,  that  anient  offiee  holder  was  also  appointed  ])ostma.ster; 
which  was  in  18'jr>.  Judge  Snow  kept  the  postoHiee  at  John  Wood's 
house  as  his  own  was  fully  occupied  with  other  official  business.  Quiney 
was  then  the  northernmost  postoffice  in  the  Mississi]ii>i  Valley  and 
expre.s.ses  were  sent  to  that  point  for  the  military  posts  as  far  up  as 
St.  Peters,  Minnesota.  The  local  office  was  kept  in  a  stout  pine  chest  in 
Jlr.  "Wood's  house,  and  two  soldiers  usually  called  for  the  mail  destined 
for  northern  points  above  C^uincy.  So,  even  at  that  early  day,  the 
people  of  Adams  County  were  getting  in  loose  touch  with  quite  a 
stretch  of  country ;  and  they  rejoiced  accordingly. 


.An  Oi.D-TiMK  -Mam.  Coach 


As  the  years  went  by  Quiney  achieved  the  triumph  of  .securing  a 
regular  weekly  mail  from  Atlas  and  the  South,  and,  of  course,  if  the 
settlers  had  any  good  reason  to  expect  communications  through  I'ncle 
Sam  they  could  make  the  trip  and  get  them,  without  waiting  for  the 
official  carrier.  In  those  days  of  scarce  and  hard-earned  money,  post- 
age was  an  item  which  meant  considerable  in  the  economics  of  the 
average  pioneer;  for  instance,  in  1885,  the  rates  on  "a  single  letter, 
composed  of  one  piece  of  paper."  for  any  distance  not  exceeding  thirty 
miles,  were  6  cents;  over  thirty  miles  and  not  exceeding  eighty,  10 
cents;  over  eighty  and  not  exceeding  150,  12^^  cents;  over  150  and 
not  exceeding  40f),  18-'4  cents;  over  400.  25  cents.  It  is  safe  to  say 
that  in  1885  the  settlers  of  Quiney  and  Adams  counties  received 
few  letters  with  the  me.s.sage  "inclosed  find  stamjjs  for  reply,"  and  it 
is  equally  safe  to  add  that  they  .seldom  made  the  self-sacrifice  them- 
selves. 


182  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Iluxois  A2n)  Missouri  Bound  by  Ferry 

The  Quincyites  looked  longingly  across  the  ilississippi  at  their 
fellow  ^Missourians,  but  it  was  some  years  before  they  commenced  to 
operate  a  ferry  and  thus  have  comparatively  free  communication 
with  them.  Steamboats  plied  up  and  down  the  ilississippi  Eiver,  row 
and  sail  boats  moved  across  as  occasion  required,  and  as  early  as  1827 
the  commissioners  granted  Ira  Pierce  the  right  to  operate  a  ferrj-  be- 
tween the  two  shores.  The  County  Board  even  went  so  far  as  to  estab- 
lish the  rates  for  ferrying  across  the  Slississippi,  loaded  and  unloaded 
wagons  drawn  by  horses  or  oxen,  pleasure  wagons  or  carriages  dra^vu 
by  either  animals,  foot  passengers  and  all  kinds  of  live  stock  other  than 
human. 

But  nothing  came  of  these  attempts  to  bring  the  eastern  and  west- 
ern shores  of  the  ilississippi  together  at  this  point  until  in  May,  1S38, 
when  "Woodford  Lawrence,  in  company  with  two  other  men,  built  the 
first  ferry  boat  that  ever  crossed  the  ilississippi  Eiver  in  the  vicinity 
of  Quincy.  It  was  constructed  of  two  canoes,  a  platform  connecting 
them,  around  which  a  railing  was  built  to  keep  the  animals  and  other 
passengers  from  falling  off  into  the  water.  The  first  passengers  were 
three  horses  which  were  safely  carried  across,  one  at  a  time.  The 
ferry 's  eastern  terminus  was  the  mouth  of  Mill  Creek,  and  its  special 
design  was  to  carry  horses  over  the  river  for  those  starting  on  trips 
along  the  ilissouri  shores — or  \iee  versa. 

Northern  Cross  Railroad,  Old  and  New 

Before  this  primitive  horse  ferry  had  commenced  its  trips  across 

the  Mississippi,  enough  able  and  far-seeing  men  had  gathered  at 
Quincy  to  participate  with  a  controlling  influence  in  the  movement  to 
bind  Chicago  and  the  East  with  the  ilississippi  Valley,  by  way  of 
Northern  Illinois.  That  movement  was  a  part  of  the  proposed  internal 
improvement  system  inaugurated  by  the  state  in  1837.  Various  lines  of 
railroad  were  prescribed  by  the  Legislature,  among  which  was  the 
"Northern  Cross  Railroad  from  Quincy  on  the  ilississippi  River,  via 
Columbus  and  Clayton  in  Adams  County,  ilt.  Sterling  in  Brown 
County,  ileredosia  and  Jacksonville  in  ilorgan  County,  Springfield 
in  Sangamon  County,  Decatur  in  ilacon  County,  Sidney  in  Champaign 
County  and  Danville  in  Vermillion  County ;  thence  to  the  state  line  in 
the  direction  of  Lafayette,  Indiana."  Under  this  system  and  act  the 
state  commenced  the  construction  of  railroads  in  various  sections  of  the 
state,  but  in  the  course  of  three  or  four  years,  after  an  expenditure 
of  some  $8,000,000.  and  the  placing  in  operation  of  only  sixty  miles  of 
inferior  road  from  ileredosia  to  Springfield,  the  project  was  abandoned 
as  a  state  enterprise  and  the  railroad  sold  at  public  auction. 

On  the  10th  of  February,  1849,  the  Legislature  passed  an  act  in- 
corporating the  Northern  Cross  Railroad  Company,  with  James  il. 
Pitman,  Samuel  Holmes,  John  Wood,  C.  A.  "Warren.  Gershom  B.  Dim- 


QL'IXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  183 

ock,  Hiram  Boyle  and  Isaac  X.  Morris  of  Adams  County,  and  James 
Brockman  and  James  W.  Singleton  of  Bro\vn  County  and  "'their  asso- 
ciates, successors,  assigns,"  etc.,  empowered  to  '"construct,  maintain 
and  use  a  railroad  from  the  west  bank  of  the  Illinois  River,  opposite 
the  town  of  Meredosia,  to  the  ilississippi  River  at  Quincy."  Under 
the  legislative  act  of  October.  1S49,  Governor  French  offered  that  sec- 
tion of  the  old  Northern  Cross  Railroad  for  sale,  and  it  was  purchased 
for  $1,850  by  James  W.  Singleton,  Samuel  Holmes,  Horace  S.  Cooley, 
Calvin  A.  Warren,  James  M.  Pitman  and  Isaac  N.  Morris,  most  of 
whom  were  among  the  incorporators  of  the  new  Northern  Cross  Rail- 
road Company.  On  the  line  thus  purchased,  the  state  had  expended 
more  than  $500,000  in  preliminary  surveys,  gradings,  etc. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  proprietors  on  February-  19,  1850,  it  was  rec- 
ommended "to  the  present  owners  of  the  road  to  subscribe  $10,000  of 
the  capital  stock  of  the  same  in  proportion  to  their  respective  inter- 
ests therein."  In  pursuance  with  that  recommendation,  books  were 
opened  and  the  proprietors  subscribed  the  following  shares,  the  list 
of  which  indicates  the  comparative  strength  of  their  interests :  I.  N. 
Morris,  J.  TV.  Singleton.  James  M.  Pitman  and  Samuel  Holmes,  fifteen 
shares  each;  Calvin  A.  Warren,  ten;  0.  C.  Skinner,  N.  Bushnell  and 
H.  S.  Cooley,  five  each ;  Amos  Green,  four ;  Bartlett  &  Sullivan,  New- 
ton Flagg  and  E.  Moore,  three  each :  Henry  Asburj-.  two.  Making  100 
shares,  which  at  $100  per  share,  amounted  to  $10,000,  the  amount 
required  to  enable  the  company  to  legally  organize.  With  this  funda- 
mental preliminary  concluded,  the  following  were  elected  as  directors 
and  oflBcers:  I.  N.  Morris,  president;  Ebenezer  Moore,  treasurer; 
Samuel  Holmes,  secretary;  James  W.  Singleton,  James  iL  Pitman, 
N.  Bushnell  and  N.  Flagg.  The  company  now  purchased  from  the 
proprietors  the  road  which  the  latter  had  bought  from  the  state  and 
the  chain  of  transactions  was  legally  complete.  But  the  work  could 
not  practically  move  without  more  capital,  and  that  was  obtained  in 
the  winter  of  1850-51,  when  an  arrangement  was  effected  between  the 
company  and  the  citizens  of  Quincy  by  which  the  city  subscribed  $10<X- 
000  worth  of  railroad  stock  payable  in  municipal  bonds.  The  Northern 
Cross  Railroad  Company  was  to  receive  $20,000  of  this  stock  as  repre- 
senting its  interest,  and  a  new  election  of  directors  and  officers  was  to 
be  held.  The  new  directory  chosen  comprised  Nehemiah  Bushnell. 
Hiram  Rogers,  Lorenzo  Bull,  James  M.  Pitman  and  James  D.  Morgan, 
with  Mr.  Bushnell  as  president. 

0pER-\TI0KS  RELrCrA>TLT  Sl'SPEXDED 

Under  the  new  organization  the  company  went  vigorously  to  work, 
locating  and  grading  the  road  from  Quincy  to  Clayton  and  contracting 
for  the  necessan,-  iron  to  line  that  section.  The  road  was  also  located 
to  Mt.  Sterling  and  contracts  for  the  work  made  with  responsible 
parties,  when,  some  dissatisfaction  having  arisen  in  Brown  County,  the 
company  was  tmable  to  secure  the  bonds  previotisly  subscribed  by  that 


184  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

county.  That  circumstauce,  with  the  fact  that  the  Sangamon  &  Morgan 
Railroad  Company  had  always  been  opposed  to  a  connection  with  the 
Northena  Cross  line,  satisfied  the  company  that  any  further  effort  to 
reach  the  Illinois  River  at  that  time  was  useless.  Therefore  it  was  that 
operations  on  the  road  between  Quiney  and  Meredosia  were  reluctantly 
suspended. 

Outlet  Further  North 

It  was  at  this  time  that  the  company  resolved  to  have  a  railroad 
outlet  for  Quiney  nortliward.  In  1851  it  had  pi-ocured  an  act  from 
the  Legislature  authorizing  the  building  of  a  lateral  road,  branching 
off  from  the  main  line  in  Adams  County  toward  Chicago,  and  when  the 
Quincy-Meredosia  project  had  to  be  abandoned,  it  entered  into  a  con- 
tract with  the  Central  Military  Tract  Railroad  Company,  then  organ- 
ized, to  build  a  line  north  from  Galesburg.  The  contract  provided  that 
neither  company  would  contract  with  any  parties  for  construction 
purposes  who  would  not  bind  themselves  to  build  both  lines,  thus  in- 
suring a  through  route  from  Quiney  to  Chicago. 

Previous  to  that  arrangement,  parties  interested  in  the  Michigan 
Central  Railroad  had  acquired  control  of  the  Aurora  Branch  Railroad 
extending  from  Chicago  to  ]Mendota,  and  were  desirous  of  reaching 
the  Mississippi  River.  In  November,  1852,  therefore,  Nehemiah  Bush- 
nell,  president  of  the  Northern  Cross  Railroad  Company,  proceeded 
to  Detroit  with  a  view  of  interesting  J.  W.  Brooks  and  James  F.  Joy, 
who  represented  the  controlling  interests  of  the  Aurora  Branch  Road, 
and  co-operating  with  them  in  the  construction  of  the  through  line 
from  Quiney  to  Chicago. 

At  this  decisive  stage  in  the  railroad  project  the  City  of  Quiney 
made  a  further  subscription  of  $100,000,  and  its  citizens  also  sub- 
scribed .$100,000.  Other  donations  were  made  by  residents  and  prop- 
erty owners  all  along  the  line,  but  the  raising  of  the  necessary  funds 
was  not  accomplished  without  persistent  and  hard  work. 

Connection  With  Chicago  Complete 

The  culmination  of  these  many  years  of  strivings  after  fairly  ade- 
quate railway  communications  with  what  was  then  the  Far  West 
metropolis  and  the  gateway  to  the  East  was  the  completion  of  the 
through  line  to  Galesburg  on  the  last  day  of  January,  1856.  That 
section  had  been  finished  and  was  operated  as  far  as  Avon  on  the  first 
of  January  and  a  short  gap  between  this  point  and  that  portion  of  the 
road  that  was  being  built  from  Galesburg  southward,  was  filled  in  on 
the  above  date,  making  the  connection  with  Chicago  complete.  It  was 
a  jubilee  occasion  for  Quiney,  and  the  atmosphere  of  the  time  is  well 
illustrated  by  an  article  in  the  local  press,  headed  by  the  ponderous 
design  of  a  locomotive  and  rrain  and  big  black  letters  across  the  page 
spelling : 


t^riNCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  185 

•'Through  to  Chicago.  A  Railroad  Connection  with  tiie  Atlantic 
Cities.     All  Aboard!" 

The  article  reads:  "We  have  the  high  satisfaction  of  ainiouneing 
the  completion  (if  the  Northern  I'ro.ss  Railroad.  The  last  rail  is  upon 
the  ties  and  the  last  spike  is  driven,  and  another  iron  arm  reaches  from 
the  great  West  into  the  Atlantic. 

'"The  event  is  an  important  one  antl  inaugurates  a  new  era  in  the 
history  of  Quincy.  For  years  our  citizens  have  been  looking  with  an 
intense  interest  to  the  consummation  of  this  enterj)rise  which  was  to 
open,  and  which  has  opened  to  (Quincy.  a  future  radiant  with  every 
promise  of  prosperity.  A  new  vitality  ami  a  new  strength  has  been 
given  to  our  city,  apparent  in  the  immense  increase  of  business  in  all 
departments  transacted  during  the  past  season,  and  in  the  extensive 
preparations  that  are  marking  for  substantial  improvements  in  the 
way  of  buildings  that  are  to  go  up  this  year.  We  have  every  reason 
to  congratulate  ourselves  upon  the  present  and  prospective  prosperity 
of  our  beautiful  and  flourishing  city." 

Not  long  after  the  completion  of  the  Northern  Cross  line  appears 
a  card  in  one  of  the  city  papers  bearing  the  "acknowledgments  of 
the  editor  and  of  llr.  Samuel  Holmes  to  Major  Holton  for  a  fine,  fresh 
codfish  right  from  ^lassachusetts  Bay,  the  first  arrival  of  the  kind  in 
Quincy.  After  partaking  of  the  same,  we  pronounce  it  a  'creature 
comfort  of  the  first  water,'  and  tender  our  thanks."  All  of  the  gentle- 
men concerned  were  Yankee-born  and  fully  alive  to  all  the  best  tra- 
ditions of  New  England,  including  an  overwhelming  conviction  that 
the  codfish  was  .supreme  among  the  finny  tribe. 

Express  Lines  E.xtexded 

During  the  same  month  that  Quincy  got  into  railway  connection 
with  Chicago  and  the  East,  there  was  also  established  Godfrey  & 
Snow's  express  running  from  the  home  town  to  Chicago.  Their  enter- 
prise had  originated  in  an  express  business  with  St.  Louis  by  boat  and 
for  a  time  the  enterprise  was  profitable  as  being  a  real  public  con- 
venience; but  when  the  project  was  extended  to  Chicago,  and  wealthy 
companies  entered  the  field,  it  expanded  beyond  their  facilities  and 
they  withdrew  entirely. 

From  the  time  the  Northern  Cross  Railroad  Company  was  reor- 
ganized in  1851,  during  the  period  of  the  construction  of  the  line  from 
Quincy  to  Galesburg,  and  up  to  the  consolidation  as  the  Chicago,  Bur- 
lington &  Quincy  Railroad  in  1861,  Neheniiah  Hushnell  continued  as 
president  of  the  organization,  with  Lorenzo  Bull,  James  D.  Morgan, 
Hiram  Rogers,  John  Wood  and  James  M.  Pitman  as  directors. 

The  W.^b.^sh 

"When  the  long-desired  railroad  communication  with  Chicago  had 
been  secured,  with   its  attendant  stimulus  to  busine.ss  and  general 


186  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

growth,  the  people  of  Quincy  and  Adams  County  began  to  seek  other 
advantages  of  a  like  nature.  One  was  a  revival  of  the  old  Northern 
Cross  line,  through  a  charter  obtained  by  James  W.  Singleton,  under 
the  name  of  the  Quincy  &  Toledo  Railroad,  and  the  road  finally  con- 
structed through  the  persistence  of  General  Singleton  sei-ved  as  a 
direct  eastern  route  from  Camp  Point,  Adams  County,  to  the  Illinois 
River  at  Meredosia,  where  it  connected  with  the  line  pushing  west- 
ward from  Toledo.  It  was  considered  a  branch  of  the  new  Northern 
Gross  Railroad  which  had  been  completed  to  Galesburg.  At  the  Illi- 
nois River  it  connected  with  what  was  called  the  Great  Western  Rail- 
road, which  carried  the  route  to  Toledo  and  the  seaboard.  From 
Camp  Point  to  Quincy  its  trains  used  the  track  of  the  Chicago,  Buiiing- 
ton  &  Quincy,  and  thus  was  another  route  provided  from  the  last 
named  point  to  the  East.  In  1856  several  Ohio  and  Indiana  companies 
were  consolidated  as  the  Toledo,  Wabash  &  Western  Railroad,  and 
two  years  later  a  reorganization  was  effected  as  the  Great  Western 
Railroad  Company.  The  Wabash  System,  which,  in  turn,  absorbed  the 
Great  Western  was  mainly  an  outgrowth  of  the  Wabash,  St.  Louis  & 
Pacific,  the  consolidation  of  its  eastern  and  western  divisions,  under 
the  former  name,  being  efi'ected  in  1889. 

First  Voting  op  Railroad  Bonds 

While  railroad  building  was  the  order  of  the  day,  Quincy  always 
voted  overwhelmingly  iu  favor  of  subscribing  for  such  enterprises. 
The  first  vote  to  subscribe  $100,000  to  aid  the  Northern  Cross  line  be- 
tween the  Mississippi  and  Illinois  rivera  was  taken  March  1,  1851, 
and  resulted  in  the  casting  of  1,074  ballots  in  favor  of  the  proposition 
and  only  19  against  it.  Accordingly,  on  the  12th  of  that  mouth 
the  mayor,  in  behalf  of  the  municipality,  delivered  to  the  railroad 
company  as  security  for  the  payment  of  that  amount  twenty-year  six 
per  cent  city  bonds,  $80,000  bearing  date  January  1,  1852,  and 
$20,000  on  July  1st  of  that  year.  In  July,  1853,  the  city  voted  an 
additional  $100,000,  also  guaranteed  by  twenty-year  six  per  cent  bonds, 
and  in  May,  1856,  subscribed  for  $200,000  of  Northern  Cross  stock, 
secured  by  twenty-year  eight  per  cent  bonds,  to  be  used  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  line  from  Camp  Point  to  the  Illinois  River.  At  the 
latter  election  the  vote  was  1,541  for  and  71  against  the  proposition. 
In  the  following  August  the  issuing  of  the  bonds  was  formally  legal- 
ized by  the  City  Council,  and  in  January,  1857,  the  Legislature  took 
a  hand  in  legalizing  the  proceedings  by  passing  the  "Act  to  incor- 
porate the  Quincy  &  Toledo  Railroad  Company;  to  legalize  the  sub- 
scription of  the  City  of  Quincy  and  the  County  of  Brown  to  the  capital 
stock  of  the  Northern  Cross  Railroad  Company,  and  the  bonds  issued 
and  to  be  issued  by  said  city  and  county  in  payment  of  said  stock ;  to 
amend  the  charter  of  the  Great  Western  Railroad  Company  of  the 
State  of  Illinois,  and  legalize  and  confirm  the  contract  of  said  com- 
pany with  James  W.  Singleton."     The  action  of  the  City  Council 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  LOUXTY  187 

taken  in  August,  1856,  authorizing  Mayor  Wood  to  sul>scribe  the 
$200,000  and  issuing  city  bonds  for  that  sum,  and  all  other  proceed- 
ings taken  in  connection  therewith,  were  legalized  in  the  legislative  act 
of  January  31,  1857 — 

"Provided,  that  said  bonds  shall  be  and  remain  in  the  hands  of 
Isaac  0.  Woodruff  of  said  city  (Quincy)  until  said  road  is  graded 
from  Camp  Point,  in  the  County  of  Adams,  to  Mt.  Sterling,  in  Brown 
County.  Thereupon,  the  said  Isaac  0.  Woodruff  shall  deliver  $100,000 
of  said  bonds  and  retain  tlie  remainder  thereof  in  his  hands  until 
said  road  is  graded  to  tiie  Illinois  River, 

"Provided,  that  nothing  in  this  act  shall  be  so  construed  as  to 
prevent  the  City  Council  of  said  city  from  authorizing  an  earlier  de- 
livery of  said  bonds  if,  in  their  judgment,  the  interest  of  the  city 
requires  it ;  and  the  said  City  Council  are  hereby  authorized  and  em- 
powered to  levy  and  collect  a  special  tax  for  the  payment  of  the  in- 
terest on  said  bonds." 

The  Quincy  &  Toledo  Railroad  Company 

The  Quincy  &  Toledo  Railroad  Company,  incorporated  by  that  act, 
and  which  had  absorbed  that  portion  of  the  Northern  Cross  line  from 
Camp  Point  to  the  Illinois  River,  assumed  the  name  of  the  Toledo, 
Wabash  &  Western  in  i\Iay,  1857,  and  is  now  known  as  the  Wabash 
System.  This  second  $200,000  of  bonds  have  been  commonly  called 
Quincy  &  Toledo  R.  R.  bonds,  to  distinguish  them  from  the  first  issue 
of  $200,000,  always  known  as  Northern  Cross  bonds. 

Railroad  Connections  West  of  the  Misslssippi 

The  Hannibal  &  St.  Joe  Railroad,  which  has  long  been  a  part  of 
the  Cliicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  system,  was  originally  built  to 
make  Hannibal,  Missouri,  its  eastern  terminus.  But  energetic  citizens 
of  Quincy  saved  it  from  this  narrow  fate  by  organizing  the  Quincy  & 
Palmyra  Railroad  Company  in  1856  and,  three  years  afterward,  com- 
pleting the  short  line  between  these  two  points  bj'  which  the  Hannibal 
&  St.  Joe  lost  its  local  character  as  part  of  the  great  Quincy  system. 

By  the  act  of  January  30,  1857,  the  City  of  Quincy  was  authorized 
to  subscribe  for  $100,000  of  the  capital  stock  of  the  Quincy  &  Palmyra 
Railroad  Company,  tlie  line  extending  from  a  point  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Mississippi  opposite  Quincy  to  Palmyra,  Missouri.  The  election  to 
vote  upon  the  question,  held  on  April  4th  following,  showed  that  942 
votes  had  been  cast  for  it  and  11  votes  against.  The  bonds  thereupon 
issued  matured  in  twenty  years  and  Iwre  eight  per  cent  interest. 

At  the  election  held  June  27,  1868,  the  voters  decided  favorably 
on  the  question  of  subsr-ribing  $100,000  to  aid  in  the  construction  of 
a  railroad  from  West  Quincy  in  a  northwesterly  direction,  connecting 
the  city  with  the  ilissouri  Air  Line,  known  more  fully  as  the  Missis- 
sippi &  Missouri  River  Air  Line.    The  vote  for  the  proposition  was  651 


188  (^ULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  against  it,  198.  There  were  considerable  delaj-s  both  in  the  is- 
suing of  the  bonds  and  the  building  of  the  road  to  Canton,  the  last  of 
them  not  being  delivered  to  the  railroad  company  until  August,  1870. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  City  Council  held  December  5,  1870,  an  agree- 
ment was  read  to  that  body  signed  by  the  officers  of  the  road,  pledging 
the  company,  in  consideration  of  the  subscription,  to  make  Quincy  the 
southern  terminus  of  the  line  during  the  existence  of  the  charter  under 
which  the  construction  was  undertaken.  But  the  Mis.sissippi  &  Mis- 
souri River  Air  Line  was  never  built  and  the  money  subscribed  by 
Quincy  to  pi'omote  it  was  a  total  loss. 

The  Quincy,  Missouri  &  Pacific  Railroad  Company  was  organized 
in  June,  1869,  for  the  special  purpose  of  constructing  a  railroad  from 
a  point  on  the  Mississippi  River  opposite  Quincj'  to  a  point  on  the 
Missouri  River  opposite  Brownsville,  Nebraska,  the  length  of  the  pro- 
posed line  being  230  miles.  That  was  largely  a  Quincy  enterprise  and 
three  days  before  the  company  was  legally  organized  the  City  Council, 
by  resolution,  approved  an  issue  of  .$250,000  in  municipal  bonds  to  aid 
the  enterprise.  But  the  advantages  of  the  proposed  road  to  Quincy 
grew  in  the  public  mind,  and  at  the  urgent  suggestion  of  a  committee 
appointed  by  the  railroad  board  of  directors,  the  Council  subsequently 
passed  measures  recommending  an  increase  of  the  subscription  to 
$500,000  and  the  calling  of  a  special  election  to  obtain  the  decision 
of  the  voters  on  the  subject.  Their  decision,  recorded  August  7,  1869, 
was  1,949  in  favor  of  the  proposition  and  185  opposed  to  it.  Half  of 
the  $500,000  in  city  bonds  was  to  be  delivered  to  the  railroad  com- 
pany responsible  when  subscriptions  in  Missouri  or  Nebraska,  along 
the  line  of  the  road  were  obtained  to  the  amount  of  $800,000,  and  the 
remaining  $250,000  with  the  collection  of  another  $800,000  in  the 
states  mentioned.  As  there  was  no  general  law,  however,  authorizing 
the  city  to  become  a  stockholder  in  such  a  company,  or  to  vote  upon 
the  question,  and  as  the  discussion  of  a  new  state  constitution  was  then 
well  under  way,  the  City  Council  deferred  the  issiiance  of  the  bonds. 

Without  going  into  multitudinous  details,  which  are  accessible  but 
not  pertinent,  the  State  Constitution  of  1870  incorporated  a  section 
forbidding  any  city  from  doing  exactly  what  Quincy  had  done,  but 
through  the  influence  of  the  strong  delegation  from  Adams  Count}'  an 
exception  was  made  in  the  '-ase  of  that  city,  provided  that  none  of  the 
indebtedness  so  incurred  should  be  assumed  by  the  state.  The  General 
Assembly  thereupon  authorized  the  subscription  made  and  the  city 
bonds  to  be  issued.  In  July,  1871,  the  president  of  the  Quincy,  Mis- 
souri &  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  presented  evidence  to  the  City 
Council  that  more  than  $1,118,000  had  been  subscribed  along  its  line 
and  that  thirty  miles  of  the  road  from  West  Quincy  westward  had  been 
graded  and  bridged.  City  bonds  amounting  to  $250,000  were  therefore 
at  once  issued  to  the  railroad  compan.y ;  but  the  second  $250,000  were 
longer  in  being  delivered.  The  building  of  the  road  was  slow,  citizens 
began  to  realize  the  heavy  responsibilities  which  they  had  taken  upon 
themselves,  grave  doubts  had  entered  the  minds  of  many  as  to  the 


(^riXCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY  189 

respoiisibilit.v  of  many  of  the  reported  subseriptioiis  and  the  matter 
was  finally  carried  into  the  State  Supreme  Court  over  an  injunction 
obtained  by  Isaac  X.  Morris  by  the  Circuit  Court  ri'sfraininis!:  the 
mayor  and  City  Count-il  from  issuing:  the  seconil  $2.')il,000  in  bonds. 
This  is  not  the  place  to  discuss  legal  questions,  but  to  state  results  as 
concisely  as  is  consistent  witli  clearness.  The  Supreme  Court  decided 
aiiainst  the  lower  court  and.  altiioutfh  tlu'  citizens  of  C^uincy  who  had 
their  investments  wrapped  up  in  the  railroad  west  of  the  Mississippi 
were  not  convinced  that  all  of  the  subscriptions  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river  were  bona  tide,  they  fciircd  that  if  tliey  were  too  critical  the  en- 
tire enterprise  would  go  by  the  board  and  they  would  be  heavily,  if 
not  disastrously  involved.  In  August,  1877,  therefore,  a  resolution 
was  adopted  to  deliver  to  the  railroad  company  the  additional  $250,000 
in  installments,  conditional  on  the  progres.sive  completion  of  various 
sections  of  the  road— $75,000  to  be  paid  in  1S77,  $125,000  in  1S7S,  and 
$50,000  in  187!),  provided  tiie  stipulated  conditioas  had  been  complied 
with.  Thus  was  finally  completed  what  is  now  known  as  the  Quiuey, 
Omaha  &  Kansas  City  line — O.  K.  for  short — a  part  of  the  Missouri 
Pacific  sy.stem. 

The  Quincy  &  Carthage  Railroad  was  created  in  1870,  and  0.  C. 
Skinner  was  elected  president.  J.  W.  Bishop,  secretary,  and  H.  G. 
Ferris,  treasurer.  The  road  runs  north  from  Quincy,  passing  through 
Mendon  and  Keene  towuships.  Adams  County,  thence  through  Han- 
cock County  to  Carthage  and  Burlington.  This  is  now  known  as  the 
Carthage  branch  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy.  and  runs  to 
Burlington,  Iowa. 

The  Carthage  branch  and  the  Louisiana  branch  were  provided  to 
be  built  at  the  same  time  and  Adams  County  appropriated  $200,000 
for  each  road;  but  on  account  of  the  Louisiana  branch  being  diverted 
down  the  bottom  instead  of  out  through  ]Melrose,  Payson  and  Fall 
Creek  townships,  as  originally  propo.scd,  the  county  refu.sed  to  pay  its 
appropriation  of  $200,000.  and  won  its  contention  in  a  suit  brought 
against  it  to  collect  its  suKscription. 

The  Quincy,  Alton  &  St.  Louis  Railroad  was  organized  in  Septem- 
ber. 1869.  with  J.  W.  Singleton.  R.  S.  Bcnneson,  A.  J.  F.  Prevost. 
William  Bowles.  C.  H.  Curtis,  Edward  Wells.  Eli  Seehorn.  Perry 
Alexanilcr  and  C.  S.  Higbee  as  directors.  Mr.  Singleton  was  elected 
president  and  T.  T.  Woodruff,  .secretary  and  treasurer.  The  line  is  a 
section  of  the  Quincy  System,  the  original  line  having  l)een  completed 
in  1872.     Its  western  terminus  is  East  Louisiana,  Mis.souri. 

R.MLRo.vD  Bridges  Across  the  Ri\'er 

In  order  to  link  tbe  railway  lines  which  already  terminated  at 
Quincy  with  those  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  it  became  neces- 
sary to  build  a  substantial  bridge  acro.ss  the  great  waterway  which 
separated  them.  That  important  achievement  was  realized  in  October, 
1868,  when  the  first  railroad  bridge  was  thrown  across  the  river  at 


mi 


3 


> 
> 


« 
&. 


o 


■m  .SI 


OS 

w 

a 

W 

H 

b. 
O 

a 
a 

X 

o 

z 

<y 

w 

z 
o 


QUIXCY  AND  A1)A.M8  COUNTY  191 

Quincy  by  wliidi  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy,  tiie  Toledo, 
Wabash  &  Western  and  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joe  lines  were  bound 
together.  With  the  subsequent  completion  of  the  Central  Paeilic  Kail- 
road  across  the  continent,  Quincy  was  a  solid  unit  of  the  real  United 
States;  the  city  had  free  communication  with  both  the  Atlantic  and 
the  Pacific  coasts. 

The  movement  for  the  construction  of  the  bridge  was  placed  under 
way  when  the  completion  cf  the  line  from  Quincy  to  Chicago,  via 
Galcsburg,  was  an  assured  accomplishment.  In  ISoo  Colonel  Samuel 
Holmes,  backed  by  many  public-spirited  citizens,  obtained  a  charter 
for  the  building  of  the  bridge  from  the  State  Legislature.  But  the 
financial  crisis  of  1857  and,  before  its  depressing  effects  had  subsided, 
the  disturbances  of  the  Civil  war,  placed  a  complete  embargo  on 
the  enterprise,  and  the  charter  was  suffered  to  expire  by  limitation. 
Its  old  friends,  also  the  tried  and  faithful  founders  of  the  railroad, 
retained  the  project  in  their  consciousness  as  something  to  be  revived 
in  more  auspicious  times.  At  the  legislative  session  of  1864-65  Thomas 
Redmond,  the  able  citizen  and  member  from  Adams  County,  procured 
a  re-enaetmeiit  of  the  original  act  of  incorporation.  John  Wood  then 
obtained  the  national  authority  from  Congress,  required  before  a 
bridge  could  be  thrown  over  a  national  waterway.  Under  the  congres- 
sional charter  the  Bridge  Company  was  incorporated  by  Mr.  Wood, 
Samuel  Holmes,  James  ^I.  Pitman  and  N.  Bushnell ;  that  paper  granted 
equal  privileges  to  all  railroads  which  might  use  it  and  carefully 
guarded  the  interest  of  navigation. 

In  line  with  its  provisions,  the  incorporators  effected  an  arrange- 
ment with  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy,  the  Toledo.  Wabash  & 
Western  and  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joe  railroads,  in  November,  1866, 
by  which  a  bridge  company  .should  be  organized  representing  the 
principal  parties  in  interest.  The  directors  and  officers  were  as  fol- 
lows: Neheniiah  Bushnell,  of  Quincy,  president;  Warren  Colburn 
(vice  president  of  the  Toledo,  Wabash  &  Western),  vice  president; 
Charles  A.  Savage.  Quincy,  secretary:  Amos  T.  Hall,  Quincy, 
treasurer;  Newton  Flagg.  a.ssistant  treasurer  and  general  agent :  James 
P.  Joy,  president  of  the  Chicago.  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad :  E.  A. 
Chapin.  general  superintendent  Toledo.  Waba.sh  &  Western,  and  John 
Lathrop,  treasurer  of  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joe  Railroad. 

The  Bridge  Company  finally  delegated  the  construction  of  the 
bridge  to  the  control  and  supervision  of  Warren  Colburn,  consulting 
engineer;  Thomas  C.  Clarke,  chief  engineer;  Col.  E.  D.  Ma.son,  first 
assistant  engineer  and  superintendent  of  construction,  and  George 
Wolcott  and  H.  H.  Killaly,  assistant  engineers.  The  bridge  was 
planned  to  be  built  well  above  the  highest  water  mark,  the  spans  being 
arranged  with  reference  both  to  steamboat  and  lumber-raft  navigation. 
The  extra  span  of  two  hundred  feet  on  the  east  shore  was  especially 
allowed  for  rafting  purposes  during  high  water,  although  that  arrange- 
ment involved  a  change  of  plan  after  the  work  was  in  progress.  To 
determine  the  best  available  site  of  the  bridge,  a  thorough  scientific 


192  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

exploration  was  made  of  both  banks  of  the  river  for  a  distance  of  two 
miles  north  and  south  of  the  Quincy  city  limits,  with  the  result  that 
the  selection  for  the  eastern  approach  fell  at  the  foot  of  Spruce  Street, 
in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  city.  There  the  bay  and  the  island 
divided  the  distance  to  be  overcome  into  compai-atively  easy  sections, 
and  the  opposite  bank  presented  the  most  elevated  and  eligible  ter- 
minus on  the  west.  The  soundings  also  established  a  solid  rock  bottom 
in  the  channel  of  the  river  for  the  support  of  the  main  or  pivot  pier. 
As  finally  completed  in  October,  1868,  this  iron  bridge,  of  the  Pratt 
truss  patent,  was  3,185  feet  in  length  and  rested  on  nineteen  piers. 
With  the  exception  of  the  center  pier,  which  rested  on  the  rocky  bed 
of  the  river,  the  foundations  of  the  piers  were  composed  of  piles,  driven 
into  the  bottom  of  the  stream  and  supported  by  fillings  of  concrete  to 
the  top.  The  foundation  of  the  center  pier  consisted  of  four  caissons  of 
best  sheet  iron  about  forty  feet  long  and  fourteen  feet  in  diameter, 
placed  within  cribs  and  sunk  and  scribed  to  the  rock  thirty-five  feet 
below  the  surface  at  low  water.  The  central  span  was  362  feet  in 
length  and  was  turned  bj'  stationai-y  steam  power,  and  when  the 
bridge  was  open  the  space  on  either  side  of  the  pivot  pier  was  160 
feet.  It  was  a  single  track  bridge,  thirty-two  feet  above  low  water  and 
twelve  feet  above  the  highest  known  water,  as  prescribed  by  the  act  of 
Congress. 

The  main  bridge  was  connected  with  the  east  bank  proper  by  an 
embankment  across  the  island  of  600  feet  in  length  elevated  to  grade, 
thence  by  a  trestle  bridge  of  400  feet  across  Wood's  slough,  thence 
by  another  500  feet  of  emijankment  and  over  the  bay,  by  an  iron 
drawbridge  525  feet  long.  A  side  track  commencing  on  Chestnut 
Street  curved  from  the  bridge  toward  the  main  lines  of  the  Chicago, 
Burlington  &  Quincy  and  the  Toledo,  Wabash  &  Western,  and  a  track 
from  the  western  terminus  completed  the  link  which  joined  the  eastern 
systems  with  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joe  line  on  the  opposite  shore  of  the 
Mississippi. 

The  entire  cost  of  the  connections  was  distributed  as  follows :  Main 
bridge,  $1,150,625;  Bay  bridge,  .$165,690;  embankments,  $149,755; 
protecting  shores,  $33,930.    Total,  $1,500,000. 

In  March,  1898,  after  a  remarkable  wear  of  thirty  years,  the 
bridge  was  remodeled  by  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad  at 
a  cost  of  $157,000,  and  the  wagon  bridge  attachment  was  added  in 
September  of  the  following  year  at  an  expense  of  $50,000. 

All  Sections  Gr.\dually  Being  Accommodated 

Besides  the  railroads  mentioned  as  having  been  built,  various 
projects  have  been  discussed  and  franchises  actually  granted  for  the 
extension  of  the  local  electric  transportation  system  of  Quincy  as 
interurban  lines;  the  strongest  movements  in  that  direction  seem  to 
have  been  directed  toward  Hannibal,  Missouri. 

But  as  the  transportation  facilities  of  Adams  County  now  stand 


(^Il.\(  V  AX!)  ADAMS  COUXTV  19^5 

there  are  virtually  no  sections  within  its  limits,  exeei)t  the  extreme 
southeastern  and  northwestern  townships,  which  are  not  within  fair 
distance  ol"  some  railway  line:  and  tiiose  wiiich  consider  their  situation 
unfavorable  in  that  regard  arc  being  gradually  relieved  l»y  the  propa- 
ganda of  Good  Roads  which  is  being  spread  abroad. 

An  interesting  item  showing  the  magnitude  of  the  railroad  jirop- 
ertics  in  the  county  is  their  value  as  returned  to  the  assessors  in  1917, 
as  follows:  The  C,  B.  &  Q.  (main  line),  $582,417;  Warsaw  branch, 
$:2SO,S13;  g.  A.  &  St.  I..  R.  R.,  .$203,817;  Waba.sh  Railway,  $218,278. 

Adams  County  Highways 

There  is  no  single  subject  in  which  the  farmers  of  a  countrj-  are 
more  vitally  concerned  than  that  of  good — at  least,  passable — high- 
ways to  the  nearest  markets  for  the  products  of  their  lands.  This  is 
true,  with  special  personal  application,  when  any  considerable  sections 
are  not  traversed  by  either  steam  or  electric  lines,  as  is  the  unfortunate 
ca.se  with  certain  districts  in  Adams  County.  It  is  only  really  within 
the  past  five  years  that  the  work  of  improving  the  highways  of  the 
county  has  been  undertaken  systematically  under  the  general  manage- 
ment of  a  superintendent  of  highways.  Previous  to  that  time  efforts 
in  tiiat  direction  were  made  by  individuals  and  later  by  the  Board  of 
County  Commissioners  and  their  agents,  the  road  viewers  and  highway 
commissioners.  But  real  permanency  in  the  improvements  perhaps 
dates  from  191.3,  or  the  passage  of  the  Tice  Hard  Road  Law,  which  also 
created  the  State  Highway  Commission  and  County  Superintendent 
of  Highways. 

Leading  to  the  QrixcY,  Atlas  and  Warsaw  Road 

Superintendent  L.  L.  JJoyer  has  prepared  for  this  history  the 
following  valuable  paper  bearing  on  all  phases  of  the  .subject  and, 
as  will  be  seen,  the  stoiy  covers  a  longer  period  than  the  official  life 
of  Adams  County:  "Previous  to  the  time  that  the  State  of  Illinois 
was  atlmitted  into  the  Union,  or  about  1809,  there  were  9,000  whites 
and  .')0,000  Indians  in  the  four  states  included  in  the  old  Northwest 
Territory.  At  that  time  highways  were  of  little  importance,  yet  they 
were  serving  a  definite  purpose,  which  was  to  transport  Government 
inspectors  and  provisions  to  the  different  forts  which  were  erected 
for  the  protection  of  the  whites  against  the  Indians.  Nearly  all  the 
inhabitants  living  soutli  of  what  is  now  known  as  Adams  County  were 
along  the  rivers  and  streams.  The  base  of  supply  was  the  southern 
part  of  the  state,  from  which  section  provisions  were  transported  dur- 
ing the  summer  seasons  by  means  of  Imats.  During  the  winter  time, 
when  the  rivers  were  frozen,  poods  and  provisions  were  transported 
by  horseback  to  the  different  forts  in  the  northern  j)art  of  the  state. 
One  of  these  forts  was  located  at  Warsaw,  now  in  Hancock  County. 
Necessarily,  there  must  be  some  definite  route  provided  by  which 

Vol.  I— u 


194  QUIN'CY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

provisions  and  men  could  be  transported  to  that  fort  from  the  southern 
base  of  supplies ;  and  Adams  County  was  in  its  most  direct  line.  This 
fact  gave  birth  to  her  first  real  highway,  running  through  the  county 
from  north  to  south,  although  certain  trails,  during  the  frozen  seasons 
of  the  year,  were  used  by  the  Indians  and  pioneer  white  settlers  outside 
of  this  main-traveled  highway  which  subsequently  became  known  as 
tJie  Quincy,  Atlas  and  Warsaw  road. 

"Why  Highvfats  Were  Not  Needed  Until  1825 

"Previous  to  1813  there  was  an  Indian  village  at  the  site  now 
known  as  Quincy,  which  for  some  time  had  been  a  trading  post  for  the 
Indians  and  French  from  the  north ;  but  in  that  year  Mountain 
Rangers  rode  through  the  country  and  destroyed  it;  which,  for  the 
time  being,  seemed  to  prevent  the  building  of  new  highways  from  the 
east  and  south.  In  1822  Governor  Wood  moved  into  his  log  house  at 
the  foot  of  what  is  now  Delaware  Street,  and  was  the  first  white 
resident  of  Quincy.  At  that  time  there  were  only  two  other  residents 
in  the  present  limits  of  Adams  County — Daniel  Lisle,  who  lived  a 
short  distance  south  of  where  Liberty  now  stands,  and  Justus  I. 
Perigo,  who  resided  near  Fall  Creek.  Evidently,  there  was  little  need 
for  highways  in  that  special  section  of  the  State  in  the  early  '20s. 

"In  1825  there  were  only  forty  votes  polled  at  the  first  election 
for  constable  and  justices  for  the  county,  the  total  population  of 
which  was  70.  Previous  to  that  year,  those  who  were  looking  for  mail 
had  to  go  or  send  to  the  village  of  Atlas,  some  forty  miles  south  of 
Quincy,  in  the  present  county  of  Pike.  But  in  the  late  '20s  Quincy 
commenced  to  receive  a  weekly  mail  from  that  point  by  horseback 
messenger. 

"Until  1825,  and  even  later,  each  family  was  a  complete  unit, 
depending  upon  its  different  members  for  food  and  clothing.  Each 
household  raised  its  own  corn. or  flax,  ground  its  own  meal,  spun  its 
own  yarn  and  made  its  own  bread  and  clothing.  But  about  that  time 
settlers  commenced  to  arrive  in  greater  numbers  and  the  desire  for 
co-operation  both  for  trade  and  sociability  became  stronger.  Roads 
and  highways  to  bring  the  scattered  families  into  more  convenient 
communication  therefore  commenced  to  be  considered  as  necessities. 

"For  several  years  subsequent  to  1825  the  Board  of  County  Com- 
missioners took  the  matter  in  hand  of  laying  out  highways  in  the 
most  thickly  settled  portions  of  the  county.  The  mode  of  procedure 
was  as  follows:  Some  interested  and  enterprising  resident  would 
petition  for  a  road  in  his  neighborhood,  the  matter  would  be  taken 
under  advisement  by  the  County  Board  and,  if  that  body  decided 
that  the  highway  was  necessary,  a  road  viewer  would  be  sent  to  the 
favored  locality  to  blaze  trees  along  what  he  considered  the  best  route. 
The  road  viewer,  or  road  viewers,  would  then  report  back  to  the  County 
Commissioners,  usually  at  the  same  meeting.  There  was  no  difficulty 
in  getting  a  road  put  through,  as  land  was  cheap  and  it  was  the  opinion 


(^riXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  195 

of  those  occupying  it  that  even  tlic  licst  of  it  could  prolitably  1)C  put 
to  the  use  of  the  general  public  iu  that  way.  In  1825,  also,  the  first  tive 
streets  ill  what  is  now  l^uiiicy  were  laid  out  and  named  after  the 
Eastern  states — Maine,  York,  Jersey,  Hampshire  and  Vermont. 

Viewers  Report  on  St.vte  Road 

"In  1826  commissioners  were  appointed  to  locate  a  state  road 
from  Quincy  to  Springfield  and  the  first  macadam  work  was  done  on 
Hampshire  street  from  Third  street  to  Front  street,  which  was  25  feet 
wide,  at  a  cost  of  $3.62V2  per  running  foot  with  one  dollar  addition  for 
curli.  This  work  was  done  by  -Mr.  Redman.  On  December  2,  1828, 
George  W.  Height  was  ordered  by  the  County  Commi.ssioners  to 
expend  $20  in  improving  Vermont  street  in  the  town  of  Quincy. 
John  Wood,  S.  Cox,  and  Wesley  Williams  were  appointed  by  the 
County  Board  to  review  that  part  of  the  county  road  laid  from  Quincy 
to  Atlas,  adjoining  Baker's  farm  about  IV2  niiles  from  Quincy,  and 
that  "they  report  their  findings  at  this  meeting.'  They  were  appointed 
December  2,  1828,  and  on  the  next  day  made  tlie  following  report  to  the 
County  Commissioners : 

"  'The  undersigned,  having  been  appointed  to  review  the  road  laid 
from  Quincy  to  Atlas  near  the  farm  of  Dr.  liaker,  have  the  honor  of 
reporting  that  they  have  this  day  perfonned  that  duty  and  report 
that  on  examination  of  the  present  location  of  the  road,  find  that  a 
considerable  portion  of  it  lies  in  low  and  marshy  ground  north  and 
south  of  .said  farm,  and  that  it  crooks  considerably  west  from  the  first 
large  creek  north  of  said  farm  down  to  it  and  then  runs  too  much  east 
for  the  general  direction  of  the  road  to  regain  the  dry  land  south  near 
the  bluff,  south  of  the  farm.  We  examined  a  route  near  the  bluff  and 
found  dr>'  ground  ajid  a  better  route  in  our  opinion  than  the  one  over 
which  the  road  now  runs,  and  accordingly  commenced  at  the  north 
side  of  the  aforementioned  creek  immediately  on  the  bank  .just  above 
where  the  road  crosses  it  and  blazed  a  route  in  a  straight  direction 
with  the  "north  or  Quincy  end"  of  the  road  running  near  Dr.  Baker's 
haystack  and  between  the  bluff  and  a  mound,  and  straight  near  the 
bluff  until  it  intersects  the  present  road  in  the  timber  south  of  said 
farm.  We  believe  this  blazed  route  is  nearer  than  the  old  one  and 
runs  on  better  ground,  and  that  the  contemplated  change  will  be  of 
public  and  general  utility  and  convenience. 

'  'All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted.  December  4,  1828. 
"  'Subscribed  and  sworn  to  in  open  court.  Dflcember  4,  1828. 

"'(Signedl  We.'^i.ey    Wfi.i.ia.ms. 
SAMtrn^  Cox, 
Jonx  Wood, 

Reviewers. 
"  'Henry  H.  Snow. 
Clerk.' 


196  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

"The  above  report  shows  very  clearly  that  the  commissioners  in 
charge  tried  to  serve  the  general  public  much  better  than  nowadays 
and  had  in  mind  the  matter  of  upkeep  on  highways ;  while  thej'  never 
once  thought  of  the  tremendous  upkeep  that  would  become  necessary 
on  even  the  best  tj'pe  of  highways  through  the  inventiou  of  the  swift 
moving  vehicle  known  as  the  automobile. 

Pioneer  Roads  and  Bridges 

"By  this  time  highways  had  been  laid  out  in  what  is  now  the 
County  of  Adams.  And  on  March  2,  1828,  after  careful  consideratiou 
of  conditions,  the  commissioners  decided  to  divide  Adams  County  int(j 
fourteen  road  districts  and  to  appoint  fourteen  men  as  supervisors 
of  said  roads  in  these  districts.  Later  on  two  more  road  districts  were 
added  and  from  1828,  especially,  to  1840,  road  viewing  and  road  lay- 
ing-out was  the  principal  work  of  the  County  Board  of  Commissioners. 

"The  building  of  wooden  bridges  was  begun  a  little  previous  to 
1840  and  continued  until  1850,  at  which  time  this  practice  was  super- 
seded by  the  building  of  the  steel  bridge,  which  period  extended  until 
about  1913.  In  1850  the  Old  Bear  Creek  bridge,  which  is  still  stand- 
ing between  Quincy  and  Lima,  was  begun  and  completed  a  short 
time  afterwards.  After  this  bridge  had  beeu  completed,  being  en- 
tirely constructed  of  wood,  the  Count}-  Commissioners  passed  the  fol- 
lowing by-laws :  '  No  person  shall  ride  or  drive  over  this  bridge  faster 
than  a  walk;  uo  smoking  or  fire  of  any  kind  closer  than  100  yards; 
not  more  than  twenty-five  head  of  cattle  or  horses  on  bridge  at  any 
time.'  The  bridge  cost  $9,331.54  and  was  built  by  Amos  Green  in 
1850. 

Improvements  in  Road  and  Bridge  Building 

"In  the  year  1850,  Adams  County  had  beeu  divided  into  town- 
ships, and  permitted  each  township  to  select  its  own  officers  and  to 
levy-  taxes  for  town  purposes,  as  well  as  for  road  and  school  purposes ; 
which  road  tax  wa.s  to  be  expended  under  the  direction  of  three  high- 
ways commissioners  who  had  power  to  appoint  as  many  road  bosses 
as  they  saw  fit,  to  oversee  the  work  to  be  done.  Taxes  for  road  pur- 
poses were  not  paid  in  cash,  but  by  labor,  and  entirely  under  the 
supervision  of  the  township  commissioners.  This,  in  the  opinion  of 
many  was  a  change  for  the  worse  in  the  matters  of  improving  high- 
ways, as  it  created  many  different  methods  of  improving  highways 
as  there  were  persons  elected  to  the  position  of  highway  commissioner, 
and  in  some  cases,  as  was  the  case  in  this  county,  there  were  as  many 
as  300  different  men  having  jurisdiction  on  the  small  number  of  high- 
ways that  then  were  in  existence.  However  poor  this  method  seemed, 
it  lasted  in  the  main  until  about  the  year  1900,  when  a  law  was  passed 
doing  away  with  road  overseers  and  making  only  the  three  highway 
commissioners  of  every  township  responsible  for  the  highways  therein. 


QIIXCV  AND  ADAMS  COUXTV  197 

Another  important  feature  of  the  new  hiw  was  that  whieh  provided 
for  the  paying  of  the  road  tax  in  cash.  While  these  were  important 
features  in  the  road  law  Adams  County  Board  of  Supervisors  eould 
yet  see  that  it  was  necessary  for  the  county  to  aid  the  townships  in 
the  erection  of  tJie  larger  bridges  and  more  important  highway  con- 
struction therein.  Therefore  it  will  be  noted  all  along  the  line  of 
procedure  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  that  the  county  willingly 
aided  the  township  by  the  appropriation  of  what  would  total  several 
millions  of  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  improving  highways  and  bridges. 
•"During  the  steel-bridge  construction  period  in  this  county  it  was 
believed  by  many  that  there  was  considerable  graft  in  that  connection. 
Many  of  our  steel  bridges,  while  serving  their  purpose,  are  much 
lighter  in  weight  than  they  should  be.  In  many  instances  can  bo  cited 
liridges  of  from  thirty-five  to  fifty  feet  span  costing  in  the  neighbor- 
iiood  of  $2,500,  where  bridges  with  four  foot  spans  costing  $15  to  $18 
would  have  served  the  purpose.  While  all  of  this  is  taken  into  con- 
sideration the  County  of  Adams  is  to  be  congratulated  on  the  number 
and  condition  of  our  highways  and  bridges  at  present.  It  is  estimated 
that  their  value  is  nearly  one  and  one-half  million  dollars;  while  those 
fonstnicted  entirely  by  the  townships  are  estimated  at  something  less 
than  two  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

The  Tice  Hard  Ro.\d  Law 

"Seemingly,  there  was  no  great  change  in  the  laws  toward  high- 
way improvement  that  pointed  to  any  permanency  until  the  year 
1913,  when  Homer  Tice,  then  chairman  of  the  Roads  and  Bridges 
Committee  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  secured  the  passage  of 
what  is  known  as  the  Tice  Hard  Road  law.  Until  this  time  automo- 
bile owners  had  been  paying  license  fees  to  the  State  for  the  privilege 
of  operating  their  cars  thereon  and  no  provision  for  the  expenditure 
of  this  money  had  been  made  by  the  Legislature.  It  was  felt  among 
many  that  the  money  collected  from  the  operation  of  cars  should  be 
expended  on  the  highways :  and  accordingly  they  pa.ssed  a  law  re- 
turning to  counties  an  amount  proportionate  to  the  road  and  bridge 
tax  levied  therein,  on  the  condition  that  the  county  would  provide  by 
taxation  an  amount  equal  to  the  amount  offered  by  the  State.  The 
law  also  created  the  State  Highway  Commission  and  County  Superin- 
tendent of  Highways,  under  whose  direction  were  placed  the  expendi- 
ture of  these  moneys.  Many  feeling  that  the  money  appropriated  for 
road  purposes  had  been  unwisely  oxjicnded,  deemed  it  necessary  that 
there  should  be  some  one  charged  with  the  expenditure  of  these 
moneys  and  that  tliey  should  show  by  examination,  or  otherwise, 
that  they  were  capable  of  improving  and  building  highways.  Thus 
the  applicants  for  the  office  of  county  superintendent  of  highways 
must  pass  a  rigid  examination  based  on  the  construction  and  im]irove- 
ment  of  highways,  apd  their  names  being  sent  to  the  County  Board 
of  Supervisors  that  body  selected  from  the  eligibles  a  mani  to  serve 


198  QUrXCY  AND  AUAilS  COUNTY 

in  that  oapaeity.  You  will  see  that  the  official  named,  having  juris- 
diction over  the  commissioner  of  highways  of  the  townships  and  over 
the  expenditure  of  the  money,  would  create  somewhat  of  an  ill  feeling 
in  certain  (juarters  and  aceordinglj'  there  was  an  effort  put  forth  to 
eliminate  the  office  that  had  been  created. 

"The  law  also  gave  the  people  the  right  to  decide  whether  each 
township  should  have  one  or  three  highway  commissioners  and  gave 
them  the  right  to  bond  the  county  in  order  to  provide  funds  for  the 
building  of  hard  roads.  All  of  this,  of  course,  affected  the  County  of 
Adams.  In  1913,  therefore,  in  accordance  with  the  law,  the  Board 
of  Supervisors  appointed  Floyd  Bell,  of  Paj'son,  county  superin- 
tendent of  highways.  He  served  a  year  and  two  months  in  the  office, 
when  he  resigned  and  L.  L.  Boyer,  of  Liberty,  was  selected  to  fill  out 
his  unexpired  term. 

"Soon  after  Mr.  Boyer 's  appointment  a  resolution  was  passed  to 
submit  the  proposition  for  issuing  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $700,000, 
in  order  to  create  a  fund  for  the  improvement  by  constructing  the 
hard  roads  of  the  county.  It  was  sub.sequently  withdrawn,  as  the  con- 
clusion had  been  reached  that  that  was  an  insufficient  sum  to  carry 
out  the  work  contemplated.  After  much  discussion,  both  in  and  out- 
side the  board,  and  after  plans,  specifications  and  estimates  had  been 
prepared  and  thoroughly  considered,  a  resolution  finally  went  through 
submitting  to  a  vote  of  the  people  of  the  county,  at  the  election  in 
January,  1917,  the  proposition  to  issue  bonds  for  highway  purposes 
in  the  sum  of  $1,180,000.  While  the  bond  issue  was  defeated  by  a 
vote  of  16.000  to  12,004,  the  County  Board  had  by  no  means  lost  in- 
terest in  the  subject,  as  it  had  been  continuously  appropriating 
money  for  the  construction  of  bridges  and  the  repair  of  old  ones. 

Gr.wel  and  M.\c.\dam  Roads 

"Previous  to  1913,  when  the  Tice  Hard  Road  law  became  effective, 
Adams  County  had  a  few  of  her  highways  improved  fairly  perma- 
nently with  gravel  and  macadam.  North  Twelfth  Street  had  been 
graveled  by  K.  K.  Jones  more  than  twenty  years  before  and  is  still 
in  fair  shape.  Gravel  roads  have  also  been  constructed  to  a  consider- 
able extent  in  Riverside,  Burton,  Melrose,  Ellington  and  Lima  town- 
ships. The  Quincy-Liberty  road  was  selected  by  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors as  the  thoroughfare  to  be  improved  by  State  aid  under  the  Tice 
Hard  Road  law,  and  accordingly  for  the  past  four  years  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  of  concrete  have  been  laid  out  on  that  highway  at  a  cost 
of  $16,000  per  mile,  and  about  three  and  a  half  miles  of  water  bound 
macadam,  at  a  cost  of  some  $13,000  a  mile. 

"During  the  year  1917  an  especially  heavy  storm  swept  the  west- 
ern part  of  Illinois  and  flooded  lands  that  had  escaped  inundation  for 
years.  It  caused  much  damage  to  many  of  the  highways  in  Adams 
County  and  some  of  the  important  bridges  were  completely  destroyed. 
The   county  superintendent   of   highways    made   an    estimate   of   the 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  199 

amouut  necessary  to  be  expended  in  order  to  replace  tlie  bridges  and 
put  all  in  normal  condition  for  traffic.  He  asked  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors for  a  special  aiipropriation  of  $80,000  for  that  purpose,  and 
obtained  half  that  amount. 

Illinois  St.vte  Highw.w  Plan- 

"Believing  that  this  method  of  highway  construction  was  too 
slow,  those  most  interested  in  the  imi>rovement  of  highways  through- 
out the  State  will  attempt  to  secure  the  passage  of  a  bill  through  the 
Legislature,  submitting  to  the  people  the  proposition  to  issue  $60,000,- 
000  in  bonds  to  be  used  in  the  construction  of  4.S00  miles  of  perma- 
nent highways  in  Illinois.  Those  especially  identified  with  the  move- 
ment in  Adams  County  discovered  that  in  the  state-wide  scheme  of 
highway  eonsti-uctioii  oidy  one  line  jienotrated  their  territory;  and 
that  was  a  comparatively  unimportant  branch  from  Mount  Sterling 
west  to  Quincy.  When  the  discovery  wa.s  made,  the  State  Aid  Road 
C(immitte<*,  consisting  of  James  Cook,  Oscar  Arntzent  and  Robert 
Mclntyre,  were  cidlcd  to  the  office  of  the  .superintendent  of  highways 
for  a  conference  as  to  what  could  be  done  toward  securing  three  high- 
ways, which  should  lead  into  Quincy  from  the  north  and  south,  as 
well  as  from  the  e^st.  As  a  result  of  that  meeting,  the  committee 
mentioned,  with  II.  F.  Scarborough,  of  Payson,  representatives  of  the 
Quincy  Cliamber  of  Commerce,  Mayor  Abbott.  Thomas  Rcatty  and 
the  county  superintendent  of  highways,  went  to  Springfield  and,  with 
the  eo-operation  of  the  representatives  and  state  senators  from  the 
district,  secured  the  three  highways  leading  into  Adams  County  in- 
-stead  of  the  solitary  line  from  the  cast.  When  the  bill  was  sub- 
mitted to  the  governor  for  his  signature,  he  held  that  it  would  be 
illegal  for  him  to  sign  it.  as  the  limit  of  state  taxation  had  been 
reached  under  the  constitution.  He  stated,  however,  that  he  was  in 
favor  of  highwaj"  improvements,  and  that  if  measures  could  be  passed 
raising  the  license  fees  for  automobiles  and  i-liauffeurs  .50  per  cent 
for  two  years  these  sources  of  income  would  more  than  pay  the 
$60,000,000  bond  issue,  with  interest,  for  the  construction  of  the  grand 
contemplated  system  of  .state  highways. 

"If  the  people  approve  this  issue  of  bonds,  at  the  November  elec- 
tion of  1918,  the  State  of  Illinois  will  have  inaugurated  a  system  of 
highways  which,  when  completed,  will  give  her  first  rank  in  the 
nation:  whereas,  three  years  ago  she  stood  twenty-third,  and  at 
present  is  seventeenth  among  the  States." 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  MARTIAL  RECORD 

The  Black  Hawk  War — The  Eakly-Tijie  Militia — The  Mormon 
War — QuiNCY  as  a  Peace  Maker — Mexican  War  and  Adams 
County  Victims — The  Civil  War — Different  Units  Represent- 
ing Adams  County — The  Women  of  Quincy — Lightning  War 
Moves — Off  for  Cairo — Colonel  Prentiss  in  Command — Tenth 
Infantry  Illinois  Volunteers — Gen.  B.  M.  Prentiss — Gen. 
James  D.  Morg.vn — Gen.  John  Tillson — ^^Villiam  H.  Collins' 
War  Notes — The  War  as  Centered  at  Quincy — Local  Military 
Leaders — The  Sixteenth  Infantry — The  Twenty-seventh  In- 
fantry— The  Fiftieth  and  Col.  M.  M.  Bane — The  Eighty- 
fourth  Infantry — The  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  In- 
fantry— The  One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth  Infantry — The 
Needle  Pickets — Sisters  of  the  Good  Samaritan — The  First 
Soldiers'  Monument — Illinois  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Home — 
Quincy  in  the  Spanish-American  War — Quincy  Naval  Re- 
serves After  the  War — Promptly  Answer  Last  Call  to  the 
Colors — On  Board  Torpedoed  Ship^ — Company  I,  Eighth  Illi- 
nois Volunteers — Active  JIilitary  Bodies — The  ]\Iachine  Gun 
Company. 

Adams  is  old  enough  as  a  county  to  have  made  quite  a  long  martial 
record,  and  it  is  not  going  beyond  the  facts  to  state  that  it  has  done 
so.  The  participation  of  its  people  in  matters  military  was  rather 
sporadic  and  intermittent ;  it  was  taken  in  spa.sms  and  spurts  until 
the  Civil  war  gradually  and  fully  absorbed  every  ounce  of  its  mau 
and  woman  power  for  four  long  and  agonizing  years.  The  Spanish- 
American  war  was  a  mere  episode  in  the  chapter,  although  its  citi- 
zens were  ready  and  eager  to  make  it  more,  if  the  occasion  should 
call  for  greater  sacrifices.  And  now,  and  for  considerably  more  than 
a  year  past,  the  county  is  in  the  greatest  Avar  of  all,  fought  for  the 
broadest  and  highest  ideals  for  which  any  nation,  or  part  of  a  nation, 
can  contend. 

The  Black  Hawk  War 

Adams  County  sent  two  full  companies  to  fight  Black  Hawk  and 
his  Indians,  in  April,  1832.  The  general  outside  facts  of  that  first 
taste  of  military  excitement  experienced  by  the  State  of  Illinois  were 

200 


(^II.\(  V  AMI  ADA.MS  COrNYV  201 

that  Governor  Reynolds  called  out  the  eitizcn  soldiery  in  the  sjiring 
of  the  previoas  year,  when  the  Indian  menace  fii"st  assumed  alarming 
[iroiKirtions.  The  settlers  of  Rock  River  and  vicinity  sent  iiini  a 
petition  in  April  of  that  year,  stating  that  "last  fall  the  Black  llawk 
band  of  Indians  almost  destroyed  all  of  our  crops  and  made  several 
attacks  on  the  owners,  when  they  attempted  to  jirevent  their  depreda- 
tions, and  wounded  one  man  by  actually  stabbing  him  in  several 
places."  The  petition,  which  was  signed  by  thirty-five  or  forty  per- 
sons, represented  that  there  were  600  or  TOO  Indians  among  them. 
Another  petition  sets  forth  that  "the  Indians  pasture  their  horses 
in  our  wheat  fields,  shoot  our  cows  and  cattle,  and  threaten  to  burn 
our  houses  over  our  heads  if  we  do  not  leave." 

Therefore,  on  'May  26,  1831,  the  governor  called  on  the  militia 
of  the  state  for  700  mounted  men.  Beardstown  was  the  designated 
place  of  rcndezA'ous,  and  sndi  was  the  courage  and  alarm  of  the  settlers 
that  almost  three  times  the  number  requested  offered  themselves  for 
the  venture.  After  the  selection  had  been  made,  the  mounted  troops 
left  the  encampment  near  Rushville  for  Rock  Island,  June  15,  1831, 
and  on  the  30th  of  the  month,  in  a  council  held  for  the  purpose  at 
that  place,  Black  Hawk  and  twenty-seven  chiefs  and  warriors  on  the 
part  of  the  Indians  and  Gen.  Edmund  P.  Gaines,  of  the  United  States 
army,  and  John  Reynolds,  governor  of  Illinois,  for  the  whites,  signed 
a  treaty  of  peace  and  friendship.  That  agreement  bound  the  Indians 
to  make  their  permanent  home  west  of  the  Mississippi  River. 

But  in  April,  1832,  it  became  evident  that  Black  Hawk  had  vio- 
lated the  treaty,  for,  with  500  of  his  warriors,  he  then  appeared  in 
the  Rock  River  country  again  spreading  apprehension  and  indigna- 
tion throughout  the  state.  When  Governor  Reynolds,  at  his  Belle- 
ville home,  heard  of  their  threatening  movements  and  realized  that 
they  had  no  intention  of  retiring  beyond  the  ^lississippi  he  at  once 
moved  decisively.  On  the  16th  of  April,  1832,  he  issued  a  call  for 
all  available  militia  to  meet  at  Beardstown  on  the  22d  of  the  month. 
That  appeal,  or  mandate,  brought  out  the  two  companies  from  Adams 
rViunty.  William  G.  Flood  was  captain  of  one  of  them,  with  E.  L. 
Pierson  lieutenant,  and  the  second  was  raised  and  commanded  by 
Sheriff  Earl  Pierce.  John  Wood  went  with  the  other  plucky  settlers 
and  took  with  him  his  two  hired  men.  Robert  Tillson,  the  postmaster 
at  Quiney,  could  not  leave  his  official  post,  but  sent  John  if.  Holmes 
and  another  clerk  in  his  store,  each  with  an  outfit  of  gun.  tin  cup, 
blanket  and  provisions.  At  that  time  the  population  of  the  county 
seat  was  about  400,  and  the  Quiney  Postoffice  accommodated  a  large 
northern  country.  From  the  south  the  mail  was  brought  once  a 
week  by  a  man  on  horseback,  from  f'arrollton.  Af)ple  Creek  and  Atlas. 
It  is  therefore  no  fiction  to  repeat  that  Qiiincy  could  not  spare  Post- 
master Till.son  at  the  time  of  the  Blink  Ilawk  war.  As  it  was.  he 
was  one  of  only  half  a  dozen  ablc-bodii-d  men  left  behind  to  defend 
the  town  and  its  women  and  children :  such  was  the  sweeping  call 
caused  l)v  the  treacherous  l)reach  of  faith  made  bv  Black  Hawk  and 


202  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

his  followers.  Naturally,  much  uueasiuess  was  felt  by  those  left 
behiud — both  the  little  band  of  defenders  and  the  great  majority  of 
women  and  children — until  the  news  reached  Quincy  that  a  more 
assuring  treaty  had  been  made  with  the  Black  Hawk  Indians,  on  the 
15th  of  September,  1832. 

The  Eaely-Time  Militia 

The  agitations  of  the  Black  Hawk  war  created  a  military  spirit  of 
preparedness  and  the  organization,  at  a  somewhat  later  period,  of 
several  local  companies  which  claimed  to  have  drilled  themselves 
above  the  facetious  classification  "cornstalk  militia."  In  the  late 
'30s  the  Quincy  Grays  were  perhaps  the  most  stable  and  efficient 
of  these  organizations. 

In  1843,  when  the  Mormons  of  Nauvoo  and  Hancock  County  com- 
menced to  appear  in  the  affairs  of  "Western  Illinois  and  Adams  County 
as  possible  firebrands  to  light  a  local  civil  war,  the  people  of  Quincy 
decided  to  organize  as  strong  a  military  company  as  possible.  The 
preliminary  meetings  were  held  at  the  courthou.se  on  March  1st  and 
6th,  of  that  year,  with  Edward  Charles  in  the  chair  and  I.  V.  "W. 
Dutchess  as  secretary.  Officers  were  not  immediately  selected,  but  a 
drill-master  was  chosen  in  the  person  of  James  D.  Morgan,  who  in 
subsequent  years  was  to  make  so  fine  a  record  in  both  the  Mexican 
and  the  Civil  wars  and  to  reach  the  high  grade  of  brevet  major  gen- 
eral. At  the  election  on  the  9th  of  May  he  received  sixty  votes  for 
captain  of  the  Quincy  riflemen,  as  the  company  was  called ;  Benjamin 
M.  Prentiss,  whose  military  fame  was  to  be  equally  prominent,  be- 
came first  lieutenant  by  a  similar  vote;  William  Y.  Henry  was 
elected  second  lieutenant,  also  by  sixty  votes ;  Charles  Everett,  Jr.,  re- 
ceived thirty-six  votes  for  third  lieutenant  and  James  C.  Sprague, 
twelve  votes  for  the  same  rank.  Nearly  190  members  signed  their 
names  to  the  constitution  of  the  company.  The  style  of  uniform 
adopted  was  "for  privates,  gold  lace  upon  the  collar  and  cuffs,  and 
twenty-four  buttons,  after  the  style  of  a  coat  exhibited  and  worn  by 
Sergt.  Chickering ;  pants  dark,  with  yellow  stripe  an  inch  wide  down 
outside  seam  of  leg." 

A  called  meeting  was  held  June  26th,  in  response  to  a  request 
from  Brigadier  General  Denny  to  a.ssist  in  the  search  of  Nauvoo.  The 
invitation  was  declined,  but  two  days  later,  having  heard  of  the  kill- 
ing of  Joseph  Smith  and  his  brother,  the  death  of  William  Richards 
and  the  supposed  peril  of  Governor  Ford,  the  company  placed  itself 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Flood,  as  did  the  German  Guards, 
an  Irish  company  and  an  organization  of  volunteers  under  command 
of  Capt.  A.  Johnston.  There  were  seventy-seven  riflemen,  and  all  the 
commands  were  enrolled  as  the  Quincy  Battalion.  On  the  day  named, 
June  2Sth,  the  men  embarked  for  Warsaw  on  the  steamer  "Boreas." 
From  this  time  on,  during  a  period  of  two  years,  the  interest  attached 
to  the  Quincy  Riflemen,  who  were  the  representative  military  or- 


QUIXCY  AND  ADA.MS  COUNTY  203 

gauization  of  Adams  County,  depeudis  upou  their  ijaiticipatiou  in  the 
Mormon  war,  and  still  later  in  the  War  with  Mexico. 

The  Mormon  War 

Before  the  Quinc-y  Riflemen  embarked,  a  putjlic  meeting  of  citizens 
was  held  and  a  connuittec  of  twelve  ajjpointed  to  go  to  tlie  scene  of 
the  disturbance,  and  throughout  the  succeeding  two  years  of  agita- 
tions over  the  Mormon  eomjilications  it  was  largely  through  the  in- 
fluence of  the  people  of  that  city  that  compromises  were  effected  which 
finally  resulted  in  the  departure  of  the  deluded  people  without  serious 
liloodshed.  Governor  Ford  was  in  Xauvoo  at  the  time  Joseph  Smith 
declared  martial  law  there,  and  the  killing  of  the  three  Prophets  took 
place  in  the  local  jail.  Soon  after  the  tragedy,  the  governor  escaped 
to  Quincy.  and  on  the  following  day  issued  the  following  proclama- 
tion, the  first  gubernatorial  paper  which  has  ever  gone  forth  from 
the  county  seat  of  Adams : 

" Headqlarters,  Quixcy,  June  29,  1844. 

"It  is  ordered  that  the  connnandants  of  regiments  in  the  counties 
of  Adams,  Marquette,  Pike,  Brown,  Schuyler,  Morgan,  Scott,  Cass, 
Fulton,  and  MeDonough,  and  the  regiments  comprising  Greneral 
Stafl^'s  brigade,  shall  call  tiieir  respective  regiments  and  battalions 
together  immediately  upou  receipt  of  this  order,  and  proceed  by 
voluntary  enlistment  to  enroll  as  many  men  as  can  be  armed  in 
their  resj^ective  regiments. 

'"They  will  make  arrangements  for  a  campaign  of  twelve  days, 
and  will  provide  themselves  with  arms,  ammunitions  and  provisions 
accordingly,  and  hold  themselves  in  readiness  immediately  to  march 
upon  receipt  of  further  orders. 

"The  independent  companies  of  riflemen,  infantry,  cavalry  and 
artillery,  in  the  above  named  counties  and  in  the  county  of  Sangamon, 
will  hold  themselves  in  readiness  in  like  manner. 

"Thomas  Ford, 
"Governor  and  Commander-in-Chief." 

The  Quincy  Battalion  returned  from  Nauvoo  in  a  few  da.vs,  after 
the  imminent  danger  of  further  rioting  had  passed,  but  Governor 
Ford  remained  some  time  in  the  city,  as  he  considered  it  particularly 
eligible  from  a  strategic  standpoint,  and  was  there  visited  by  deputa- 
tions from  the  seat  of  disturbance.  During  that  period,  in  fact, 
Quincy  was  not  only  the  seat  of  .iustice  for  Adams  County,  but  was 
the  state  capital.  Tn  Septeml>er,  1844,  while  the  town  still  had  that 
dignity,  the  governor  i.ssued  orders,  in  his  capacity  of  commander-in- 
ehief  of  the  state  militia,  for  the  companies  with  headquarters  at 
Quincy  to  rendezvous  at  some  point  in  Hancock  County.  The  people 
of  Hancock  County  had  advertised  generally  that  they  would  as.semble 
at  a  set  day  for  the  "fall  wolf  hunt,"  but  as  there  was  still  much  bitter 
feeling  between  the  Mormons  and  anti-Mormons  Governor  Ford  wa? 


204  QULNCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

fearful  of  a  clash,  even  if  one  were  not  contemplated  under  the  guise 
of  a  "wolf  hunt."  He  therefore  called  out  the  Quiucy  companies, 
and  the  Riflemen  and  German  Guards  left  for  Hancock  County.  But 
the  wolf  hunt  passed  off  without  unusual  incident. 

On  the  last  day  of  the  month  (September)  two  of  the  defendants 
charged  with  the  killing  of  Joseph  and  Hiram  Smith  were  brought 
before  Judge  Thomas,  then  holding  Circuit  Court  at  Quiney,  and 
underwent  a  preliminary  examination.  Their  attorneys  were  0.  H. 
terowning  and  E.  D.  Baker,  and  the  state  was  represented  by  A.  T. 
Bledsoe  and  Thomas  Campbell.  On  the  2d  of  October  the  parties 
to  the  suit  entered  into  an  agi-eement  for  the  defendants'  appearance 
at  the  Hancock  Court.  From  the  following  paragraph  in  the  Quiney 
"Whig  of  that  date  it  is  evident  that  Governor  Ford  left  the  town  for 
his  regular  capital  a  few  days  before  the  date  mentioned:  "The 
Springfield  Cadets,  after  being  escorted  to  the  outskirts  of  the  city 
by  our  volunteer  companies,  started  for  their  homes  on  Wednesday 
last,  as  did  also  the  commander-in-chief.  His  Excellency,  Thomas 
Ford." 

There  were  trials  for  the  Smith  murders  at  Carthage,  but  no  con- 
victions, and  the  Legislature  sitting  in  June,  1845,  repealed  all  the 
Mormon  charters. 

QuiNCY  AS  A  Peace-Maker 

Soon  after  the  death  of  the  Smiths,  Brigham  Young  became  the 
head  of  the  Mormon  Church.  Renewed  charges  and  complaints  of 
simdry  crimes  and  murders  were  made  by  the  people  of  Hancock 
County  against  the  Mormons,  and  counter  charges  and  accusations 
were  piled  up  with  equal  rapidity  and  pressed  with  like  vigor  and 
bitterness.  At  length  old  political  differences  were  laid  aside,  and 
there  remained  substantially  but  two  parties  in  the  entire  region— 
:Mormons  and  anti-Mormons.  Not  only  in  Hancock,  but  mainly  in 
Adams,  and  to  a  lesser  degree  in  other  ad.jacent  counties,  the  belief 
solidified  that  there  could  be  no  peace  in  that  section  of  Western 
Illinois  until  the  Mormons  vacated  the  country. 

That  conviction  was  so  deeply  impressed  upon  the  citizens  of 
Quiney  that  on  September  22,  1845,  a  largely  attended  mass  meeting 
was  held  at  the  courthouse  at  which  it  was  resolved  to  send  a  com- 
mittee of  citizens  to  Nauvoo  to  acquaint  Brigham  Young  with  their 
positive  belief,  representing  the  sentiment  of  their  community,  that 
the  only  path  to  peace  lay  through  the  Mormon  exodus  beyond  the 
Mississippi.  The  committee  thus  chosen,  the  members  of  which  waited 
upon  Brigham  Young  on  the  day  following  their  appointment  by  their 
fellow-citizens,  comprised  Henry  Asbury,  John  P.  Robbins,  Albert  G. 
Pearson,  P.  A.  Goodwin,  J.  N.  Ralston,  M.  Rogers  and  E.  Conyers. 

Nearly  forty  years  afterward  Mr.  Asbury  wrote  this  account  of  the 
committee's  visit  to  the  ilormon  leader:  "Tt  is  proper  to  state 
here  that  this  action  on  the  part  of  Quiney  was  taken  in  a  spirit 


QUINCY  AND  A  I)  A.MS  L(JU.\  1  V  205 

of  kindness  towards  all  the  parties,  and  her  views  were  coininunicated 
to  the  Nauvoo  authorities  in  a  respectful  aud  straightforward  luamier. 
Our  committee  arrived  at  Nauvoo  on  the  day  following  after  the  meet- 
ing here  at  about  11  o'clock  A.  ^I.  Wo  found  the  city  under  a  sort 
of  mditary  or  martial  law.  On  our  way  to  the  hotel  where  we  stopped 
we  passed  one  or  more  armed  sentinels  upon  their  beats.  We  found 
soon  alter  our  arrival  that  l^rigliam  Young  and  some  others  of  the 
leading  men  were  absent  at  Carthage,  but  were  expected  to  return 
that  evening.    Our  committee  had  to  await  the  return  of  IVIr.  Young. 

"During  the  afternoon  we  looked  around  the  city  to  some  extent, 
and  made  some  inquiries  of  those  we  met  a.s  to  the  present  population 
of  Nauvoo  and  its  general  conditions.  We  were  informed  that  the 
population  of  the  city  was  then  15,000  souls,  and  during  the  long 
hours  we  had  to  wait  for  the  return  of  Mr.  Young  we  had  time  and 
occasion  to  discuss  among  ourselves  the  rather  singular  nature  of  our 
mission,  and  the  magnitude  of  the  modest  request  of  Quincy  that  this 
people  should  pull  up  stakes  and  go  away.  And  let  it  be  remembered 
that  Quincy,  which  was  the  first  to  receive  and  treat  with  kindness 
the  ilormon  people,  was  the  first,  though  reluctantly,  to  sa.v  to  them, 
without  threatening,  it  would  be  best  for  them  to  go. 

"Brigham  Young  arrived  from  Carthage  late,  and  at  near  11 
o'clock  at  niglit  your  committee  delivered  the  Quincy  resolutions  witi> 
a  .short  and  respectful  note  from  the  committee.  The  next  morning  at 
breakfast  the  committee  received  the  reply  'To  Whom  it  May  Con- 
cern.' " 

The  reply,  to  which  reference  is  made,  is  signed  by  Brigham 
Young,  president,  "by  order  of  the  Council."  Writing  as  president 
of  "a  council  of  the  authorities  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter  Day  Saints  at  Nauvoo,"  he  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  the 
communication  from  the  committee  requesting  that  body  to  "com- 
numicate  in  writing  our  disposition  and  intention  at  this  time,  par- 
ticularly with  regard  to  removing  to  some  place  where  the  peculiar 
organization  of  our  church  will  not  be  likely  to  engender  so  much 
strife  and  contention  as  so  unhappily  exists  at  this  time  in  Hancock 
and  some  of  the  adjoining  counties."  The  reply  then  a.sserts  the 
desire  of  the  Mormons  for  peace;  acknowledges  the  past  hospitality 
and  kindness  nf  the  people  of  Qiiinry;  claims  that  their  opjiosition 
has  been  only  a  "resistance  to  mobocracy"  and  not  to  legally  con- 
stituted authority,  and  finally  records  the  promise  to  the  governor, 
"all  the  authorities  and  people  of  Illinois  and  the  surrounding  States 
and  Territories,  that  we  propose  to  leave  this  county  next  spring 
for  some  point  so  remote  that  there  will  not  need  to  be  a  difficulty 
with  the  people  and  ourselves,  provided  certain  propositions  neees- 
sar>-  for  the  accomplishment  of  our  removal  shall  be  observed,  as 
follows,  to-wit : 

"That  the  citizens  of  this  and  surrounding  counties  will  use  their 
inflnenee  and  exertions  to  help  us  to  sell  or  rent  our  properties,  so 


206  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

as  to  get  means  enough  that  we  can  help  the  widow,  the  fatherless  and 
destitute,  to  remove  with  us ; 

"That  all  men  will  let  us  alone  with  their  vexatious  lawsuits  so 
that  we  may  have  the  time,  for  we  have  broken  no  law;  and  help  us 
to  cash,  dry  goods,  groceries,  good  oxen,  milch  cows,  beef  cattle,  sheep, 
wagons,  mules,  harness,  horses,  etc.,  in  exchange  for  our  property 
at  fair  prices,  and  deeds  given  on  payment,  that  we  may  have  the 
means  to  accomplish  a  removal  without  the  suffering  of  the  destitute 
to  an  extent  beyond  the  endurance  of  human  nature ; 

"That  all  exchanges  of  property  be  conducted  by  a  committee  or 
committees  of  both  parties,  so  that  all  business  may  be  transacted  hon- 
orably and  speedily ; 

"That  we  will  use  all  lawful  means  in  connection  with  others  to 
preserve  the  public  peace,  while  we  tarry,  and  shall  expect  decidedly 
that  we  be  no  more  molested  with  house-burning,  or  any  other  depre- 
dations to  waste  our  property  and  time  and  hinder  our  business ; 

"That  it  is  a  mistaken  idea  that  we  'have  proposed  to  remove 
in  six  months' ;  for  that  would  be  so  eai-ly  in  the  spring  that  grass 
might  not  grow  or  water  run,  both  of  which  would  be  necessary  for 
our  removal ;  but  we  propose  to  use  our  influence  to  have  no  more 
seed-time  nor  harvest  among  our  people  in  this  county  after  gathering 
our  present  crops; 

' '  And  that  all  communications  be  made  in  writing. ' ' 

After  the  return  of  the  committee  to  Quincy  a  report  of  the  out- 
come of  their  mission  was  made  to  another  mass  meeting  of  citizens  and 
the  reply  of  President  Young  and  the  Mormon  Council  communicated 
to  that  body,  which  formally  indorsed  their  actions.  A  few  days 
afterward,  in  October,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Carthage  comprising 
citizens  from  nine  of  the  surrounding  counties,  accepting  the  pledges 
made  by  the  Mormon  leaders.  Thus,  though  comparative  peace 
reigned  in  Warsaw  and  Hancock  County,  the  Quincy  Rifles  were  on 
the  ground  of  the  former  disturbances,  at  various  periods  from  Sep- 
tember, 1845,  to  May,  1846,  when  they  joined  General  Hardin's 
brigade  for  Mexico.  September  of  that  year  came,  and  long  after 
"grass  grew  and  water  ran"  a  considerable  number  of  the  Mormons 
still  remained  in  Hancock  County. 

The  story  of  their  final  departure  to  Salt  Lake,  and  the  creditable 
part  taken  by  the  citizens  of  Quincy  as  mediators  and  peace-makers, 
has  never  been  told  so  well  or  so  fully  as  by  Henry  Asbury,  who  was 
also  one  of  the  chief  makers  of  history  during  that  culminating  period 
of  violence  and  excitement.  Here  is  his  version,  commencing  Septem- 
ber, 1846:  "The  better  element  of  the  Mormons,  including  their 
leaders  and  the  strong  men  and  women  best  fitted  for  the  journey, 
had  gone,  leaving  many  of  the  poorest  and  perhaps  most  worthless 
people  still  at  Nauvoo,  with  the  seeming  purpose  to  remain  there  for 
another  winter  at  least,  if  not  for  an  indefinite  period  to  come.  Then 
there  arose  another  struggle,  the  last  and  the  final  one.  "Warrants 
had  been  issued  against  some  parties  at  Nauvoo  charging  some  crim- 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  207 

inal  oflfense,  and  tinally  placed  in  the  hands  of  John  Carliu  to  be 
executed;  and,  under  the  claim  that  he  had  the  right  to  call  out 
the  whole  power  of  the  county  to  enable  him  to  go  to  Nauvoo  and 
arrest  the  parties,  there  was  soon  gathered  a  large  body  of  men  under 
the  command  of  Colonel  Tom  Brockman,  the  sturdy  blacksmith  from 
Brown  County— a  man  of  great  determination,  a  good  stump  orator 
and  with  the  strength  and  constitution  of  a  horse. 

"Brockman  was  caught  in  the  tide  of  angry  passions  which  sur- 
rounded him  and  soon  found,  even  if  he  had  desired  to  be  otherwise, 
that  the  so-called  'posse  comitatus'  were  bent  on  going  into  Xauvoo. 
His  command  from  first  to  last  embraced  as  many  as  800  men,  mostly 
well  armed.  The  Mormons  and  their  allies  numbered,  as  stated  in  a 
message  of  Governor  Ford  dated  nccember,  1846,  at  first  about  250, 
but  were  diminished  by  desertions  and  removals  before  the  decisive 
action  took  place  to  about  150. 

"After  Brockman  arrived  near  the  city  on  the  11th,  he  sent  into 
Nauvoo  a  flag  of  truce,  under  which  he  demanded  surrender,  etc. 
This  was  denied  and  on  Saturday,  September  12,  1846,  there  occurred 
the  battle  of  Xauvoo — a  few  men  were  killed  and  a  few  wounded, 
and  much  ammunition  expended.  On  Sunday,  the  13th,  some  of  our 
citizens  who  were  in  Xauvoo  the  day  before  the  attack  was  made 
arrived  in  Quincy  with  tlie  news  of  the  event,  and  this  report,  with 
other  information  received  previou.sly,  made  it  e\adent  that  the  anti- 
ilormons.  under  Brockman.  would  soon  again  attempt  to  march  into 
Xauvoo.  Some  blood  having  been  shed  on  lM)th  sides  with  no  de- 
cisive results  had  increased  the  animosities  and,  under  the  conviction 
that  the  men  under  Brockman  so  greatly  outnumbered  the  other  side, 
that  they  could  and  would  succeed  in  going  into  Xauvoo  upon  their 
next  attempt,  it  was  believed  that,  in  case  they  did  so,  the  result 
might  be  considerable  loss  of  life,  even  extending  to  women  and  chil- 
dren and  the  burning  of  the  town. 

"The  writer  meeting  the  Hon.  I.  X.  ilorris  near  the  Court  House 
said  to  him:  'Xow,  Mr.  Morris  is  the  time  for  Quincy  to  act.  We 
should  send  up  to  Xauvoo  at  once  a  large  committee  with  the  hope 
of  preventing  another  battle,  and  perhaps  save  o»ir  State  from  the 
disgrace  resulting  from  the  probable  killing  of  even  women  and  chil- 
dren in  the  fight.'  'Singularily  enough,'  said  Mr.  Morris,  'I  was 
hunting  you  for  the  same  object.  "We  should  send  a  committee  of 
one  hundred  of  our  best  citizens.'  'Yes.'  said  T.  'all,  if  you  please, 
anti-Mormons,  or  those  who  realize  that  the  ^lormons  must  go  .soon, 
if  not  now.    "We  must  try  to  prevent  further  bloodshed.' 

"So  on  Sunday,  September  1^.  1846 — T  believe  that  was  the  date 
— "Sir.  Morris  and  myself  went  forth  through  the  town  and  called  a 
meeting  at  the  Court  House  for  that  evening.  A  large  number  of 
those  notified  attended,  whose  names  were  written  down,  and  it  wa.s 
agreed  and  appointed  that  this  committee  of  one  hundred  should 
start  out  at  an  early  hour  next  morning  for  the  seat  of  war.  Tt  was 
understood  that  they  were  to  go  unarmed,  and  for  the  purpose  of 


208  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

negotiating  au  agreement  or  treaty  between  the  belligerents  so  as  to 
prevent  further  bloodshed,  and  such  disasters  as  we  felt  miglit  foUow 
another  attempt  on  the  part  of  Broekmau  's  army  to  fight  its  way  into 
Nauvoo.  The  committee  had  no  thought  that  they  could  dictate  terais 
to  the  parties  engaged  in  the  contest.  Their  main  idea  and  purpose 
was  to  stop  the  war. 

"The  committee  arrived  at  a  point  about  two  and  a  half  miles 
east  of  Nauvoo  on  the  same  or  the  next  day  after  they  left  Quincy 
and  encamped;  but  previously  they  had  sent  messengers  iuto  Brock- 
man's  camp  and  into  Nauvoo,  notifying  each  party  of  their  coming 
and  of  our  desire  and  purpose  to  act  as  mediators  to  prevent  further 
war,  and  also  stating  to  both  sides  that  we  were  unarmed,  but  auti- 
Mormons,  and  offering  our  services  to  aid  in  preventmg  further 
bloodshed.  Our  committee  soon  after  its  arrival  and  encampment 
appointed  two  sub-committees,  one  to  visit  Brockman's  camp  outside 
of  the  city  and  the  other  to  visit  Nauvoo.  The  writer  served  on  both 
committees  upon  different  occasions,  and  was  present  in  Nauvoo  at 
the  final  close  of  negotiations.  Our  first  object  was  to  effect  a  sus- 
pension of  hostilities  between  the  parties  to  allow  time  for  negotia- 
tions. After  some  reluctance  on  the  part  of  the  besieging  army,  we 
got  an  agreement  for  a  short  suspension  of  firing,  but  before  we  got 
through  some  misapprehension  occurring  firing  was  again  renewed, 
and  in  one  instance  a  six-pound  shot  fell  near  the  Mormon  head- 
quarters whilst  some  of  the  committee  were  in  them.  Another  delay 
occurred  in  which  our  sub-committees  had  to  visit  each  camp  to 
explain. 

' '  Our  committee  obtained  from  Brockman  what  he  proposed.  This 
was  objected  to  by  the  Nauvoo  parties,  who  sent  a  counter-proposition 
which  was  at  once  rejected  by  Brockman.  Our  committee  then  for 
the  first  time  made  out  and  sent  unto  each  party  a  proposition ;  this 
was  accepted  by  Nauvoo  and  rejected  by  Brockman.  The  writer  then 
proposed  to  the  committee  to  come  home.  In  our  proposition  the 
Mormons  were  not  to  be  compelled  to  remove  from  Nauvoo  imme- 
diately, bi;t  within  a  short  time  limit,  and  not  to  be  hurried  off  in  a 
day.  Our  sub-committee  was  then  instructed  to  go  to  Brockman  and 
get  his  ultimatum.  "When  this  was  received  in  our  camp  it  was  found 
substantially  the  same  as  his  first,  and  was  to  the  effect  that  the  posse 
eomitatus  should  march  into  Nauvoo  the  next  day  at  12  o'clock  M. 
This  ultimatum  was  finally  accepted  by  the  Nauvoo  authorities  and 
an  agreement  or  treaty  was  drawn  up  by  our  secretary,  Andrew 
Johnston,  Esq.,  now  of  Kichmond,  Virginia.  This  treaty  was  first 
signed  by  parties  at  Brockman's  camp,  but  before  this  could  be  done 
the  night  of  the  second  day  after  the  committee  had  arrived  had 
set  in ;  but  with  this  treaty  one  of  our  sub-committees,  cousisting  of 
Mr.  Johnston,  Mr.  Morris.  Mr.  Asbury  and  one  or  two  others,  repaired 
tn  the  headqiiarters  of  the  Mormon  authorities  in  Nauvoo.  where  it 
was  sismed  bv  them,  and  then  the  dogs  of  war  were  called  off. 

"Bv  this  time  it  was  nearly  11  o'clock  at  night,  and  one  of  the 


VriXCV  AX!)  ADAMS  (  UlNTV  209 

darkest  ni^'hts  1  over  saw,  and  we  foimd  the  utmost  ditliculty  in  find- 
ing our  way  back  to  our  canip;  in  fact,  we  got  lost  and  had  to  take 
shelter  for  the  remainder  of  the  night  in  an  old  empty  house  we  found 
in  our  wanderings.  That  night  was  a  hard  night;  it  liad  rained  and 
turned  quite  cool.  None  of  us  had  l)]ankets,  and  some  of  us  were 
without  cloaks  or  overcoats.  The  tardy  daylight  at  length  appeared 
and  we  returncil  to  camp  for  breakfast,  and  about  11  o'clock  Hrockinaii 
marshalled  his  hosts  and  started  for  Nauvoo,  our  committee  bringing 
up  the  rear  of  the  procession,  and  now,  like  the  little  boy,  'had  noth- 
ing to  say.' 

"On  the  loth  or  16th,  I  believe,  of  September,  1846,  when  our 
committee  entered  Xauvoo  with  Brockman's  forces,  we  kept  together 
for  a  time  near  the  headquarters  of  these  forces,  and  not  long  after 
we  arrived  at  the  point  one  or  more  gentlemen,  claiming  to  be  resi- 
dents of  Xauvoo,  l)ut  not  Mormons,  stated  to  our  committee  that  they 
had  been  threatened  with  expulsion  bj-  some  of  the  posse  under  Brock- 
man,  and  desired  our  committee  to  interpose  in  their  behalf.  Some  of 
us  went  with  the  men  to  Brockman's  headquarters  and  stated  the 
complaint,  but  we  were  informed  that  their  agreement  or  treaty  had 
been  made  with  the  Mormons  alone  and  that  nothing  was  said  about 
the  'Jacks;'  that  they  must  take  care  of  themselves.  No  arms  werp 
formally  delivered  to  the  committee  by  the  Mormons  or  others  within 
our  knowledge,  though  I  believe  some  were  delivered  to  the  po.sse: 
we.  as  a  committee,  finding  ourselves  entirely  powerless  to  interfere 
with  the  purposes  of  those  under  Brockman's  command. 

"Before  Brockman's  army  and  posse,  as  it  was  termed,  went  into 
the  city,  every  Mormon  had  left.  "We  did  not  see  one.  I  regret  that 
T  have  not  the  treaty  before  me  as  I  write,  but,  as  recollected,  nothing 
was  said  in  it  to  the  effect  that  the  Mormons  should  leave  Nauvoo  that 
day,  though  it  was  understood  that  they  should  lea%'e  the  city  soon. 
"We  witnessed  no  act  of  violence  or  disorder  whilst  we  staid,  but  find- 
ing our  committee  could  exercise  no  influence  in  any  way  we  left 
Nauvoo  for  home.  "We  were  only  assured  by  Brockman's  officers  that 
in  respect  to  the  Mormons  the  treaty  should  be  faithfully  carried  out, 
and  I  believe  it  was  as  to  them.  When  we  left,  the  Mormons  were 
all  over  the  river,  at  or  near  ^fontrose.  and  it  was  represented  to 
us  that  they  were  in  a  very  destitute  condition.  Our  committee  re- 
solved that  upon  returning  home  we  should  at  once  set  about  collect- 
ing money,  clothing  and  provisions,  to  be  forwarded  to  these  people. 
Tpon  our  return  home  we  carried  out  this  resolution  by  collecting  a 
large  sum  of  money  and  provisions  and  clothing,  which  were  sent  to 
them.  The  citizens  of  Qnincy  then  made  larpre  contributions  and  did. 
as  when  the  ilormons  first  camp  here,  all  they  coidd  for  their  relief. 

"Governor  Ford,  in  a  report  made  to  the  TTouse  of  Kepresentatives 
in  relation  to  the  diflicultics  in  Hancock  County,  dated  Sprincrfiold. 
December  7,  lfi46,  amnns  other  things,  speaking  of  the  Quincy  com- 
mittee, says:  'At  last,  through  the  intervention  of  an  anti-Mormon 
eommittpp  from  Qnincy,  the  Mormons  were  induced  to  submit  to  such 


210  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

terms  as  the  posse  chose  to  dictate,  which  were,  among  others,  that 
the  Mormons  sliould  immediately  give  up  their  arms  to  the  Quincy 
committee  and  remove  from  the  State.  The  trustees  of  the  Mormon 
Church  and  their  clerks  were  permitted  to  remain  for  the  sale  of 
Mormon  property,  and  the  posse  were  to  march  in  unmolested,  and 
leave  a  sufficient  force  to  guarantee  the  execution  of  their  stipulation. ' 
"In  this  statement  the  Governor  was  mistaken  in  saying  that  the 
Mormons  were,  through  the  intervention  of  our  committee,  induced 
to  submit  to  such  terms  as  the  posse  might  dictate.  The  Quincy  com- 
mittee went  to  Nauvoo  unarmed,  taking  no  part  in  the  fight.  They 
were,  however,  convinced  when  they  left  Quincy  that  there  could  be 
no  peace  in  Hapcock  County  so  long  as  the  Mormons  remained,  but 
they  had  no  part  in  fixing  the  terms  of  the  treaty.  Their  proposition 
had  been  rejected  by  Brockman's  party  and  posse,  but  they  did  not 
further  urge  their  views  on  either  party.  The  Mormon  authoritie's 
signed  the  treaty,  no  doubt  wisely  thinking  that  it  was  the  best  they 
could  do.  The  writer  then  believed,  and  now  believes,  that  the  Quincy 
committee  by  their  intervention  and,  if  yoii  please,  their  wise  policy, 
prevented  the  loss  of  many  lives.  The  Broekman  party  was  de- 
termined to  march  into  Nauvoo.  The  Nauvoo  forces,  though  small 
in  numbers,  were  courageously  desperate,  and  a  desperate  fight  would 
have  ensued.  The  overpowering  forces  of  the  posse  would  have  in- 
sured their  victory,  but  not  without  the  loss  of  many  men  on  each 
side,  and  perhaps  the  destruction  of  the  town  itself. ' ' 

Mexican  War  and  Adams  County  Victims 

The  Quincy  Riflemen  and  part  of  the  Irish  company  were  in  the 
war  with  Mexico  and  their  participation  was  far  from  a  holiday 
affair.  More  than  one  soldierly  death  came  to  the  men,  and  they  were 
proud  to  bravely  uphold  the  American  spirit;  which  is  to  be  peace- 
able when  you  can,  but  to  strike  with  a  lightning  might  when  you 
must  strike  at  all.  Previous  to  the  departure  of  the  riflemen  the 
citizens  of  Quincy  presented  swords  to  Capt.  J.  D.  Morgan  and  Lieut. 
B.  M.  Prentiss.  On  Wednesday  morning,  June  14, 1846,  the  command, 
which  was  ninety-six  strong  (including  the  officers  mentioned,  and 
Second  Lieut.  "W.  Y.  Henry),  marched  to  the  steamboat  landing, 
where  a  large  crowd  was  gathered  to  bid  them  farewell.  Alton  was 
the  rendezvous,  and. they  were  the  seventh  company  received  into  the 
service  there.  On  the  26th  of  the  following  month  the  First  Regiment 
of  Illinois  Volunteers  was  organized,  with  John  J.  Hardin  as  colonel, 
and  the  Quincy  Riflemen  became  Company  A  of  that  command.  In 
August  they  were  with  other  American  troops  at  Matagorda  Bay  and 
at  once  marched  twelve  miles  to  Camp  Irwin;  thence,  as  a  unit,  the 
regiment  continued  to  San  Antonio,  170  miles  in  51  hours,  and  on 
the  24th  marched  into  town  and  saluted  General  Wool  at  his  head- 
quarters. Soon  afterward  the  Quincy  Riflemen  gave  an  exhibition 
drill  on  the  public  square,  which  is  said  to  have  fully  upheld  the 


I^IIXCV   AM)  ADAMS  ( OIXTV  211 

repntiitiiin  whicli  tli(\v  had  already  earned  of  being  the  best  disciplined 
company  in  the  regiment. 

In  September  First  Lieut.  H.  M.  I'rentis.s  wa.s  elected  captain  of 
Company  T,  in  jilace  of  Captain  Diekey,  resigned,  and  W.  Y.  Henry 
was  advamed  to  the  lirst  lientcnaney  of  Com])any  G.  On  the  10th 
of  October  the  re-christened  Rifles  first  put  foot  on  Mexican  soil.  Until 
early  in  the  following  smnmer  tboy  were  ehiefly  engaged  in  garrison 
duty  at  Raltillo,  al>out  three  miles  north  of  the  Buena  Vista  battle- 
field and  therefore  were  not  privileged  to  engage  in  that  historic 
contest  of  February,  1847,  so  disastrous  to  the  vastly  superior  force 
of  Mexicans.  A  number  of  privates  died  of  disease  in  the  strict  line 
of  military  duty — as  honorable  a  self-sacrifice  as  though  made  on  the 
battlefield.  Col.  John  J.  TTardin  was  killed  in  the  famous  charge  at 
Buena  Vista.  On  June  17,  1847,  the  company  was  mustered  out. 
paid  off,  supplied  with  fifteen  days'  rations,  and  took  the  steamer 
Del  Xorte  on  the  Rio  Oranile  for  Quiney,  T'nited  States  of  America. 

The  Picket  Ciuard  was  a  little  paper  jirinted  in  Saltillo  by  members 
of  the  battalion  formed  by  companies  A  and  T,  commanded  as  a  whole 
by  Colonel  Wan-en  and  as  units  by  Captains  Morgan  and  Prentiss; 
and  when  it  was  knowni  that  the  garrison  was  to  be  sent  home  the 
citizens  of  the  place  held  a  meeting,  reported  at  length  in  the  Guard, 
protesting  against  thus  being  deprived  of  their  efficient  protectors. 
But  the  military  authorities  decided  that  tlie  men  should  go  home  and, 
it  is  needless  to  say,  the  soldiers  rejoiced  accordingh'. 

Tn  addition  to  Captain  ^forgan's  Company,  a  number  of  Quiney 
men  were  induced  to  enlist  by  Timothy  Kelly,  most  of  them  having 
been  members  of  the  old  Irish  Company.  "Without  flags  or  swords 
that  plucky  fragment  of  twelve  depai-ted  early  in  the  war  for  .Mton, 
were  consolidated  with  Captain  Deutch's  Company  from  Kendall  and 
^fadison  companies  and  as.signed  to  the  Second  Illinois  Regiment. 
After  arriving  in  Texas  an  election  was  held  at  San  .\ntonio,  and 
Peter  Tjott,  of  Quiney,  was  chosen  captain  and  Timothy  Kelly,  second 
lieutenant,  of  what  had  been  designated  as  Company  E.  As  part  of 
the  Second  Regiment,  the  company  maj-ched  across  Texas  and  crossed 
the  Rio  Grande  at  Presidio.  Both  took  an  honorable  part  in  the 
battle  of  Buena  Vista.  Lieutenant  Kelly  and  Private  Thomas  O'Con- 
ners  being  killed  in  action.  On  the  lOth  of  June.  1847.  the  coTupany 
was  mustered  out  at  Camargo  and  started  for  home,  the  remains  of 
Kelly  and  O'Conners  being  conveyed  to  Quiney  for  interment. 

TiiF,  Civu,  War 

The  period  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  first  brought  home  to  the 
people  of  Adams  County,  as  of  every  other  county  in  the  Ignited 
States,  the  horrors  of  warfare  in  their  complete  intensity  up  to  that 
time.  From  the  date  of  the  great  T'nion  mass-meeting  held  in  Quiney 
.\pril  17,  1861.  while  the  echoes  of  the  Fort  Sumter  bombardment 
%vere  still  rolling  through  the  country,  until  the  surrender  of  the  last 


Group  op  Civil  War  Volunteers  (Ftptieth  Illinois  Infantry) 


Vri.\(  V  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  21:i 

stroug  defense  of  the  Confederacy  at  Appomattox,  that  section  of 
the  state  was  iu  the  front  ranks  of  promptly  enlisted  men  and  brave 
officers.  The  foregoing  is  no  general  figure  of  speech,  without  sub- 
stantial foundation  in  fact,  for  the  i-ejxjrt  of  the  adjutant  general  of 
the  state,  J.  N.  Haynie,  published  after  the  war.  shows  that  Adams 
County  sent  to  the  front  5,173  men ;  no  other  counties  in  the  state 
exceeding  it  except  Cook  and  LaSalle  which  were  much  more  populous, 
the  former  more  than  three-fold. 

Adams  County  formed  one  of  the  five  counties  in  what  was  tiien 
the  Fourth  Congressional  District.  In  1860  their  population  was 
as  follows :  Adams,  41,144 ;  Hancock,  29,041 ;  Henderson,  9,499 ;  Mer- 
cer, 15,037;  Rock  Island,  20,981.  Total,  115,720;  average  population, 
23,172.  As  stated,  Adams  sent  into  the  war  5,173  men;  Hancock, 
3,272;  Henderson,  1,330;  Mercer,  1,620;  Rock  Island,  2,099.  Total 
for  the  congressional  district,  13,494.  and  average  for  each  of  tlie  five 
counties,  2,698.  It  will  therefore  be  seen  how  far  Adams  County 
"went  over  the  top" — an  expression  then  unknown,  but  brought  by 
the  world's  war  into  the  cosmopolitan  English  language. 

Xo  more  conclusive  summary  of  the  part  played  by  Adams  Comity 
in  the  Civil  war  has  been  given  than  that  by  Henry  Asbury,  for  more 
than  a  year  provost  inar.shal  with  headquarters  at  Quiney,  and  there- 
fore authority.     He  says:     "It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  state 
here  that  Illinois  is  credited  (in  the  adjutant  general's  report)  with 
having  sent  info  the  war  226,592  men,  whose  names  are  recorded.    Be- 
sides this  number  many  of  our  young  men  throughout  the  State  in 
the  earlier  stages  of  the  war,  went  into  other  states  and  there  volun- 
teered.   Illinois,  as  stated,  received  credit  for  some  of  them,  but  no 
doubt  many  of  them  were  not  thus  credited  by  reason  of  the  omis- 
sion, sometimes  accidentally,  of  the  volunteer  in  stating  his  residence 
in  the  enlistment  papers.     I  know  of  some  colored  men  from  Quinoy 
who  were  mustered  into  one  or  more  Ma.ssachusetts  regiments.     The 
regiment  of  Colonel  J.  A.  Bross,  the  Twenty-ninth  United  States  Col- 
ored Regiment,  was  raised  mainly  in  Quinoy — 903  men.     How  many 
of  these  men  were  credited  to  Quiney  ?    Though  no  doubt  some  of  them 
were  so  credited,  I  do  not,  as  I  write  now,  know.     The  regiment  of 
Colonel  Bross  is  not  mentioned  in  our  Illinois  regiments,  nor  is  the 
regiment  of  985  men  of  Colonel  J.  W.  Wilson  so  mentioned.     There 
also  appears  in  the  adjutant  general's  report  the  names  of  Captain 
John   Curtis,   ninety-one  men,   that   of   Cajttain    Simon    G.   Stockey, 
ninety  men.  and  Captain  James  Steele,  eighty-six  men."     From  such 
facts  known  respecting  Adams  County,  Mr.  Asbury  is  led  to  believe, 
respectins  the  state  at  large,  that   Illinois  should  be  credited   with 
fully  240,000  men  who  served  in  the  Union  armies. 

"It  is  proper  to  remark."  he  adds,  "that  the  Illinois  Legislature 
convened  in  special  session  .\[u-il  2.1.  1861.  and  out  of  i-espect  to  Illi- 
nois regiments  in  ^lexieo  provided  that  the  infantry  regiments  raised 
under  the  President's  proclamation  of  the  15th  of  April,  1861.  should 
begin  with  the  number  Seven.    The  law  also  provided  for  the  election 


214  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  a  brigadier  general.  Hence,  Benjamin  M.  Prentiss,  of  Quiney, 
became  the  first  brigadier  general  of  volunteers,  though  by  the  ruling 
of  the  War  Department  the  act  of  Congress  only  gave  those  brigadiers 
appointed  by  the  President  rank  from  the  date  of  their  appointment 
by  him.  Prentiss  having  been  at  first  commissioned  by  Governor  Yates 
did  not  take  rank  until  afterward  appointed  by  the  President. 

Different  Units  Representing  Adams  County 

■'Quiney  and  Adams  County  had,  as  we  know,  men  and  officei's, 
or  officers  alone,  in  the  following  regiments,  besides  some,  perhaps 
many,  not  within  our  observation,  namely :  Of  infantry,  the  10th  regi- 
ment, the  14tli,  15th,  16th,  19th,  27th,  33d,  43d,  50th,  58th,  65th,  66th, 
73d,  78th,  84th,  97th,  118th,  119th,  137th,  148th,  151st  and  154th. 
Of  cavalry  Quiney  and  Adams  County  sent  at  least  one  full  company 
— Delano's,  afterward  Moore's  company,  of  the  Second  Regiment — 
and  also  Macf all's  company  of  the  Third  Regiment. 

"As  provost  marshal  of  our  district  I  recruited  and  mustered 
quite  a  large  number  of  men  for  cavalry  regiments  in  the  field,  also 
in  the  First  and  Second  regiments,  and  in  the  ten  batteries  of  artillery 
raised  by  the  State  we  had  some  men,  but  exactly  how  many  I  cannot 
state  without  great  care  and  patient  examination  of  records.  My 
main  object  in  these  somewhat  statistical  statements  is  to  carry  the 
minds  of  readers  back  to  the  times  of  war  in  Quiney.  In  this  con- 
nection I  may  state  that  Quiney  was  represented,  more  or  less,  in 
every  army  corps  of  the  nation,  either  in  the  regular  or  volunteer 
service.  There  could  scarcely  be  a  battle  of  any  magnitude  during 
the  war  but  our  people,  or  some  of  them,  felt  a  personal  interest  in  its 
results.  As  a  matter  of  course,  we  lived  in  a  state  of  painful  excite- 
ment and  anxiety,  and  when  the  end  came  all  rejoiced.  Many,  how- 
ever, knew  that  some  of  those  who  had  gone  forth  to  fight  for  their 
country  could  never  return."' 

In  speaking  of  those  800  Illinois  soldiers  who  died  in  Anderson- 
ville  prison,  Mr.  Asbury  mentions  one  as  a  member  of  the  Tenth  Regi- 
ment, thirty-tliree  victims  as  belonging  to  the  Sixteenth,  fourteen 
to  tlie  Seventy-Eighth  and  seven  to  the  Eighty-Fourth — some  of  them 
from  Adams  County.  "Though  our  city  and  county  had  their  full 
share  of  horrors  incident  to  and  resulting  from  the  great  War  of  the 
Rebellion,  we  >et.  in  a  business  and  commercial  point,  were  exceedingly 
prosperous.  In  the  matter  of  saddles,  harness  and  war  equipments 
alone  to  the  amount  of  as  much  as  $250,000  at  least  were  furnished 
to  the  Government,  and  though  some  of  our  manufacturers,  owing  to 
delayed  payments  and  the  sudden  rise  in  prices  of  material,  eventually 
lost  money  under  their  contracts,  yet  in  a  general  way  we  had  a  great 
season  of  business  prosperity  during  the  war. 

"Our  hospitals  for  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  our  commissary  and 
quartermaster's  department  and  last,  though  not  least,  the  head- 
quarters of  the  provost  marshal's  office  for  our  district,  all  tended 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COl'XTY  215 

to  keep  every  man  busy  aud  anxious  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties. 
It  may  be  proper  to  state  here  that  during  tiie  year  and  fifteen  days 
the  writer  held  tiic  otWee  of  provost  marslial  here,  there  were  sent  into 
the  war  from  these  headtiuartere,  of  volunteers,  drafted  men  and  sub- 
stitutes, 4,000  men.  There  were  sent  during  the  services  of  my  pred- 
ecessor, of  volunteers  about  500  men.  The  whole  number  of  men 
credited  to  our  office,  including  deserters  from  other  states  and  from 
our  own  State.  4.750  men,  or  more  than  five  regiments. 

The  Women  of  Quincy 

■"1  could  deem  myself  greatly  remiss  and  at  fault,  if  I  should  not 
say  a  few  words  concerning  the  women  of  Quincy  and  the  county  dur- 
ing the  war,  and  especially  their  two  great  societies,  'The  Needle 
Pickets'  and  'The  Good  Samaritans.'  These  societies  had  a  laudable 
rivalry  as  to  whicli  could  best  work,  and  do  most  for  the  comfort 
of  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers.  I  think  the  total  of  their  contribu- 
tions, if  merely  counted  at  their  money  value,  amounted  to  man.v 
thousands  of  dollars.  If  our  mothers  of  the  revolution  knew  how  to 
7iiinister  to  the  wants  of  our  fathers  in  their  struggle  for  national 
independence,  the  wives  and  daughters  and  sisters  of  Quincy  also 
knew  and  felt  what  was  due  from  them  towards  those  fighting  for  the 
preservation  of  our  heritage  of  liberty.  We  are  proud  to  say  that  the 
women  of  Quincy  were  not  one  whit  behind  the  best  and  foremost 
of  their  sex  anywhere  throughout  our  country  in  their  patriotic  and 
efficient  help." 

Lightning  War  Moves 

On  the  evening  of  April  15,  1861,  the  National  Secretary  of  War 
.sent  a  dispatch  to  Governor  Yates  calling  upon  iiim,  as  the  representa- 
tive of  the  State  of  Illinois,  for  six  regiments  of  militia  for  "imme- 
diate seniee."  On  the  same  day  President  Lincoln  issued  his  proc- 
lamation for  75,000  militia,  of  which  number  Illinois'  quota  was 
4,683  men.  The  governor  also  issued  a  proclamation  on  that  day 
convening  the  I.*gislature  to  pass  measures  for  organizing  and  equip- 
ping the  six  regiments  required,  and  the  adjutant-general  issued  his 
orders  to  all  the  commandants  of  the  state  forces  to  assemble  their 
men  for  immediate  service.  Events  succeeded  each  other  with  light- 
ning speed  in  those  days. 

On  the  evening  of  the  17th  a  great  Union  meeting  was  held 
at  Quincy.  on  the  grounds  outside  the  court  house,  at  which  Charles 
A.  Savage  presided,  with  a  backing  of  vice-presidents  and  secretaries 
comprising  many  prominent  citizens  of  the  county.  Colonel  Morris 
made  a  stirring  address,  the  venerable  Dr.  D.  Stahl  (one  of  the  vice- 
presidents)  "would  only  say  that  he  had  sworn  seventy-five  years  ago 
to  support  the  Government  of  his  country  and  that  he  should  not  desert 


216  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

it  now  ill  its  hour  of  trial ' ' ;  and  the  glowing  Union  resolutions  which 
were  adopted  with  a  sweeping  vote  were  presented  by  0.  H.  Browning. 

Off  fob  Cairo — Colonel  Prentiss  in  Command 

The  War  Department  at  once  recognized  the  importance  of  sending 
a  strong  force  of  troops  to  occupy  Cairo,  jutting  out  as  it  did  into 
the  border-land  of  the  rebellious  states.  Accordingly,  on  April  19th 
a  dispatch  was  sent  to  Brigadier-General  Swift  at  Chicago  to  gather 
as  strong  a  force  as  was  possible  and  immediately  proceed  to  Cairo. 
Within  forty-eight  hours  after  the  order  was  received  (which  was  re- 
markably rapid  mobilization  in  those  days,  when  nothing  was  pro- 
vided) General  Swift  left  Chicago  over  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
with  595  men  and  four  six-pounder  pieces  of  artillery.  There  were 
two  companies  of  Chicago  Zouaves  and  commands  from  other  central 
points.  The  expedition  was  indifferently  armed  with  rifles,  shot- 
guns, muskets  and  carbines  gathered  from  stores  and  shops  in 
Chicago. 

The  motley  command  of  eager  men  arrived  at  Cairo  on  the 
following  morning  (April  23d),  on  the  24th  it  was  reinforced 
by  seven  companies  from  Springfield  under  command  of  Col.  Ben- 
jamin M.  Prentiss,  who  thereupon  relieved  General  Swift  and  assumed 
charge  of  all  the  troops  at  Cairo.  Traffic  in  contraband  of  war  had 
already  commenced  between  Galena  and  St.  Louis  with  towns  on  the 
Mississippi  below  Cairo,  and  upon  the  very  day  of  his  arrival  Colonel 
Prentiss  received  a  telegraphic  order  from  Governor  Yates  to  seize 
the  arms  and  munitions  aboard  the  steamers  C.  E.  Hillman  and 
John  D.  Perry  which  were  about  to  leave  St.  Louis  for  southern 
ports.  On  the  evening  of  the  24th  and  morning  of  the  25th, 
as  these  boats  neared  Cairo,  Colonel  Prentiss  directed  Captain  Smith 
of  the  Chicago  Light  Artillery  and  Captain  Scott  of  the  Chicago 
Zouaves,  to  board  them  and  bring  them  to  the  wharf.  His  orders  were 
executed  and  large  quantities  of  arms  and  munitions  of  war  were 
seized  and  confiscated.  Though  this  seizure  was  not  expressly  author- 
ized by  the  War  DeiDartment,  the  act  of  seizure  and  subsequent  con- 
fiscation was  approved,  and  in  ]May  the  Government  at  Washington 
issued  a  circular  to  all  collectors  forbidding  shipments  "intended  for 
ports  under  insurrectionaiy  control"  and  also  from  Cairo. 

Tenth  Infantry   Illinois  Volunteers 

When  Colonel  Prentiss  was  promoted  to  be  brigadier-general  in 
May,  1861,  James  D.  Morgan,  who  had  been  lieutenant-colonel  of 
the  Tenth  Regiment,  was  promoted  to  the  colonelcy  of  the  latter. 
Upon  the  advancement  of  Colonel  Morgan  to  the  rank  of  brigadier- 
general  in  July,  1862,  John  Tillson,  the  old  lieutenant-colonel,  was 
advanced  a  grade  and  commanded  the  Tenth  Illinois  during  almost 
the  entire  remaining  period  of  the  Civil  war;  the  exception  being, 


QUINCV  AXI>  ADA.MS  COUXTY  217 

during  the  march  to  the  sea,  when  he  commanded  a  brigade  and  his 
regiment  was  assii^rned  to  Lieut. -Col.  David  Gillespie. 

The  Tenth  Infantry  Illinois  Volunteers  were  mustered  into  the 
United  States  s^M-vice  at  Cairo,  Illinois,  April  29.  1861,  and  during 
its  first  three  months'  service  garrisoned  that  place  and  made  expedi- 
tions to  Columbus  and  Benton,  Missouri.  In  July  it  was  mustered 
into  the  service  for  three  years.  In  the  following  year  it  participated 
in  the  movements  of  Pope's  army  at  New  ^Madrid,  Fort  Pillow,  I.sland 
Xo.  10  and  the  siege  of  Corinth,  the  defense  of  Nashville,  and  subse- 
quently was  with  Sherman  at  Jlission  Ridge,  Chickamauga  and  the 
march  to  the  sea  and  through  the  Carolinas,  suffering  severely  during 
the  attack  at  Bentonville.  After  Johnston's  surrender,  its  route  was 
to  Richmond.  Fredericksburg  and  Wa.shington,  where  the  regiment 
participated  n  the  grand  review.  On  the  4th  of  June.  1865,  it 
proceeded  to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  was  mustered  out  of  the  Fiiited 
States  service  on  the  -Ith  of  July,  and  received  its  final  discharge 
July  11,  1865,  at  Chicago.  During  the  last  campaign  of  the  war  the 
Third  Brigade,  of  which  it  was  a  part,  was  commanded  by  Brev.- 
Brig.  John  Tillson. 

The  three  officers  of  highest  fame  and  rank  who  went  from  Adams 
County  were,  therefore,  identified  with  the  Tenth  Illinois. 

Gen.  B.  ^I.  Prentiss 

Benjamin  il.  Prentiss  was  a  Virginian,  born  in  Wood  County  in 
1819  and,  as  a  youth,  located  in  Marion  County,  Missouri,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cordage.  In  the  spring  of  1841.  then 
twenty-two  year  of  age,  he  moved  to  Quincy  and  there,  with  liis  father, 
engaged  in  the  same  business.  During  the  Mormon  excitement  he 
was  in  the  militarj-  service  of  the  state,  and  in  the  JNIexican  war  was 
first-lieutenant  of  a  Quincy  company  commanded  by  James  D. 
Morgan  and,  with  his  friend,  was  afterward  chosen  captain  of  a  com- 
pany which  was  incorporated  into  a  battalion  assigned  to  garrison  Sal- 
tillo  near  Buena  Vista.  The  two,  whose  fortunes  were  also  to  be  linked 
on  the  broader  and  more  bloody  fields  of  the  Civil  war,  returned  to- 
gether at  the  close  of  the  comparatively  small  trouble  witli  Mexico. 

Cai)tain  Prentiss,  as  he  was  then  called,  commenced  the  study  of 
the  law  aftei-  his  return  from  ilexico  in  1847,  and,  although  h^ 
studied  for  five  years  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  varion.=  difficnltics 
occurred  to  keep  him  from  pi-acticc,  until  the  greatest  obstacle  of 
them  all,  the  Civil  war,  effectually  blocked  the  law  for  more  than  four 
years  of  storm  and  stress.  After  he  left  Cairo  as  a  brigadier-general 
he  was  ordered  by  General  Fremont  to  Jefferson  City,  Missoiiri,  to 
take  command  of  the  military  deparfaent  embraced  by  N.irthern 
and  Central  ^fissouri.  Subsequently  being  ordered  to  the  field  by 
General  irallcck.  he  proceeded  to  Pittsliurg  Landing,  where  he  arrived 
April  1,  1862.  and  organized  and  took  command  of  the  Sixth  Di\ision. 
On  the  morinng  of  the  6th  his  command  was  attacked  by  a  superior 


218  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

force  of  the  enemy,  agaiust  which  he  contended  the  entire  day,  being 
overwhelmed  and  captured  in  the  evening.  He  remained  a  prisoner 
sis  months,  and  after  his  exchange  was  ordered  to  Washington  to  sit 
on  the  court  martial  case  of  Gen.  Fitz  Jolm  Porter.  At  the  close  of 
that  trial  he  was  called  to  report  to  General  Grant  at  Milliken  's  Bend 
and  was  assigned  the  command  of  the  eastern  district  of  Arkansas, 
with  headquarters  at  Helena.  At  that  place,  on  July  4,  1863,  he  com- 
manded the  Union  forces  in  the  Battle  of  Helena,  gaining  a  decisive 
victory  over  the  greatly  superior  forces  of  the  enemy.  Previous  to 
this  he  had  been  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major  general  for  gallantry 
at  Shiloh. 

After  the  Battle  of  Helena,  although  his  prospects  for  advancement 
in  the  service  were  of  the  best,  General  Prentiss  decided  to  return  to 
Quiney  and  commence  the  active  and  continuous  practice  of  the  law; 
which  he  did,  with  marked  success,  except  for  short  periods  of  public- 
office  holding,  such  as  that  of  pension  agent,  to  which  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  President  Grant  in  April,  1869. 

Gen.  James  D.  Morgan 

Gen.  James  D.  Morgan,  the  successor  of  General  Prentiss  in  com- 
mand of  the  Tenth  Illinois  Regiment,  was  bom  in  Boston  in  1810, 
located  in  Quiney  in  1834  and  at  once  got  busy  in  his  w^ork  as  a 
cooper.  Edward  Wells  was  one  of  his  fellow  workmen  in  the  same 
shop,  and  in  the  year  following  his  arrival  the  two  rented  a  little 
building  where  the  jail  now  stands  and  established  a  business  of  their 
own.  Mr.  Morgan  then  became  a  confectioner,  but,  like  his  fellow 
townsman,  B.  M.  Prentiss,  his  outside  diversion  was  drilling  and  other 
matters  connected  with  the  Quiney  Rifles.  Of  these  he  became  cap- 
tain in  1843  and  Mr.  Prentiss,  first  lieutenant.  They  were,  therefore, 
together  as  local  military  leaders  in  the  Mormon  complications,  and 
Captain  ilorgan  went  to  the  Mexican  war  as  captain  of  Company  A, 
First  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteers. 

Returning  to  Quiney  at  the  close  of  the  Mexican  war,  Captain 
Morgan  engaged  in  various  lines  of  business  for  the  succeeding  four- 
teen years,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  modestly  accepted 
the  position  of  orderly  sergeant  in  a  company  then  being  raised  in 
Quiney.  Proceeding  to  Cairo  with  his  company,  the  Tenth  Regiment, 
to  which  it  was  attached,  unanimously  elected  him  lieutenant-colonel. 
On  the  promotion  of  Colonel  Prentiss  to  command  a  brigade,  he  was 
at  once  advanced  to  the  colonelcy.  His  regiment  soon  after  took  the 
field  and  began  its  fine  career  of  nearly  five  years  of  ser\'ice.  Bird's 
Point,  New  Madrid.  Corinth,  Mission  Ridge,  Chickamauga,  Berton's 
Hill  and  all  the  rest  to  Johnston's  final  surrender  are  to  the  credit 
of  the  hard  fighting  and  faithful  campaigning  of  the  Tenth.  At  the 
engagement  last  named  General  Morgan,  who  had  been  "brigadier" 
for  some  time,  was  advanced  to  the  grade  of  brevet  major-general 
for  gallantry  in  action.    After  the  war.  General  Morgan  returned  to 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  219 

the  paths  of  peace  and  business  in  Quincy.  For  twenty-five  years 
he  was  associated  with  the  pork-packing  firm  of  C.  M.  Pomeroy  & 
Company;  was  one  of  the  first  to  introduce  the  public  convenience  of 
gas  illumination  to  Quiney;  jiromotcd  the  opera  house  and  railroad 
projects,  and  was,  in  every  way.  a  leader  in  all  legitimate  enterprises 
which  promised  the  substantial  advancement  of  tJie  local   interests. 

Gen.  Jonx  Tillson 

Probably  Gen.  John  Tillson  touches  Quiney  more  intimately, 
through  his  family  connections,  his  war  record  and  his  public  life, 
than  any  of  the  other  two  citizens  of  Quiney  who  were  in  command 
of  the  gallant  and  faithful  Tenth.  lie  married  the  eldest  daughter 
of  John  Wood  when  he  was  a  young  man ;  was  already  earning  a 
name  as  a  public  man  when  the  Civil  war  broke  out;  in  the  "War  of 
the  Rebellion  reached  the  grade  of  brevet  brigadier-general,  his 
progressive  military  advancement  having  been  all  earned  while  he 
was  in  close  or  indirect  connection  with  the  Tenth  Regiment;  and 
afterward  saw  public  service  through  the  governments  of  his  city, 
state  and  nation.  He  was  a  man  of  large  means,  and  yet  his  tastes 
were  so  distinctively  literary  and  catholic  that  his  library  was  for 
years  considered  tlic  most  extensive  and  also  the  most  select  of  any 
private  collection  in  Quiney.  To  round  out  his  character  with  a  final- 
ity really  worth-while,  the  General  was  widely  known  for  liis  kindly 
spirit  whicli  was  always  blos.soming  out  into  practical  helpfulness  and 
philanthropy. 

(ieneral  Tillson  was  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  at  Ilillsboro,  October 
12,  1825,  the  second  son  of  John  and  Christiana  Holmes  Tillson,  the 
former  a  native  of  Halifax,  the  latter  of  Kingston  County,  Mas.sa- 
ehusetts.  The  father  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  of  the 
state  during  its  first  thirty  years.  He  landed  in  Shawneetown  in 
1819,  at  the  same  time  as  John  Wood,  but  first  settled  at  Ilillsboro. 
He  made  business  and  real  estate  investments  at  Quiney  at  an  early 
day,  althougli  he  did  not  go  there  to  reside  until  184:1.  It  is  said 
that  he  early  aciniired  a  fortune  which  was  the  largest  in  the  state. 
But  that  was  by  no  means  tlic  lieight  of  his  ambition.  He  was  both 
sagacious  in  business  and  philantlii-opic  in  the  bestowal  of  much  of 
his  wealth.  The  variety  of  his  investments  may  be  indicated  by  such 
facts  as  these:  He  built  Ilillsboro  Academy;  was  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  Illinois  and  Shurtleff  colleges,  and  in  1836,  five  years  before 
he  became  a  resident  of  the  city,  erected  the  Quiney  House,  then  the 
finest  hotel  west  of  Pittsburgh,  at  a  cost  of  over  $100,000.  He  died 
at  Peoria,  in  If^liZ.  from  a  sudden  attack  of  heart  disease,  thus  pass- 
ing away  as  had  his  father  and  grandfather. 

General  Tillson.  the  son  of  this  good  and  sturdy  John  Tillson, 
received  a  liberal  education  thi-ough  private  tutors  at  home,  at  South 
Reading.  ^la.ssachusetts.  and  at  Ilillsboro  Academy  and  Illinois  Col- 
lege.    Ill  1847  he  graduated  from  the  Transylvania  Law  School,  at 


220  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Lexington,  Keutiieky,  and  at  once  commenced  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession at  Quiucy.  While  thus  engaged,  before  the  Civil  war,  he  was 
associated  for  a  time  with  A.  Jonas.  In  1851  he  organized  the  land 
agency  firm  of  Tillson  &  Kingman,  and  in  the  late  '50s  was  an  unsuc- 
cessful candidate  for  both  houses  of  the  State  Legislature. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  Mr.  Tillson, 
with  other  lieutenants  and  B.  M.  Prentiss,  orderly  sergeant  of  the 
Quincy  City  Guards,  offered  the  company  to  Governor  Yates ;  two 
companies  Avere  at  once  raised,  which  were  the  first  to  be  presented 
and  mustered  into  the  service  at  Springfield,  and  Captains  Prentiss 
and  Tillson  received  the  first  military  commissions  issued  by  Governor 
Yates.  The  Tenth  Regiment,  to  which  these  companies  were  attached 
after  the  organization  at  Cairo,  in  April,  1861,  elected  Captain  Tillson 
successively  major,  lieutenant-colonel  and  colonel,  and  that  regi- 
ment remained  under  his  command,  cither  as  regimental  or  brigade- 
commander,  from  the  time  it  left  Illinois  until  the  final  muster-out 
on  July  4,  1865.  Twice,  during  the  earlier  part  of  the  war.  General 
Tillson  declined  the  promotion  to  the  colonelcy  of  smother  regiment, 
preferring  to  remain  with  the  Tenth  to  the  end.  His  regiment  par- 
ticipated in  the  movements  against  New  ^Madrid,  Island  No.  10,  Cor- 
inth, Mission  Ridge  and  the  battles  under  Sherman  toward  Atlanta. 
On  the  fall  of  the  last  named  city.  General  Tillson  commanded  a 
brigade  in  the  Seventeenth  Array  Corps,  receiving  his  star  as  a 
brigadier  while  on  the  march  to  the  sea.  General  Tillson  was  mus- 
tered oiit  of  the  volunteer  service  July  21.  1865,  but  remained  in  the 
regular  army  as  captain  (to  which  he  had  been  appointed  in  1861) 
and  was  brevet  lieiitenant-colonel  in  the  regular  army  on  recruiting 
duty  until  February,  1866,  when  he  resigned.  Not  long  afterward 
he  became  a  partner  in  the  Quincy  Whig,  and  still  later  served 
as  president  of  the  company  building  a  railroad  from  Quincy  to 
Keokuk. 

In  1873  General  TilLson  was  elected  to  the  lower  house  of  the 
State  Legislature  to  fill  a  vacancy  and  the  distinction  came  at  a  time 
when  it  was  an  unheard  of  event  for  a  republican  to  serve  in  that 
bodj-.  He  resigned  his  seat  in  June,  to  accept  the  position  of  United 
States  revenue  collector.  He  had  already  served  three  terms  in  the 
City  Coimcil— elected  in  1867,  1869  and  1871— and  for  a  number  of 
years  was  a  member  and  president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the 
Jacksonville  Insane  Asylum. 

WiLLI.VM    H.    COLLIX.5'   WaR    NOTES 

The  late  William  H.  Collins,  founder  of  the  great  Collins  plow 
industry  after  the  war,  a  most  humane  captain  of  industry  and  a 
philanthropist,  as  well  as  a  leading  public  character,  was.  throughout 
the  tragic  civil  ordeal,  one  of  the  strong  characters  of  Quincy  and 
Illinois.  A  native  of  Illinois  and  a  graduate  of  Illinois  College  and  of 
advanced  courses  at  Yale,  in  philosophy  and  theology,  he  first  en- 


(^illXCV   AND  ADAMS  COIXTV     ^  221 

gaged  in  editorial  work  at  Jacksonville,  and  in  1S61  became  cliaplain 
of  the  famous  Tenth  Illinois  Infantry.  Later,  he  resigned  his  posi- 
tion to  assist  in  raising  the  One  Hundred  and  Fourth  Illinois  In- 
fantry. He  was  elected  captain  of  Company  D.  of  the  latter  regi- 
ment, which  he  commanded  at  the  battles  of  Elk  River,  Chickamauga, 
Lookotit  Jlountain.  ^Mi.ssion  Ridge  and  Ringgold.  In  the  spring  of 
1864  he  was  appointed  as  a  member  of  the  staff  of  JMaj.-Gen.  John  M. 
Palmer,  and  in  that  capacity  served  in  the  Atlanta  campaign.  In 
December  of  that  year  he  was  appointed  provost  marshal  of  the 
Twelfth  District  of  Illinois,  and  served  iu  that  office  until  December 
31.  1865. 

I\Ir.  Collins  was  in  a  peculiarly  advantageous  position  to  write  of 
war  matters  in  Western  Illinois,  and  has  done  so,  as  especially  re- 
lates to  the  first  year  of  the  war  in  Quincy — the  initial  year  of  her 
efforts,  the '  critical  period  which  fixed  her  position  a.s  one  of  the 
great  strategic  points  for  the  conduct  of  the  war  in  the  great 
valley  of  the  Mississippi.  Along  these  lines  Mr.  Collins  writes: 
"Quincy,  next  to  Cairo,  was  the  most  important  military  point  in 
the  State.  Measured  by  longitudinal  lines,  it  is  seventy-five  miles 
further  west  than  St.  Louis.  Situated  thus,  on  the  extreme  western 
edge  of  Illinois,  projecting  into  the  state  of  Missouri,  it  was  of  great 
strategic  importance. 

"The  line  of  military  effort  between  the  loyal  and  tlie  slave  states 
reached  from  the  Potomac  River  westward  across  West  Virginia  and 
Kentucky  to  Cairo,  thence  bent  northward  to  the  Iowa  line,  and 
thence  westward  to  Nebraska  and  Kansas.  After  Cairo  was  occupied, 
the  next  movement  was  to  secure  control  of  Missouri.  In  a  general 
way  the  operations  of  the  Union  army  was  a  'left-wheel,'  pivoted 
upon  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  extreme  right  wing  began  its 
forward  movement  from  the  Iowa  line.  Quincy  was  the  point  at 
which  the  national  army  made  her  rendezvous,  effected  their  organi- 
zation, and  from  which  they  crossed  the  river  to  take  possession  of 
the  northern  part  of  Missouri,  cooperate  with  the  forces  sent  out 
from  St.  Louis  and  thus  take  military  control  of  the  .state. 

"Quincy  became  a  center  of  great  military  activity.  Companies 
gathered  here  from  various  parts  of  the  state  to  be  organized  into 
regiments.  Steamers  passed  down  the  river  loaded  with  soldiers 
from  Iowa,  Wi.seonsin  and  ^Minnesota.  Mechanics  in  the  city  were 
busy  making  munitions  of  war,  from  a  leather  box  for  caps  to  steel 
cannon.  The  recruiting  drum  was  heard  night  and  day.  Orators 
made  patriotic  speeches  and  pa.stors  preached  patriotic  sermons. 
Regiments  with  bands  paraded  the  streets.  Women  organized  to 
make  provision  for  the  sick  and  wounded  in  hospital  and  camp. 

"Readers  of  local  historv  ma.v  enjoy  a  detailed  sumniaiy  of  the 
events  of  this  period,  gathered  mainl.v  from  tiie  files  of  the  contem- 
porary' daily  papers. 

"Immediately  after  the  proclamation  of  the  Pi-esident  calling  for 
troops,  the  adjutant  general  of  the  State   notified   tlie  commanders 


222  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  the  various  military  organizations  that  they  would  be  called  upon 
to  enter  active  duty.  At  this  time  there  were  two  companies  in 
Quincy,  commanded  by  Captain  James  D.  Morgan,  of  the  'Guards,' 
and  Captain  Schroer,  of  the  'Rifles.' 

"A  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Quincy  and  vicinity  was  called  at 
the  Court  House.  All  were  invited  who  'without  distinction  of  party 
were  determined  to  stand  by  the  flag  of  their  country  and  sustain 
their  government. '  The  Court  House  was  packed  to  its  utmost  capac- 
ity. Addresses  were  made  by  Dr.  Stahl,  Barney  Arntzen,  I.  N. 
IMorris,  0.  H.  Browning  and  Jackson  Grimshaw.  No  epithets  were 
bandied  by  Democrats  against  Republicans  or  by  Republicans  against 
Democrats  for  the  first  time  in  Quincy.  Parties  forgot  their  parti- 
.^anship  in  their  patriotism.  Recruiting  was  begun  by  the  'guards' 
and  within  twenty-four  hours  more  than  100  men  were  enrolled. 
The  Savings  Bank  tendered  a  loan  of  $20,000  to  the  State.  On  Sun- 
day, April  21st,  two  companies  left  for  Springfield.  Captain  B.  M. 
Prentiss  was  in  command.  Captain  Morgan,  whose  leg  had  been 
Jiroken  wliile  packing  ice  the  previous  winter,  accompanied  the  com- 
mand on  crutches.  Before  their  departure  they  were  given  an  ova- 
tion. A  va.st  crowd  assembled  in  Washington  Park,  and  Rev.  H. 
Foote  and  0.  H.  Bi'owning  made  speeches.  A  flag  was  presented  to 
Captain  Prentiss.  M.  B.  Denman  led  in  singing  'My  Country  'Tis  of 
Thee.'  Rev.  Mr.  Jacques  ofifered* prayer  and  the  exercises  were  closed 
by  singing  the  'Doxology.'  Ten  thousand  people  accompanied  the 
volimteers  to  the  railroad  station.  A  train  decorated  with  flags  was 
ready  for  them.  The  immense  crowd  sang  'The  Star  Spangled  Ban- 
ner,' and,  cheered  by  the  sympatlietic  multitude,  they  left  for  Spring- 
field. At  Clayton  they  were  joined  by  thirty  recruits,  making  a  total 
of  201  men.  At  Jacksonville  a  large  assembly  of  people  met  them 
at  the  depot  to  speed  them  on  their  way.  The  writer  heard  the  speech 
Prentiss  made  on  this  occasion,  and  remembers  that  his  main  point 
was  in  refutation  of  the  charge  that  a  'Yankee  can't  fight.'  His 
point  was  that  for  'just  cause  he  would  fight  as  well  as  any  man 
God  ever  made.'  A  movement  was  made  to  organize  a  company  in 
each  ward  of  the  city.  There  was  much  military  activity  across  the 
river.  Green  and  Porter  were  indu.striously  organizing  companies 
for  Confederate  service.  Union  men  were  being  killed;  others  were 
driven  out  of  the  State.  It  was  quite  possible  that  a  raid  might  be 
made  on  the  city. 

' '  It  was  the  work  of  a  few  days  to  raise  six  companies,  as  follows : 
First  ward.  Captain  Beinieson,  107  men;  Second  ward.  Captain  W.  R. 
Johnson,  148  men ;  Third  ward.  Captain  J.  A.  Vandorn,  1.58  men ; 
Fourth  ward.  Captain  Joshua  Wood,  130  men;  Fifth  ward.  Captain 
U.  S.  Penfield,  115  men ;  Sixth  ward,  Captain  S.  M.  Bartlett,  108  men. 
In  addition  to  these  Captain  William  Steinwedell  reported  a  company 
of  71  men.  These  companies  elected  as  regimental  officers,  James  E. 
Dunn,   colonel;  William  R.  Lockwood,  lieutenant  colonel;  William 


(,>ri.\CY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  223 

Shaimaliaii.  major.     Tlie  •(.^uiiiey  Cadets'  became  eiitlnisiastic,  aud 
gave  renewed  attention  to  drill. 

"Women  showed  a  zealou.s  patriotism,  and  on  the  24th  of  April 
a  call  was  issued  for  a  meeting  to  "organize  to  help  the  men  in  the 
field.'  Two  societies  were  organized  for  this  purpose;  one  was  called 
the  Needle  Pickets  and  the  other,  Good  Samaritans.  They  arranged 
to  meet  on  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  Thursday  and  Friday  of  each  week 
'to  prepare  lint,  bandages,  articles  of  comfort  and  convenience,  and 
in  every  way  add  their  mite  to  aid  and  comfort  the  brave  men  of  the 
land.'  They  industriously  solicited  flannel,  linen  and  all  kinds  of 
material  which  could  be  made  useful  to  the  soldier. 

"These  noble  women  deserve  an  honored  place  in  local  history — 
Mrs.  Almira  Morton,  IMrs.  Eliza  Bushnell,  Mrs.  John  Moore.  Mrs. 
Rittler.  :Miss  Nellie  Bushnell  Parker,  ^Irs.  Anna  ilcFadon,  Mrs.  Electa 
Finlay.  Sarah  Baker.  Mrs.  Joseph.  Mrs.  Phil  Bert.  :\Irs.  Gausliell, 
Mrs.  Amanda  Penficld,  Mrs.  Elizabciii  Charles,  Mrs.  "Warren  Reed, 
Mrs.  George  Burns,  Mrs.  Jonas,  Mrs.  Alica  Asbury  Abbott.  Miss 
ilaertz.  ;Miss  Lina  Church,  Miss  Kate  Cohen,  Miss  Abbey  Fox,  Mrs. 
Pinkham,  Kate  Palmer,  Mary  Palmer,  Mrs.  Johii  Williams,  ilrs. 
Lorenzo  Bull.  :Mrs.  C.  H.  Bull,  Mrs.  F.  Nelke,  Mrs.  Bautcliman,  Mrs. 
John  Seaman,  Jlrs.  Fred  Boyd  and  ^Mrs.  James  Woodruff.  This  is 
but  a  partial  list  of  these  noble  workers.  Among  those  who  belonged 
to  the  Good  Samaritans  were:  Mrs.  John  Cox.  Mrs.  Joseph  Gilpin, 
;Mrs.  I.  0.  Woodruff,  :\riss  Theresa  AVoodruff  and  many  others.  On 
the  18th  of  July  then  liad  a  membershiji  of  148 — 114  women  and  34 
men. 

"On  the  24th  of  April  a  meeting  was  held  to  organize  a  company 
of  cavalry.  Speeches  were  made  by  D.  P.  Allen,  Captain  Dunn  and 
Colonel  W.  A.  Richardson.  Charles  W.  ^Mead  \\as  made  captain  of 
the  company.  On  the  .same  date  a  dispatch  wa.s  received  ordering  a 
six-pounder  bra.ss  cannon,  which  was  in  the  city,  to  be  forwarded 
to  Springfield.  On  the  thirtietli  Judge  Douglas  made  a  speech  before 
the  Legislature  which  greatly  encouraged  and  united  the  loyal  element 
of  the  country.  Recruiting  was  greatly  stimulated,  greetings  were 
held  from  Lima  to  Kingston  and  Beverly,  addressed  by  Dr.  Stahl, 
T.  N.  ;^^orris.  Barney  Arntzen  and  Dr.  ^M.  AL  Bane. 

"A  company  was  formed  known  as  the  I'nion  Rifle  Company; 
Charles  Petrie  was  made  cajitain.  About  this  time  there  was  some 
rpiestion  as  to  how  far  W.  A.  Richardson  supported  the  administra- 
tion in  its  war  policy,  and  Dr.  Bane  addressed  him  a  letter  in  the 
public  prints  to  .secure  his  views.  He  replied:  'Every  citizen  owes 
it  as  a  solemn  duty  to  obey  the  law,  to  support  the  constitution,  repel 
invasion  and  defend  the  flag.  A  company  was  formed  called  the 
Quincy  National  Zouaves;  Joseph  W.  Seaman  was  made  captain.  A 
'Marine  Corps"  was  also  organized  intended  to  enforce  the  recent  act 
of  the  Legislature  forbidding  the  exportation  of  arms  and  munitions 
of  war  from  the  State.     It  had  been  discovered  that  powder,  caps 


224        '  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

auci  other  military  supplies  were  being  bought  iu  Quincy  and  taken 
to  Missouri. 

"On  the  12th  of  July  Colonel  U.  S.  Grant  arrived  in  Quincy  and 
went  into  camp  at  West  Quincy.  Robert  Tillson  delivered  a  lot  of 
accoutrements  and  Colonel  Grant  kept  the  tally  of  them  himself  in 
the  absence  of  the  quartermaster.  It  is  worthj'  of  record  that  the 
Needle  Pickets  sent  a  pillowcase  filled  with  lint  and  bandages  to  the 
ferry  for  the  use  of  the  regiment.  Mrs.  C.  H.  IMorton  carried  it  to 
the  boat  and  delivered  it  to  Colonel  Grant.  He  thanked  the  ladies 
through  her  and,  putting  the  pillowcase  under  his  arm.  walked  aboard 
the  boat.  Thus  in  his  simple  and  unceremonious  way  did  the  great 
general  of  his  time  enter  upon  hostile  territory. 

"On  July  15th  Colonel  Turchin  arrived  with  the  Nineteenth  In- 
fantry and  went  into  camp  on  Sunset  Hill.  General  Hurlburt  soon 
arrived  to  take  command  of  the  brigade  and  made  his  headquarters 
at  the  Quincy  House.  Colonel  Milligan's  regiment  arrived  on  the  17th, 
camping  at  Sunset  Hill.  Sickness  began  in  the  camps  and  the  chair 
factory  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Ohio  was  leased  as  a  hospital. 
Quincy  became  a  rendezvous  for  companies  from  the  adjoining  coun- 
ties. Camps  were  established  southwest  of  Woodland  Cemetery  at 
the  Fair  Grounds,  at  Sunset  Hill  north  of  the  city  and  on  Alstyne's 
prairie  east  of  Twelfth  street.  The  companies  first  arriving  were 
organized  as  the  Sixteenth  Regiment  of  Illinois  Infantry. 

"The  regiments  of  Colonels  Good,  Scott  and  Palmer  had  been 
ordered  to  Quinc.v.  and  the  Fourteenth  had  arrived  on  the  19th  of 
June.  James  W.  Singleton  was  offered  the  colonelcy  of  a  cavalry 
regiment,  but  he  declined  the  honor.  The  various  Home  Guards 
engaged  in  target  shooting.  Hays  and  "Woodruff  had  a  large  force 
of  men  engaged  in  making  knapsacks.  Robert  Tillson  made  scabbards 
and  cartridge  boxes,  and  Greenleaf's  foundi'y  was  manufacturing 
cannon.  The  Needle  Pickets  gave  a  Union  supper  netting  $95,  the 
Fourteenth  Regiment  baud  supplying  the  music.  On  the  Fourth  of 
July  there  was  a  grand  parade.  The  procession  was  led  by  the  Four- 
teenth Regiment ;  then  followed  the  Quincy  Guards,  Captain  Penfield ; 
the  National  Rifles,  Captain  Steinwedell;  Quincy  Cadets,  Captain 
Letton ;  the  Quincj'  Mounted  Guards,  Captain  Charles  W.  Mead. 
These  were  followed  by  variovis  civic  societies.  In  the  afternoon  a 
military  picnic  on  Alstyne's  prairie  closed  the  exercises. 

"On  the  5th  of  July  word  came  from  the  to^sTi  of  Canton,  Mis- 
souri, that  Captain  Howell,  of  the  Home  Guards,  had  been  shot  by  a 
secessionist,  and  that  the  town  was  about  to  be  attacked  by  a  Confed- 
erate force.  Six  hundred  men  of  tlie  Fourteenth  Regiment  were  sent 
up  on  the  steamer  'Black  Hawk,'  but  their  services  were  not  needed, 
for  no  attack  was  made,  W,  R.  Schmidt,  without  any  'posters  or 
newspaper  appeals  and  speeches'  raised  a  company  and  left  for  Camp 
Butler,  where  he  .joined  the  Twenty-Seventh  Infantry. 

"Special  efforts  were  made  to  raise  an  Adams  Coixnty  regiihent. 
On  the  16th  of  July  Dr.  M.  :\I.  Bane  published  this  notice:     'The 


QUINCY  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  22o 

Adams  County  regiment  will  l)e  accepted  under  the  first  call  for 
troops.  Commanders  will  till  up  their  ranks  and  be  prepared  to  enter 
service  immediately.'  This  regiment  (the  Fiftieth)  was  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service  .Sc])toiul)er  12,  1861.  M.  M.  Bane  was 
made  colonel;  William  Swarthout.  lieutenant  colonel;  George  W. 
Randall,  major.  William  Ilanna  was  captain  of  Company  E.  Their 
first  service  was  along  the  line  of  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  Railroad. 
This  regiment  had  a  brilliant  and  conspicuous  career.  On  the  26th 
of  July,  Edward  Prince  published  a  call,  proposing  to  raise  a  cavalry 
company.  He  was  appointed  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  Seventh  Hlinois 
Cavalry,  and  made  drill  master  of  cavalry  at  Camp  Butler.  The 
three  months'  volunteers  returned  from  Cairo  on  the  5th  of  August. 
They  were  met  at  the  wluirf  by  Captains  Pcnticld  and  Rose  with  their 
infantry  commands,  by  Captain  Delano  with  his  dragoons  and  one 
com]iany  of  the  Fourteenth  Infantry.  Capt.  T.  W.  Macfall  left  for 
Camp  Butler  with  his  mounted  i-avali'y  company  on  the  16th  of  Aug- 
ust. About  this  time  the  Needle  Pickets  gave  a  reception  to  General 
Prentiss  and  Colonel  Morgan.  They  also  nmde  107  needle  books  for 
Captain  Sheley's  company.  This  company,  after  its  three  months' 
service,  enlisted  for  three  years,  and  was  Company  C  of  the  Tenth 
Infantry. 

"The  troops  which  had  crossed  the  river  here  had  now  taken  pos- 
session of  North  Missouri.  Bushwhackers  and  guerilla  bands  wan- 
dered about  the  country,  but  aside  fi-om  some  skirmishes  with  these 
the  Union  soldiers  held  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  Railroad  entirelj' 
aeros.s  the  state  and,  with  it.  its  military  control.  The  extreme  west 
wing  of  the  Confederate  Army  was  driven  southward  l)eyond  the 
Missouri  River.  During  the  summer  and  autumn  of  this  year  several 
events  of  interest  occurred.  An  effort,  led  by  Jacob  Kolker,  was  made 
to  raise  an  artillery  company.  Captain  Powers  and  Dr.  S.  G.  Black 
were  authorized  to  raise  cavalry  companies.  Tiie  Tentli  Cavalry  ar- 
rived in  Quincy  and  paraded  -the  street  800  strong.  Many  steam- 
boats, some  with  barges  attached  loaded  with  troops,  passed  down 
the  river.  Colonel  Williams'  Sharpshooters  left  camp  for  the  front. 
The  Fo.x  River  Regiment  pa.ssed  through  (Juincy  for  St.  Louis. 

"Gen.  Phillip  St.  George  Cooke,  of  the  regidar  army,  pa.s.sed 
through  Quincy  with  his  command  600  strong,  with  300  horses  and 
six  cannon.  They  came  from  Utah.  Colonel  Glover,  with  his  com- 
mand, cros.sed  into  Missouri.  In  a  few  days  he  was  at  Paris,  Monroe 
County,  and  levied  a  sum  of  $2,500  upon  the  citizens  to  repair  the 
railroad  which  had  been  damaged  by  the  Confederates.  On  the  11th 
of  Xovember,  Lieutenant  Shipley  of  Company  A,  Twenty-Seventh  In- 
fantry, killed  in  the  battle  of  Belmont,  was  buried  in  Woodland 
Cemetery  with  military  honors.  On  the  8th  of  December  the  C.  B.  & 
Q.  Railroad  Company  presented  a  cannon  to  the  local  artillery  com- 
pany. About  this  date  the  bridges  across  the  Nortii  and  Fabius 
Rivers,  southwest  of  Quincy,  were  burned  by  Confederates. 


226  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

"Col.  W.  A.  Richardson  was  tendered  command  of  a  Kentucky 
brigade,  to  be  organized  at  Camp  Du  Bois  near  Jonesboro,  Illinois. 
Captain  Delano's  company  of  dragoons  left  for  Camp  Butler,  and 
by  the  9th  of  September  were  in  camp  at  Bird's  Point  on  the  river 
opposite  Cairo.  At  the  close  of  the  year  most  of  the  regiments  which 
had  been  organized  at  Quincy,  and  were  in  part  composed  of  men 
from  Adams  County,  had  been  sent  southward  and  been  assigned  to 
various  brigades  and  divisions.  The  Tenth,  Sixteenth  and  Twenty- 
Seventh  were  at  the  front.  The  Fiftieth  left  Quincy  Januai-y  26, 
1862.  Most  of  the  Adams  County  soldiers  were  with  Pope's  command, 
and  participated  in  the  campaign  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of 
New  Madrid  and  about  5,000  men  near  Tiptonville.  The  Fiftieth 
was  with  Grant  at  Fort  Donelson.  Subsequently  they  were  all  engaged 
in  the  movement  under  General  Halleck  upon  Corinth,  Mississippi. 

"During  the  spring  and  early  summer  months  Quincy  began  to 
see  the  results  of  active  campaigns  in  sickness,  wounds  and  deaths. 
There  were  two  hospitals  established  and  numbers  of  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers  were  brought  from  the  camps  and  battlefields.  Rev.  Hor- 
atio Foote  and  Rev.  S.  H.  Emery  were  appointed  chaplains.  Dr.  D.  G. 
Brinton  had  charge  of  a  hospital.  Dr.  I.  T.  Wilson  served  as  surgeon. 
Other  local  physicians  were  assigned  to  hospital  duty." 

As  will  be  noted  by  the  foregoing  brief  account  of  the  war  ac- 
tivities centering  at  Quincy,  substantially  during  the  first  year  of 
hostilities,  the  regiments  to  which  Adams  County  supplied  substanial 
quotas  were  sent  to  the  front  in  the  following  order :  Sixteenth,  Tenth, 
Twenty-Seventh  and  Fiftieth. 

The  War  as  Centered  at  Quincy  (1862-65) 

Before  tracing  generally  the  histories  of  the  organizations  which 
may  be  specially  accredited  to  Adams  County,  it  seems  desirable  to 
present  a  picture  of  the  activities  of  the  war  as  centered  at  Quincy, 
in  1862-65.  In  July  of  the  second  year  of  the  war,  the  President 
called  for  more  troops  and  Adams  County,  with  the  North  as  a  whole, 
realized  that  the  South  was  not  only  desperately  in  earnest  but  a 
power  to  be  reckoned  with  to  the  extent  of  all  its  resources  of  men 
and  materials.  After  several  vain  attempts  had  been  made  to  raise 
an  entire  regiment  in  Adams  County,  five  companies  and  part  of 
another  were  reeniited  and  joined  the  Seventy-Eighth  Infantry,  of 
which  W.  H.  Benneson  was  made  colonel  and  C.  Van  Vleck,  lieutenant- 
colonel. 

Adams  County  furnished  two  companies  for  the  Eighty-Fourth 
Infantry,  of  which  Louis  H.  Waters  was  commissioned  colonel,  Thomas 
Hamer,  lieutenant-colonel,  and  Charles  H.  Morton,  of  Quincy,  major. 
Three  companies,  recruited  in  Quincy,  joined  the  One  Hundred  and 
Eigheenth  Infantry,  of  which  John  J.  Fonda  was  colonel  and  Robert 
M.  McClaughry,  major.  In  September  the  One  Hundred  and  Nine- 
teenth Infantry  was  organized,  with  Thomas  J.  Kinney  as  colonel; 


C^llNCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  227 

three  eonipanies  beiug  i-aised  in  the  county.  Three  more  companies 
were  also  rcernited  for  the  Seventy-Third  Infantry,  of  which  Rev. 
Mr.  Ja(|ues,  president  of  Quincy  College,  wa.s  colonel. 

The  autumn  of  1862  was  a  blue,  if  not  black  season  for  those  who 
stood  for  the  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war,  and  the  legislative 
representatives  for  Adams  County  all  voted  for  an  armistice  with 
the  South.  But  the  draft  was  finally  sustained  by  the  people.  James 
Woodruff  was  then  provost  marshal  of  the  district,  his  successors 
being  Capt.  Henry  Asbury  and  W.  II.  Fisk. 

After  Gettysburg  and  the  fall  of  Vicksburg,  the  North  saw  her 
star  in  the  ascendant.  In  January,  1864,  the  Tenth,  Sixteenth  and 
Fiftieth  regiments,  having  largely  re-enlisted,  came  home  on  veteran 
furlough,  and  were  received  with  open  arms  and  purses.  Their  short 
."^tay  did  much  to  reinforce  the  determination  and  raise  the  spirits  of 
those  at  home.  In  the  spring  of  1864,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois  and 
Iowa,  believing  that  the  rebellion  was  very  near  its  close,  tendered 
President  Lincoln  a  force  of  85,000  one  hundred-day  men,  to  relieve 
the  veterans  of  guard  duty  at  the  forts  and  arsenals  and  along  the 
railroad  lines  of  threatened  territory.  In  line  with  that  accepted 
offer,  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Seventh  Illinois  Infantry  was 
mustered  in  at  Camp  Wood,  in  June,  1864,  with  ex-Governor  John 
Wood  as  its  colonel.  The  people  of  Quincy  presented  their  honored 
citizen  with  a  fine  horse  and  outfit  as  a  mark  of  their  affection.  Colonel 
Wood  was  then  in  his  sixty -sixth  year.  The  regiment  left  Quincy  for 
Memphis  June  9th,  was  assigned  to  railroad  picket  duty,  suffered 
some  losses  in  fighting  off  an  attack  of  Forrest's  cavalry  and  was 
mustered  out  of  the  service  in  September. 

Also  in  June.  1864.  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Eighth  Regiment 
of  one  hundred-day  men  left  Quincy  for  Fort  Leavenworth,  and  the 
Twenty-Ninth  Colored  Regiment  (two  companies  of  which  were  from 
Adams  County")  departed  for  Mas,saohusctts.  The  command  of  col- 
ored troops  gave  a  fine  account  of  themselves  before  Petersburg. 

In  February,  1865.  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-Eighth  Regiment 
was  organized.  Company  D  was  made  up  of  Quincy  men,  with  Henry 
A.  Dix  as  captain,  and  they  bound  tliemselvcs  for  a  year  of  military 
service,  but  were  discharged  in  September. 

The  news  of  the  fall  of  Richmond  reached  Quincy  on  April  4th, 
and  the  city  shared  in  the  country-wide  rejoicing  over  what  was 
known  to  lie  the  close  forerunner  of  the  collapse  of  the  Rebellion. 
The  surrender  of  General  Lee  stopped  the  draft,  and  on  April  21st 
the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-Sixth  Regiment  was  .sent  to  Springfield 
to  be  mustered  out. 

The  barracks  which  had  sheltered  so  many  thousand  soldiers 
were  disTnantled  and  the  lumber  sold.  The  local  press  expressed  the 
hope  that  "now  that  the  soldiers  have  vacated  Franklin  Square,  %ve 
trust  that  our  authorities  will  turn  their  attention  to  its  embellish- 
ment." 

From  that  time  Quincy  ceased  to  be  a  military  camp. 


228  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

As  rapidly  as  they  were  mustered  out  of  the  service  the  volunteers 
returned  to  their  homes  by  the  shortest  route.  About  fifty  of  the 
Tenth  Infantry  returned  to  Quiney  with  Colonel  Tillson.  The  Fif- 
tieth reached  the  city  on  July  22d.  It  has  been  called  the  "pet  of 
Adams  County." 

Local  Military  Leaders 

A  summary  of  the  careers  of  men  who  went  from  Adams  County 
and  attained  military  prominence  commences  with  Captain  Morgan, 
who  reached  the  rank  of  major-general,  commanding  the  Second  Di- 
vision, Fourteenth  Army  Corps,  at  the  end  of  the  war ;  Captain  Pren- 
tiss, the  hero  of  Shiloh,  where  he  commanded  the  Hornet's  Nest  Di- 
vision, also  a  major-general;  Col.  M.  M.  Bane,  of  the  Fiftieth, 
who  lost  an  arm  at  Shiloh,  and  commanded  a  brigade  during  a  large 
period  of  the  Civil  war  and  afterward  was  honored  with  various  fed- 
eral offices ;  Colonel  Tillson,  who,  after  he  had  won  his  star  as  brevet 
brigadier  in  the  fierce  warfare  of  the  Rebellion,  continued  to  serve 
for  some  time  with  the  regular  armj-  before  he  returned  to  civil  pur- 
suits and  its  honors;  W.  A.  Schmidt,  who  was  breveted  brigadier- 
general,  who  went  from  Quiney  as  captain  of  Company  A,  Twenty- 
Seventh  Regiment,  was  commissioned  major  the  following  year  and 
left  the  service  as  brevet  brigadier  general ;  Cols.  William  Hanna, 
William  Swartout  and  Edward  Prince  (the  latter  of  the  Seventh 
Illinois  Cavalry),  and  Lieutenant-Colonels  Morton,  Cahill,  and  others. 

The  Sixteenth  Infantry 

The  Sixteenth  Infantry  Illinois  Volunteers  was  organized  and 
mustered  into  the  United  States  service  at  Quiney  under  the  Tenth 
Regimental  Act  on  the  24th  of  May,  1861.  In  the  following  month 
it  was  mustered  in  by  Capt.  T.  G.  Pitcher,  with  Robert  F.  Smith  as 
colonel  and  Samuel  Wilson  as  lieutenant  colonel,  and  thus  "got  on 
the  move"  even  before  the  enterprising  Tenth.  It  was  at  once  moved 
to  Grand  Rivers,  Kentucky,  as  railroad  guard  and  in  July,  after  it 
had  been  scattered  along  the  line,  was  attacked  by  the  enemy,  suffer- 
ing a  minor  loss,  but  getting  the  advantage  of  knowing  what  it  was 
to  be  under  fire.  Its  first  important  engagement  was  at  New  Madrid, 
Missouri,  where  it  was  brigaded  with  the  Tenth,  with  which  it  followed 
the  retreating  enemy  to  Tiptonville,  Tennessee,  and  captured  quite 
a  force  of  Confederates  with  artillery,  small  arms  and  ammunition. 
It  also  participated  in  the  siege  of  Corinth,  engaged  in  other  cam- 
paigns in  the  southwest,  and  before  being  mustered  out  in  July,  1865, 
had  the  satisfaction  of  decisively  defeating  the  noted  cavalry  leader. 
General  Morgan.  The  Sixteenth  arrived  at  Camp  Butler  on  the  10th 
of  that  month  for  final  payment  and  discharge. 


griNCV  A.\U  ADAMS  LOL.NTV  229 

The  Twenty-Seventh  Tnfantry 

Thc  Twenty-Seventh  Illinois  Infantry  was  organized  at  Camp 
Butli-r  with  only  seven  eonipanies  in  August,  1861,  and  ordered  to 
Jacksonville  as  part  of  Gen.  John  A.  ileClernand's  brigade.  The 
remaining  eonipanies  joined  the  regiment  at  Cairo  in  September.  In 
November  it  participated  in  tlie  l)attle  of  Belmont  and  suffered  heavy 
losses.  Subsequently  it  took  part  in  the  sieges  of  Island  No.  10  and 
Corinth ;  was  a  sturdy  assistant  in  the  defense  of  Nashville,  and,  with 
other  Illinois  regiments,  proved  its  soldierly  mettle  at  such  fiery  tests 
as  were  given  it  through  Chiekamauga,  Jlission  Ridge,  Pine  Top 
Mountain,  Reseca,  Kcnesaw  Mountain  and  Peach  Tree  Creek.  Its 
first  commanding  officer  was  Col.  N.  II.  Buford,  who,  at  his  promo- 
tion to  be  brigadier-general  in  April,  1S62,  wa.s  succeeded  by  P.  A. 
Harrington,  former  lieutenant-colonel.  As  the  future  was  to  prove, 
however,  Capt.  William  A.  Sehmitt  of  Company  A,  who  was  ad- 
vanced through  all  the  successive  grades  to  that  of  brevet  brigadier- 
general,  earned  the  greatest  military  prominence  of  anyone  identified 
with  the  Twenty-Seventh. 

The  Fiftieth  and  Col.  M.  M.  B.\ne 

This  popular  and  fine  regiment  was  organized  at  Quiney  in  Aug- 
ust, 1861,  by  Col.  M.  M.  Bane,  and  mustered  into  the  United  States 
.service  in  the  following  month.  It  moved  around  considerably,  in 
Missouri  principally,  and  did  not  see  action  until  February  of  the 
following  year,  when  it  participated  in  the  engagements  before  Forts 
Henry  and  Donelson.  At  Shiloh,  or  Pittsburgh  Landing,  in  ^March, 
the  regiment  was  in  the  thick  of  the  fight  and  Colonel  Bane  lost  his 
good  right  arm.  The  siege  of  Corinth,  in  May,  and  the  subsequent 
campaigns  in  Tennessee  and  Alabama,  gave  the  regiment  both  action 
and  arduous  campaigning  calculated  to  make  hardened  veterans  of 
them  all.  In  November,  1863,  the  regiment  was  mounted  by  order 
of  Major-Gonoral  Dodge,  and  in  January.  1864,  fully  three-fourths 
of  the  men  of  the  regiment  reenlistcd  as  veterans  of  the  three  years' 
.service.  They  spent  their  month's  furlough  at  Quiney,  Colonel  Bane 
with  them. 

After  recovering  from  liis  wounds  at  Shiloh,  Colonel  Bane,  who 
was  then  commanding  the  Third  Brigade,  had  rejoined  his  command 
at  Corinth  and  the  siege  of  Vicksliurg,  but  after  again  taking  the  field 
subsequent  to  the  Quiney  furlough  he  resigned  the  coinnuuul  of  the 
brigade  to  accept  other  service  as  Government  agent  in  care  of  confis- 
cated property  in  Georgia.  Brig.-Gen.  William  Vandever  took  com- 
mand of  the  Third  Brigade. 

In  the  following  October,  with  Lieutenant-Colonel  Hanna  in  com- 
mand of  the  Fiftieti).  was  fought  the  batlle  at  Altoona  in  which  the 
connnandcr  and  Surgeon  A.  G.  Pickett  were  badly  wounded,  and  the 
regiment  suffered  casualties  of  eighty-seven.    The  regiment  continued 


230  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

with  Sherman's  army  to  the  Sea,  Colouel  Hanua  commanding  the 
brigade,  and  thence  through  the  Carolinas  to  the  participation  in  the 
Grand  Review  at  Washington.  Ordered  to  Louisville  to  be  mustered 
out,  the  Fiftieth  Regiment  won  the  prize  banner  in  a  competitive 
drill  with  the  Sixty-Third  Illinois  and  the  Seventh  Iowa. 

When  the  w-ar  broke  out  Colonel  Bane  was  known  as  Doctor  Bane, 
engaged  in  a  substantial  practice  of  medicine  and  surgery  at  Payson, 
Illinois.  A  native  of  Ohio  and  developing  amid  most  humble  circum- 
stances, he  iiad  wrested  an  education  from  the  district  schools  and 
graduated  from  the  Sterling  Medical  College  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  be- 
fore he  located  at  Payson  (in  1844).  After  practicing  for  sixteen 
years  and  also  making  progress  in  state  politics.  Doctor  Bane  had 
just  served  a  term  in  the  Legislature  when  he  was  called  from  his  quiet 
professional  life  to  the  turmoils  and  hazards  of  war.  In  May,  1865, 
he  resigned  his  position  of  assistant  special  agent  of  the  Treasury, 
in  charge  of  abandoned  property  in  Georgia,  spent  the  following 
winter  at  Harvard  Law  College,  in  1866-69,  served  as  United  States 
internal  revenue  assessor  for  the  Fourth  District  of  Illinois,  and  was 
for  a  time  afterward  connected  with  the  same  department  in  the 
secret  service.  Colonel  Bane  was  a  gifted,  shrewd  and  gallant  man, 
and  during  the  later  years  of  his  life  was  esteemed  as  a  strong  re- 
publican leader  and  was  ever  a  good  citizen  and  a  fine  man. 

The  Eighty-Fourth  Infantry 

The  Eighty-fourth  Infantry  was  organized  at  Quiney  in  August, 

1862,  by  Col.  Louis  H.  Waters  and  in  the  following  month  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service  with  951  men  and  officers.  It  was  as- 
signed to  the  Tenth  Brigade,  Fourth  Division,  and  marched  with  the 
forces  which  were  in  pursuit  of  Bragg.  The  Eighty-fourth  was  an 
active  regiment,  and  suffered  heavy  losses  at  Stone  River  and  Chick- 
amauga.  It  fought  at  Lookout  Mountain,  Mission  Ridge,  Ring- 
gold and  Dalton ;  at  Reseea,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Atlanta,  Jonesboro, 
Franklin  and  Nashville,  and  was  mustered  out  at  the  last  named 
place  in  June,  1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Infantry 

Companies  D,  P  and  K  of  that  regiment  were  organized  in  Adams 
County.  In  September,  1862,  the  regiment  rendezvoused  at  Camp 
Butler,  was  at  once  assigned  to  the  guarding  of  prisoners  of  war  there, 
was  mustered  into  the  service  during  November,  and  in  the  following 
month  arrived  at  IMemphis  and  embarked  with  Sherman's  army  for 
Yicksburg,  Mississippi.     It  participated  in  the  "siege"  and  in  June, 

1863,  by  order  of  General  Grant  was  mounted.  In  August  it  was 
transferred  to  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  and  took  part  in  numerous 
engagements  in  the  southwest,  particularly  in  Louisiana.  Its  activi- 
ties were  wound  up  at  Baton  Rouge,  where  it  was  mustered  out  in 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUXTV  231 

October,  1865.  The  One  Iluiulied  and  Eighteenth  was  commanded 
by  Col.  John  J.  Fonda.  Rcilicrt  .M.  .McClaughry  was  major  of  the 
regiment. 

The  One  IlrxDREn  .vnd  Xineteentii  Inf.\ntry 

The  regiment  named  was  also  organized  at  Quincy  by  Col.  Thomas 
J.  Kinney,  its  commander.  It  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States  in  September,  1862,  and  by  December  was  engaged  in 
the  Tennessee  caiui)aigns.  In  an  engagement  at  Rutherford's  Station, 
companies  G  and  K  were  captured.  It  jiarticipated  in  the  siege  of 
Vii-ksburg;  was  in  most  of  the  engagements  of  the  Red  River  ex- 
pedition; was  at  the  battle  of  Nasliville  and  the  assault  on  Spanish 
Fort ;  moved  to  Montgomery  and  Mobile,  and  in  August,  1865,  was 
mustered  out.  The  regiment  was  finally  discharged  at  Camp  Butler, 
Quincy,  in  September,  1865. 

The  Needle  Pickets 

Repeated  references  have  been  made  to  the  practical  works  of 
relief  and  jiatriotism  accomplished  by  the  Xeedle  Pickets  and  the 
Sisters  of  the  Good  Samaritan.  They  were  primarily  bodies  of 
women,  although  as  the  work  progressed  a  number  of  men  were  ad- 
mitted into  the  ranks.  The  Pickets,  in  accord  with  their  name,  first 
adopted  military  titles  for  their  officers.  They  effected  an  organiza- 
tion on  the  last  day  of  May,  1861,  and  on  the  5th  of  June  adopted 
a  constitution  and  elected  the  following  officers:  Mrs.  Fox,  captain; 
Mrs.  Kusluiell,  first  lieutenant;  Mrs.  Charles,  .second  lieutenant;  Miss 
A.  Asbury,  pajnnaster;  Jlrs.  Morton,  orderly  sergeant.  The  fore- 
going officers  were  elected  for  three  months.  It  may  be  that  the  ladies 
decided  tliat  this  bestowal  of  military  titles  upon  those  whose  duties 
were  so  purely  in  the  field  of  home  work  and  womanly  affairs  savored 
of  the  i)resumptuous:  at  all  events,  when  they  elected  the  second  set, 
at  the  end  of  the  three  months,  the  record  shows  that  a  return  had 
been  made  to  the  old  official  style.  Mrs.  Fox  was  chosen  as  president ; 
Mrs.  Bushnell  and  Miss  Burns,  vice  presidents;  ilrs.  ^Morton,  record- 
ing and  correspondijig  secretary ;  Jliss  Annie  Jones,  treasurer. 

The  chief  work  performed  by  the  Needles  consisted  in  relieving  the 
destitute  families  of  soldiers  at  home,  and  doing  everything  possible 
for  the  inmates  of  hospitals.  At  first  the  labors  of  the  society  were 
confined  to  soldiers  in  the  field  and  their  families  at  home,  but,  on 
account  of  the  profound  disturbance  to  business  and  consequent  wide- 
spread suffering,  it  soon  became  manifest  that  the  poor  of  the  city 
must  be  relieved  irrespective  of  their  direct  connection  with  the 
throes  of  war.  Food  and  wearing  apparel  were  therefore  distributed 
to  worthy  applicants  generally,  and  hospital  stores  were  sent  to  such 
outside  points  as  Cairo,  St.  Louis,  Ironton,  Pilot  Knob,  Fort  Henry, 
Fort  Donelson,  Mdund  Cifv,  Padncah,  Corinth  and  Savannah.     The 


232  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

hospitals  at  Quincy,  including  the  one  established  for  the  colored 
soldiers,  received  special  attention.  At  one  time  the  hall  where  the 
society  held  its  meetings  was  transformed  into  a  hospital  for  the 
reception  of  forty  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  who  could  not  be  accom- 
modated in  the  local  institutions,  and  at  the  urgent  request  of  the 
Needle  Pickets  the  City  Council  transformed  the  old  Municipal  Poor 
House  into  a  pleasant  retreat  for  invalid  soldiers.  As  the  war 
progressed,  the  society  also  sent  a  number  of  nurses  to  Pittsburg 
Landing,  Vicksburg  and  other  battlefields.  One  of  the  features  of 
their  work  which  was  deeply  appreciated  by  the  soldiers  was  the 
furnishing  of  reading  matter  to  those  in  hospital.  The  efforts  of  the 
society  during  1864-65  were  mainly  directed  to  the  care  of  the 
five  hospitals  located  at  Quincy. 

The  cash  receipts  of  the  Needle  Pickets  from  IMay,  1861,  to  May, 
1865,  mounted  to  $28,714.85;  expenditures,  $22,805.19.  Its  organiza- 
tion was  maintained  for  many  years  afterward,  although  its  activities 
were  somewhat  dormant  after  the  close  of  the  war.  It  took  a  deep 
interest  in  the  Blessing  Hospital,  which  w-as  originally  established  in 
1865  by  the  Charitable  Aid  and  Hospital  Association.  When  re- 
organized in  1873,  under  its  present  name,  the  Pickets  furnished  and 
endowed  a  memorial  room. 

Sisters  of  the  Good  S.\maritani 

The  Sisters  of  the  Good  Samaritan,  the  objects  and  work  of  which 
were  along  similar  lines  with  those  of  the  Needle  Pickets,  organized 
themselves  July  12,  1861.  On  that  date  they  adopted  a  constitution 
and  elected  the  following  ofificei's :  Mrs.  I.  0.  Woodruff,  president ; 
Mrs.  Gilpin  and  Mrs.  C.  H.  Bull,  vice  presidents;  Miss  E.  O'Bannon, 
recording  secretary ;  Miss  Christiana  Tillson,  corresponding  secretary ; 
Miss  Kate  Palmer,  treasurer.  About  a  quarter  of  its  membership 
was  composed  of  men.  The  individual  military  organizations  that  re- 
ceived the  benefits  of  the  Sisters  (and  Brothers)  work  were  Captain 
Delano's  Dragoons,  the  Fiftieth  Regiment,  Colonel  Glover's  Regiment, 
Captain  Schmitt's  Company,  Colonel  Grant's  Regiment,  Yates  Sharp 
Shooters  and  Colonel  Morgan's  Regiment.  At  the  conclusion  of  their 
manifold,  consecrated  and  successful  labors  the  Sisters  of  the  Good 
Samaritan  had  a  balance  in  the  treasury  of  several  thousand  dollars 
which,  as  will  hereafter  be  told,  was  devoted  to  the  erection  of  a 
soldiers'  monument  at  Woodland  Cemetery. 

The  First  Soldiers'  Monument 

In  the  western  part  of  the  beautiful  Woodland  Cemetery,  once  a 
portion  of  the  great  Wood  estate,  in  the  southwestern  portion  of 
Quincy,  is  the  first  monument  erected  to  the  soldiers  of  the  Civil  war 
who  were  drawn  from  Adams  County.    And  the  women  did  it. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  several  thousand  dollars  remained  in  the 


(jriNCY  AND  AUAMS  COUNTY  233 

treasury  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Good  Samaritan  Society.  After  using 
a  portion  of  this  fund  for  the  relief  of  needy  families  of  the  soldiei-s, 
the  society  uiiaiiiniously  resolveil  to  make  an  elTort  to  honor  the  dead 
to  the  extent  of  its  means  and  efforts.  To  this  end  it  was  voted  to 
expend  the  lialance  of  the  society's  funds  in  the  erection  of  a  soldiers' 
monument  on  the  bluffs  bordering  Woodland  Temetery.  C.  G.  Yolk, 
the  Quiney  sculptor  of  national  i-eputation,  furnished  the  design 
which  was  accepted,  and  which  he  executed  in  the  actual  erection  of 
the  striking  memorial  of  white  Yermont  marble  rising  on  the  Missis- 
sippi banks  from  one  of  those  mysterious  mounds  laid  there  by  some 
prehi.storic  builder.  The  modern  base  of  the  monument  is  of  drab 
Joliet  stone,  and  surmounting  the  marble  shaft  is  the  finely  wrought 
figure  of  an  American  eagle,  with  wings  partially  spi'cad,  poised  for 
a  flight  either  to  the  east  or  south. 

The  soldiers'  monument  at  AYoodland  was  consecrated  in  1867 
"by  the  Sisters  of  the  (iood  Samaritan,  in  duty,  affection  and  rever- 
ence, to  the  memory  of  the  faithful  soldiers  of  Adams  County  who 
gave  their  lives  that  the  nation,  might  live."  A  grand  parade  of 
civilians  and  military  took  place,  directed  by  Gen.  John  Tillson,  as 
marshal  of  the  day.  Appropriate  addresses  were  made  by  Gen.  B.  M. 
Prentiss,  Gen.  John  Tillson  and  Col.  M.  M.  Bane. 

The  United  States  National  ^Military  Cemetery  of  Quiney  was 
established  in  1868,  and  four  cannon  were  placed  in  position  in  1874. 
Nearly  250  interments  were  made.  The  National  Cemetery  formerly 
occupied  the  northwest  portion  of  Woodlaiul  Cemetery,  but  about 
1900  the  Government  moved  it  to  Graeeland.  Quite  a  number  of 
soldiers  still  occupy  private  lots  at  Woodland. 

Illinois  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Home 

The  noblest  aftermath  of  the  Civil  war.  viewed  from  the  institu- 
tional standpoint,  is  the  splendid  home  foi-  the  soldiers  and  sailors 
of  Illinois,  who  are  disabled  either  from  old  wounds,  age  or  disea.se, 
for  the  activities  of  the  business  and  professional  world.  Twenty 
years  after  the  close  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  that  class  had  so 
increa.sed  in  the  state  that  the  people  decided  the  time  had  come  to 
provide  for  them  as  honored  wards  of  the  commonwealth.  On  the 
26th  of  June.  1885,  the  State  Legislature  passed  an  act  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Illinois  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Home,  and  appointed 
the  following  as  locating  commissioners:  William  W.  Berry,  Adams 
County:  F.  E.  Bryant,  Bement;  Monroe  C.  Crawford.  Joncsboro; 
H.  M.  Hall.  Olney:  Henry  T.  Noble,  Dixon :  M.  R.  M.  Wallace,  Cook 
County  ;  Fred  O.  White,  Aurora.  A  number  of  cities  in  different  parts 
of  the  state  offered  sites,  and  on  December  2,  1885.  the  locating  com- 
missioners selected  a  tract  of  land  in  Riverside  Township.  Adams 
County.  ,iust  north  of  the  Quiney  city  limits.  The  original  selection 
comprised  140  acres  and  since  that  time  the  management  has  added 
various  purchases  amounting  to  eight.v-two  acres.    The  first  board  of 


ViEwg  OF  THE  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Home,  Near  Quinct 


(^ri.\(  V  AND  ADAMS  COUXTV  235 

trustees  appointed  by  Goveruor  Oglesby  al'ter  the  grounds  were  lo- 
cated, Deeeiuber  11,  1885,  were:  Daniel  Dustin,  of  Sycamore;  T.  L. 
Diekasun,  Danville,  and  J.  G.  Rowland,  Quincy. 

A  few  days  afterward  General  Dustin  was  chosen  president.  The 
cottage  system  was  adopted  as  the  i)lan  of  construction,  contracts 
for  tiie  various  buildings  were  made  in  ilay,  1887,  and  the  Home,  as 
au  institution,  was  opened  for  the  reception  of  men  March  3,  1887. 
By  June,  about  forty  had  been  received.  Although  the  increase  of 
the  Comrades  cared  for  at  the  Home  was  virtually  steady  for  twenty 
years,  it  reached  high-water  mark  in  1911,  when  there  were  919  in- 
mates. The  wives  of  inmates  have  been  received  since  August  17, 
1908.  The  total  number  of  men  admitted  to  the  Home  up  to  April. 
1918,  was  14,416  and  of  women,  1,050.  Interred  in  the  Home  Ceme- 
tery are  2,551  men  and  66  women. 

The  general  plan  of  the  main  buildings  covers  about  twenty  acres, 
the  group  emliracing  the  administration  building,  a  castellated  mas- 
sive four  story  building  of  Quincy  limestone,  erected  at  a  cost  of  .^50,- 
000;  the  tliree  story  hospital,  with  a  frontage  of  262  feet  and  accom- 
modations for  about  4.']0  patients;  the  anne.x,  to  accommodate  95  pa- 
tients; and  the  Lippincott  Jlemorial  Hall,  northwest  of  the  headquar- 
ters Iniilding. 

The  last  named,  which  was  dedicated  in  December,  1900,  is  in  some 
respects  the  most  notable  of  the  buildings  composing  the  Home  plant. 
Lippincott  Hall  is  the  center  of  the  social  and  religious  life  of  the 
Home;  where  i-eligious  exerci.ses  are  held  and  entertainments  given  for 
the  benefit  of  Home  members.  The  l)uilding  was  erected  and  equipped 
in  memory  of  Gen.  Charles  E.  Lippincott,  the  first  superintendent, 
and  his  wife,  Emily  Chandler  Lippincott.  It  is  located  on  what  is* 
known  as  the  Parade  ground  and  is  built  of  brick. 

Grouped  around  the  main  buildings  are  seventeen  cottages,  ac- 
commodating from  forty  to  one  hundred  men.  Each  is  a  complete 
unit  in  itself  with  sleeping  rooms  opening  upon  outside  verandas, 
sitting  and  dining  rooms,  and  all  the  other  accommodations  of  a 
household.  All  the  food  for  the  cottagers,  hospital  patients  and  ad 
ministrative  force  is  prepared  in  the  general  kitchen  of  headquarters 
l)uilding,  and  distributed  to  tho.se  outside  in  sealed  metal  carts.  All 
the  piping  for  heat,  light  and  sewage  disposal  is  carried  in  a  tunnel 
half  a  mile  long,  with  lateral  connections  to  the  various  buildings 
comprising  the  central  group.  There  are  numerous  minor  buildings 
such  as  machine,  blacksmith  and  tin  shops,  laundries,  dairy  houses, 
barns,  green  houses,  ])aint  shops,  engine  houses  and  coal  hou.ses. 

The  main  boiler  house  is  60  by  100  feet,  and  contains  a  battery  of 
nine  boilers,  which  furnish  steam  for  cooking,  power  and  heat  for 
all  of  the  biiildings  excejit  the  hospital  and  its  annex.  Roth  the 
Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad  and  the  local  electric  line 
have  ta.stefully  constructed  station  buildings  at  opposite  entrances  to 
the  Home  grounds. 

The  dairy  and  piggery  buildings  are  located  north  of  the  camp 


236  yUlXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

proper,  and  comprise  a  large  cow  barn  and  sheds  to  accommodate 
about  100  head  of  cattle,  together  with  buildings  for  grain  and  hay 
storage  and  for  the  care  of  the  swine,  which  average  150.  The  Home 
farm  also  supplies  vegetables  in  season  and  for  storage  and  canning 
purposes.  The  dairy,  the  live  stock  and  the  farm  are  the  sources  of 
much  healthful  exercise  for  not  a  few  of  the  inmates,  of  a  fresh  and 
sanitary  food  supply  and  considerable  financial  support  to  the  Home 
as  a  whole.  The  largest  item  of  revenue,  of  course,  upon  which  the 
Home  depends  for  its  maintenance,  is  the  fund  provided  by  Congress 
and  drawn  from  the  National  Treasury  consisting  of  $100  per  in- 
mate per  annum.  The  average  operating  expenses  of  the  Home  per 
annum  for  the  past  decade  have  been  about  $250,000. 

The  Illinois  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Home  has  been  remarkably 
fortunate  in  its  choice  of  superintendents,  and  they  have,  as  a  rule, 
held  office  for  a  number  of  years.  Charles  E.  Lippineott,  the  first  in- 
cumbent assumed  the  position  in  December,  1886,  about  three  months 
before  the  Home  was  opened  for  the  reception  of  comrades.  He  died 
in  office,  September  11,  1887,  Lippineott  Hall  being  especially  dedi- 
cated to  his  memory.  J.  G.  Rowland  served  pro  tem.  for  a  short 
time  in  the  early  fall  of  that  year  and  regularly,  by  appointment  of 
the  board  of  trustees,  from  October,  1887,  to  April,  1893.  He  was 
succeeded  by  B.  P.  McDaniel  in  1894-95,  by  W.  H.  Kirkwood  in 
1895-97,  William  Somerville,  1897-1911;  J.  0.  Anderson,  1911-13; 
John  E.  Andrew  since  May  20,  1913. 

QUINCY    IN    THE    Sp.\NISH-AmERIC.\N    WaR 

Three  organizations  were  sent  forth  from  Quiney  for  service  in 
the  Spanish- American  war;  two  of  them  actually  reached  hostile  ter- 
ritory and  the  third,  although  eager  to  be  there,  wa.s  denied  that 
privilege  by  the  turn  of  national  events. 

Under  orders  from  the  adjutant  general's  department  of  the 
state.  Company  F,  of  the  Illinois  Militia,  under  Capt.  H.  D.  Blasland, 
left  Quinc.y  for  Springfield  April  27,  1898,  to  report  to  the  regimental 
commander  for  immediate  war  service.  It  was  escorted  by  the  Naval 
Reserves,  who  had  organized  the  year  before,  Company  F,  the  post- 
office  employees,  Gordon's  band  and  thousands  of  citizens.  The  boys 
boarded  the  train  to  the  band  tune  of  "Marching  Through  Georgia," 
and  on  the  5th  of  May  they  were  mustered  into  the  United  States 
service  at  the  State  Fair  Grounds,  Springfield,  under  the  following 
officers:  H.  D.  Blasland,  captain;  H.  D.  Whipple,  first  lieutenant; 
J.  McClellan,  second  lieutenant.  F.  B.  Nichols,  who  had  some  ex- 
perience in  the  English  army  both  in  South  Africa  and  India,  was 
chosen  major  of  the  battalion,  and  Alfred  Castle,  adjutant,  with  rank 
of  lieutenant.  Eugene  Harding  was  elected  captain  of  Company  E, 
from  Hillsboro,  Illinois. 

Company  F.  of  Quiney,  left  Springfield  for  Chattanooga.  Ten- 
nessee, on  the  13th  of  May,  and  there  they  went  into  hard  and  per- 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  2:^7 

sistent  traiuiiig  for  the  hoped-for,  the  longed-for  service,  either  iu 
Cuba  or  Porto  Rico.  Whenever  one  of  the  boys  thought  lie  had  a 
"pull"  at  Washington  in  either  house  of  Congress,  he  sent  an 
earnest  appeal  to  have  F  moved  into  the  war  area.  The  eouuuaud 
did  get  as  far  as  Newport  News,  via  Ringgold,  Georgia,  and,  like 
other  companies,  got  no  farther;  the  company  did  board  a  transport, 
but  was  ordered  to  disembark,  as  the  Spanish  fleet  at  Santiago  had 
melted  into  wreckage  and  the  end  of  the  war  was  plainly  in  sight. 
Then  back  to  Lexington,  Kentucky,  and  Springfield,  Illinois,  where 
Compan\-  F  was  disbanded. 

The  Quiucy  Naval  Reserves,  organized  May  21,  1897,  had  better 
fortune.  Nearly  100  fine  young  men  of  the  city  joined  the  organiza- 
tion and  were  sworn  into  the  state  service  for  three  years  by  Com. 
D.  C.  Daggett,  of  Moline.  Col.  O.  S.  Hickman,  who  had  served  in  the 
United  States  Navy  during  the  Civil  war,  and  also  as  lieutenant- 
colonel  in  the  State  Guards,  was  elected  lieutenant  commanding  the 
division,  with  Roy  A.  Morehead  as  junior  lieutenant  and  Earl  H. 
Toole  and  George  Ilorton  as  ensigns.  In  Augu.st  the  division  went 
into  camp  near  Chicago,  the  boat  drills,  seamanship  and  gun  prac- 
tice being  conducted  from  the  United  States  Ship  Michigan,  which 
was  anchored  in  the  lake. 

In  the  following  fall  Lieutenant  Hickman  was  promoted  to  the 
captain's  staff  and  Ensigns  Toole  and  Horton  resigned.  At  an  elec- 
tion held  December  20,  1897,  Lieutenant  Morehead  was  placed  in  com- 
mand :  W.  A.  Simmons,  junior  lieutenant ;  Marion  A.  Krieder  and 
Hugh  E.  King,  ensigns.  The.se  officers  were  in  charge  of  the  Quincy 
Naval  Reserves  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish-American  war.  After 
a  season  of  faithful  discipline,  they  were  notified  by  the  Government 
that  thej'  could  not  be  received  as  an  organization ;  but  fifty-eight 
of  the  men  enlisted  in  the  regular  naval  service  of  the  United  States, 
most  of  them  being  assigned  to  the  cruisers  Newark  and  Cincinnati. 

During  the  period  of  the  war,  the  ships  named  were  mostly  cruis- 
ing in  West  Indian  waters  and  participated  in  several  bombardments 
of  enemy  ports.  In  the  meantime  three  of  the  old  officers  of  the 
Reserves  had  received  commis-sions  in  the  regular  navy — ^Messrs. 
Morehead,  Krieder  and  King.  They  were  all  apjiointed  ensigns, 
Roy  A.  ilorehead  serving  fir.st  on  the  receiving  ship  Franklin  and 
afterward  on  the  gunboat  Castine;  M.  A.  Krieder  on  the  Lancaster 
and  Hugh  E.  King  on  the  Caesar. 

Ensigns  Morehead  and  Krieder  did  not  leave  United  States 
waters,  but  the  Caesar  was  ordered  to  the  West  Indies  and  continued 
there  for  about  six  months.  It  was  at  San  Juan,  Porto  Rico,  on 
October  18.  1898,  when  the  United  States  took  formal  possession  of 
the  island.  The  Spanish  flags  were  ordered  down,  and  to  Ensign 
King,  as  a  representative  of  the  navy,  was  accorded  the  honor  of 
raising  the  first  American  flag  on  the  Intendentia  Palace,  while  an- 
other former  Quincyite,  Lieut.  Charles  W.  Castle,  nephew  of  the 
prominent  manufacturer  and  Civil  war  veteran.  Col.  C.  11.  Castle,  offi- 


238  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

elated  at  the  Governor's  Palace.    Other  army  officers  were  doing  like 
duty  at  the  City  Hall  and  Moro  and  San  Chrlstobal  Colon  castles. 

QuiNCY  Naval  Reserves  After  the  War 

At  the  close  of  the  war  the  officers  and  men  representing  the 
Quiucy  Naval  Reserves  were  honorably  discharged,  and  sent  home 
with  the  thanks  of  the  Government  and  two  months  extra  pay  to 
their  credit.  Early  in  the  summer  of  1899  they  were  reorganized 
as  a  body,  with  Lieut.  Hugh  E.  King  in  command ;  M.  A.  Krieder, 
junior  lieutenant ;  Samson  C.  Strauss  and  William  Burton,  ensigns. 
Soon  thereafter  the  division  was  taken  to  Waukegan  for  a  week's 
camp  and  training  on  board  the  U.  S.  Steamship  Michigan. 

In  1902  a  crew  of  the  Illinois  Naval  Reserves,  comprising  seventy- 
five  men  and  ten  officers  under  the  command  of  Lieut.  B.  T.  Collins 
of  Chicago,  brought  the  U.  S.  Ship  Dorothea  from  the  League  Island 
Navy  Yard,  Philadelphia,  to  Chicago,  via  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the 
lakes,  and  anchored  it  at  that  port  as  the  official  training  ship  for 
the  state  to  be  used  on  Lake  Michigan.  It  had  been  donated  for 
that  purpose  by  the  United  States  Government.  Lieutenant  King 
and  several  of  the  men  of  the  Quincy  division  participated  in  the 
transfer. 

In  1902  Lieutenant  King  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  navigating 
officer  of  the  battalion  and  John  F.  Garner  elected  lieutenant;  S.  C. 
Strauss,  junior  lieutenant,  and  William  Thesen  and  William  C. 
Powers,  ensigns.  During  the  summer  of  1904  Lieutenant  Garner  took 
a  pai-t  of  the  division  to  the  World's  Fair  at  St.  Louis,  transporting 
them  in  the  thirty-foot  cutter.  Later,  the  entire  Illinois  Naval  Re- 
serve spent  a  week  there.  In  the  winter  of  1905  Ensign  Powers  was 
transferred  to  Chicago  and  Chester  Anderson  elected  to  fill  the 
vacane.y. 

In  1904  Lieut.  J.  F.  Garner  resigned,  expecting  to  locate  in  the 
West,  and  Lieut.  Hugh  E.  King  was  again  elected  to  command  the 
division.  In  1908  Lieutenant  King  was  placed  on  the  retired  list 
at  his  own  request,  and  Lieutenant  Garner,  who  had  just  finished  a 
term  as  mayor  of  Quincy,  was  again  chosen  to  head  the  division.  In 
1911  he,  too,  was  put  on  the  retired  list  and  Lieut.  William  A.  John- 
son assumed  command.  His  efficient  work  and  untiring  efforts  have 
done  much  to  raise  the  Quincy  division  to  the  front  rank.  Lieutenant 
Johnson  enlisted  in  the  division  during  1901  under  Lieutenant  King, 
and  his  absolute  faithfulness  and  hard  study  have  fairly  earned  him 
the  advancement  which  the  Navy  Department  has  accorded  him. 
After  he  had  proven  his  ability  as  a  division  officer,  he  was  honored 
with  the  command  of  one  of  the  largest  transports  in  the  service, 
the  U.  S.  Battleship  Kansas. 

Others  who  served  as  officers  during  this  period  were :  P.  B  Weaver, 
H.  C.  Abbott,  J.  Erie  Caldwell,  Lester  G.  Bock,  U.  P.  Edwards  and 
J.  M.  Ross. 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  239 

The  Quiuey  Division  made  the  summer  cruises  on  the  U.  S.  S. 
Dorothea  from  1902-09,  when  the  Government  assigned  the  Nashville 
to  Illinois.  In  1912  tiiey  had  the  Dubutiue  and  in  1914  the  Isle  de 
Luzon.  The  division  also  had  assigned  to  them  for  special  use  one 
of  the  older  torpedo  boats,  the  U.  S.  S.  Sommers,  which  they  used  on 
the  river  for  two  years,  taking  Saturday  afternoon  and  Sunday 
cruises. 

Promi'ti.y  Answer  Last  Call  to  the  Colors 

On  Saturday,  April  7,  liUT,  (me  day  after  war  was  declared 
against  the  Liiperial  Government  of  Germany,  the  Tenth  Division 
answered  the  call  to  the  colors  for  "somewhere  on  the  coast."  Most 
of  the  men  were  originally  assigned  to  the  U.  S.  S.  Kansas,  but  are 
now  distributed  on  throughout  the  navy ;  Lieut.  Waldriep  C.  Edwards 
on  the  U.  S.  S.  Bainbridge;  Ensign  Ross  on  the  U.  S.  S.  Baltimore; 
Ensign  Lester  G.  Bock  on  the  IJ.  S.  S.  Indiana.  Dr.  Warren  Pearce, 
who  had  aeted  as  surgeon,  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  navy,  and  is 
now  serving  with  the  patrol  fleet  "over  there''  as  a  lieutenant.  Prac- 
tically all  these  men  have  seen  .service  in  foreign  waters. 

The  following  were  left  with  the  Quincy  Division  at  the  outbreak 
of  the  World's  war:  Lieut.  William  A.  Johnson,  in  command;  Lieut. 
W.  P.  Edwards ;  Ensign  James  ^I.  Ross ;  Quartermasters  Theodore 
McPheeters.  Francis  B.  King,  George  Christ  and  Harry  F.  (Tapp) 
Tappe;  Ma.ster-at-arms  J.  F.  Ka.sey;  Boatswain  ilate  William  Pelk; 
Seamen  William  E.  Stanhury,  F.  S.  Rohison.  William  A.  Lock,  Paul 
Albertson,  George  Barden,  R.  R.  Burns,  F.  P.  Bernard,  A.  B.  Bowen, 
Arthur  II.  Bartlett,  Norton  L.  Davis,  Loyd  Davidson,  Lawrence  Doht, 
Edward  EUermeier,  William  Fischer,  Arthur  B.  Floria,  Robert  W. 
Geyer,  V.  E.  Goodwin,  V.  E.  Iletzler,  A.  J.  Ilellhake,  H.  J.  Johnson, 
Walter  Kettorer.  W.  W.  Knipple,  R.  C.  Laws,  (ieorge  L.  Love,  Clarence 
Loehr,  Frank  Lindsey,  Conrad  IMcPhecters.  II.  G.  ileyer,  Henry 
F.  i'iiikflnian.  William  F.  Rueth,  Robert  B.  Renter,  George  K.  Stan- 
bury,  Clay  Straub,  K.  J.  Stroup.  A.  W.  Tlicsen,  Emery  N.  Thompson, 
Henry  \'oots,  Lawrence  D.  White,  A.  Waltering,  Herbert  Westman, 
D.  J.  Grub.  Edward  Waltering,  Ray  York,  H.  Guth,  H.  Rotger,  W. 
Ka.sperwick.  R.  J.  Keller,  and  W.  Gilman. 

On  Board  Torpedoed  Snii" 

R.  J.  Keller  and  J.  F.  Kasey  were  on  the  merchant  ship  Atlantic 
Sun  as  a  part  of  the  naval  gun  crew,  which  was  torpedoed  off  the 
Irish  Coast,  March  7,  1918.  The  ship  was  lost,  but  all  hands  were 
landed  in  Scotland  except  the  first  officer,  who  was  retained  as  a 
7)risoner  of  war  liy  the  German  submarine  to  secure  a  bonus  on 
their  return  to  the  German  base. 


240  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Company  I,  Eighth  Illinois  Volunteers 

Company  I  (colored),  Eighth  Regiment  Infantry,  Illinois  Volun- 
teers, faithfully  performed  provost  duty  in  Cuba  for  several  mouths 
of  the  war.  It  was  organized  at  Quincy  in  June,  1898,  and  mustered 
into  the  national  service  at  Springfield,  under  command  of  Capt. 
I'rederick  Ball,  Jr.,  in  the  following  month.  The  regimental  com- 
mander was  Col.  John  R.  Marshall,  and  the  Eighth  had  the  distinc- 
tion of  being  the  only  regiment  in  the  service  which  was  commanded 
by  colored  officers.  It  embarked  from  New  York  for  Cuba,  on  the 
U.  S.  S.  Yale,  August  11,  1898,  and  five  days  later  arrived  at  Santiago. 
Thence  the  regiment  proceeded  by  rail  to  San  Luis  de  Cuba,  where  it 
performed  provost  duty  until  March  10th,  when  it  was  ordered  back 
to  Santiago.  In  March,  1899,  it  was  in  Newport  News,  and  was  mus- 
tered out  of  the  service  April  3d  following.  No  deaths;  no  special 
glory ;  just  good,  sturdy  soldiers — which  is  record  enough  for  any 
American. 

Active  Milit.\ry  Bodies 

Besides  the  Quincy  Naval  Reserves,  there  are  a  number  of  mili- 
tary organizations  the  activities  of  which  center  at  Quincy.  Some  of 
them  come  down  from  the  Civil  war ;  others  are  pi-oducts  of  the  awful 
conflict  now  raging  in  Europe,  Asia  and  the  high  seas  of  the  old 
world.  They  include  companies  E  and  F,  Tenth  Regiment  Illinois 
National  Guard,  the  Machine  Gun  Company,  the  Home  Guards  and 
the  Chaddock  Cadets.  The  local  military  headquarters  is  the  Regimen- 
tal Armory,  a  substantial  building  on  Jersey  Street. 

Company  E  was  organized  in  May,  1917,  with  Albert  E.  ZoUer  as 
captain ;  J.  Erie  Caldwell,  first  lieutenant ;  Horace  M.  Jellison, 
.second  lieutenant.  It  was  called  over  to  camp  in  June  and  spent  three 
months  at  Springfield  in  training.  Lieutenants  Caldwell  and  Jellison 
resigned  and  Walter  Brown  and  Claire  Irwin  succeeded  them.  After 
returning  from  camp  in  September,  Captain  ZoUer  resigned  and 
later  Walter  Brown  was  advanced  to  the  head  of  the  company,  with 
Claire  Irwin  as  first  lieutenant  and  Ralph  Lusk  as  second  lieutenant. 

The  M.vchine  Gun  Company 

Muster  roll  of  Machine  Gun  Company,  Fifth  Illinois  Infantry,  of 
the  Army  of  the  United  States,  from  the  1st  day  of  July,  1917,  to  the 
31st  day  of  August,  1917;  drafted  into  Federal  service,  on  the  5th 
of  the  latter  month.  The  original  officers  were:  Captain.  James  P. 
Beatty ;  first  lieutenant,  Joseph  A.  S.  Ehart ;  second  lieutenants, 
George  F.  Cunnane  and  Bennett  W.  Bartlett :  first  sergeant,  Law- 
rence D.  Smith ;  mess  sergeant,  Carl  J.  Grimmer ;  supply  sergeant, 
John  H.  Pott,  Jr. ;  horseshoer,  Robert  J.  Hartle.v ;  sergeants,  AVilliam 
H.  Henning,  Chester  I.  White,  Roy  H.  L.  Keller,  Robert  T.  Strick 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


241 


Jaiul  autl  Otto  A.  Wurl;  corporals.  Edward  C.  Castle,  Uw^h  F. 
Dehner,  Charles  L.  Edwards,  Samuel  E.  Israel,  Eugene  Ralph  and 
Clyde  W.  Winner;  ineohaniis,  Howard  Ogle  and  George  II.  Ost ; 
cooks,  Alex  Carr  and  Richard  J.  Dunham;  bugler,  Ernest  Nelson; 
first  class  privates,  Ralph  T.  Muteherle,  Harold  Leffingwell,  Donald  L. 
-Mane.s.  George  JI.  Persons  and  Harry  W.  Phillips;  privates,  William 
F.  Adolfs.  Warren  E.  Baker,  Arthur  II.  Belger.  Beverly  F.  Boiling, 
Harry  C.  Boyle.  Fred  M.  Bray.  John  R.  Carlisle,  Edward  W.  Church, 
George  \V.  Cook,  James  W.  Dorsey,  Theodore  II.  Dorse\-,  Ferdie  L. 
Fergu.son,  Anthony  II.  Folmer.  George  W.  Freemyer,  Arthur  E. 
Gihhs,  William  D.  Grimes,  Gerald  D.  Grover,  Charles  N.  Plendrieks, 
Kirby  L.  Hill.  Clifford  0.  Hope,  Edward  II.  Howell,  William  w! 
Hummel,  Cecil  (J.  Kane,  William  JI.  JIansperger,  Arthur  R.  Marvin, 
Alvin  W.  Michel,  Charles  A.  .Miller,  Roy  W.  Pott,  Floyd  W.  Rains, 


The  Regimental  Armory 


LaFayette  F.  Snapp.  Emmett  Snider,  William  C.  Stanbridge.  Charles 
E.  Stott,  Frederick  T.  Thomp.son,  Robert  L.  Vollrath.  Jlitchell  J. 
von  Preissig.  Paul  K.  Wells,  Roger  H.  Wells,  Ernest  J.  Wible. 
Brant  L.  Williams.  John  F.  Williams,  Joseph  L.  Williams  and  James 
A.  Wilson.  On  detached  service — stable  sergeant,  Arthur  A.  Reese, 
and  private,  Walter  E.  Randall ;  losses  by  discharge — privates, 
Thomas  II.  Amhurn,  Albert  J.  Ileckenkamp.  Luis  B.  Justus,  Harold 
C.  Tyner  and  Floyd  W.  Bentley ;  losses  by  transfer,  Edward  D. 
Thompson. 

The  Home  Guards  were  organized  in  ^lay,  1017,  by  Judge  S.  A. 
Hubbard  and  furnished  the  nucleus  for  Company  E.  John  Kelker 
and  C.  W.  Jarvis  were  the  lieutenants.  In  September  Hugh  E.  King 
returned  from  a  three  months'  course  of  training  at  tlie  Fort  Sheridan 
Officers"  Camp  and,  with  the  a.ssistancc  of  Judge  llubliai-d,  organized 
the   Adams   Countv   Battalion   of   Volunteer   Training  Corps,   which 


242  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

was  authorized  by  the  State  Council  of  Defense,  with  Hugh  E.  King 
as  major.  The  four  companies  of  the  battalion  were  located  at 
Quincy,  Camp  Point,  Golden  and  Mendon.  Later,  J.  Erie  Caldwell 
was  taken  in  and  he  organized  two  more  battalions,  which  completed 
the  First  Regiment,  with  himself  as  colonel;  Elmer  Johnson,  lieu- 
tenant colonel,  and  Hugh  E.  King,  Claire  Irwin  and  Horace  Jellison 
as  majors.  In  addition  to  those  named,  there  were  companies  at 
Clayton,  Mount  Sterling,  Versailles,  Meredosia,  Plymouth,  Augusta, 
Rushville,  Carthage,  Basco,  LaHarpe,  Hamilton  and  Warsaw.  The 
growth  of  the  movement  became  so  rapid  and  so  many  new  com- 
panies were  asking  for  recognition,  that  in  Januarj'  j\Iajor  King 
was  authorized  by  the  State  Council  of  Defense  to  complete  the 
organization  of  the  Second  Regiment.  Additional  companies  had 
been  formed  at  Loraine,  Barry,  New  Canton,  Baylis,  Griggsville  and 
Perry,  and  J.  E.  Caldwell  and  Hugh  E.  King  were  to  command  the 
regiments.  The  First  has  been  transferred  over  to  the  Depot  Brigade 
of  the  Reserve  Militia,  and  the  Second  will  do  likewise  as  soon  as 
the  arrangement  can  be  completed.     (Written  in  summer  of  1918.) 

The  Chaddock  Cadets  are  a  part  of  the  Chaddock  Boys'  School, 
of  which  there  are  about  fifty  boys.  The  military  work  of  the  school 
is  in  charge  of  Maj.  Hugh  E.  King,  and  the  boys,  ranging  in  age  from 
eight  to  eighteen  years,  are  uniformed  and  make  a  fine  appearance 
when  in  line.  The  United  States  Government  recognizes  the  school  to 
the  extent  of  supplying  the  cadets  with  Krag-Jorgensen  rifles  for 
use  in  their  military  work. 


CHAPTER  X 

COT-NTY   SrnOOL   SYSTEM 

FixANCiAL  Basis  of  Public  School  System — The  Workings  of  the 
DrxcAN  Law — Professor  Ti'rxer,  Father  of  Presext  System 
— Instructive  Report  of  State  Sui'erixtendext — State  Exam- 
TNiXG  Board  Cre.\ted — State  Superintendent  op  Public  In- 
struction— Rural  Sciioous  STANPARniZED — IIioii  School  Tui- 
tion Act — Free  High  Schools — The  School  Sur\-ey — Strong 
Points  of  Adams  County  System — The  Course  of  Study — 
Perfect  Attendance — Better  Trained  Teachers — High 
Schools — Parext-Te.\chers'  Association — Pioneer  Schools 
AND  Teachers  Outside  of  Quincy — "Pernicious  SystExm"  to 
Encourage  Idleness — Public  School  Tax  Levied  in  Quincy — 
First  Town  Schools — The  Town  School';  Become  the  People's 
Schools — County  Schools  Commissiont;rs  and  Superintend- 
ents— Present  Status  of  the  County  System. 

The  county  system  of  public  instruction  is  a  plant  of  slow  grrowth, 
its  basis  rpstinp  upon  the  laws  of  the  state,  and  its  clcvelopment  in 
detail  largely  depciulinjr  on  the  initiative  of  the  county  authorities 
and  the  abilities  and  faithfulness  of  individual  teachei-s.  There  was 
really  no  compact  system,  correlated  with  the  State  Department  of 
Education,  until  18o4-o5.  Previous  to  that  time,  what  improvement 
in  the  schools  was  noted  was  rather  considered  a  fortunate  ha]ipening 
in  .scattered  localities  resulting-  from  personal  pfonerosity  of  support 
or  a  specially  brilliant  application  of  pedagosiy.  So  that  although 
the  history  of  the  district  and  country  schools,  and  that  of  the  vil- 
lages as  well,  it  is  more  a  narrative  of  unrelated  achievements  for  a 
period  of  more  than  thirty  years  after  the  county  was  politically  or- 
ganized. 

The  financial  basis  of  the  system  was  laid  with  the  foundations  of 
the  state,  and  when  Adams  County  elected  its  first  set  of  officers,  the 
Duncan  school  law  was  on  the  statute  books.  all)eit  a  dead  letter. 
But  the  idea  had  been  planted  in  the  minds  of  legislators  ami  other 
intelligent  men  in  Illinois  that  the  common  schools  shoidd  be  sup- 
ported by  the  public  treasury,  and  not  left  to  individual  sul)scrip- 
tions  and  haphazard  efforts.  Therefore,  these  general  phases  of  the 
subject  bearing  upon  the  infancy  of  the  Adams  County  schiKiJs  call 
for  brief  but  general  review  of  the  pulilic  school  system  of  Illinois. 

24:! 


'244  QriXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

FiNANCi.vL  Basis  of  Public  School  System 

When  Nathaniel  Pope,  the  Illinois  delegate  to  Congress,  drew  the 
act  enabling  the  territory  to  become  a  state,  he  formulated  as  the 
sixth  section  thereof  four  clauses  referring  to  the  offer  of  the  gen- 
eral government  to  donate  lands  to  the  State  of  Illinois  for  the  use  of 
public  schools.  The  first  clause  provided  that  section  16,  in  each 
township,  was  to  lie  given  to  the  State  of  Illinois,  to  the  inhabitants 
of  such  township  for  the  use  of  schools ;  the  second,  refers  to  the  gift 
of  the  salt  lands ;  tlie  third,  provides  that  5  per  cent  of  the  amount 
realized  from  the  sale  of  the  public  lands  in  Illinois  should  be  re- 
served foi'  the  state — 2  per  cent  for  the  improvement  of  roads  leading 
into  the  state  and  3  per  cent  for  school  purposes,  of  which  latter  one- 
half  per  cent  was  to  be  applied  to  a  college  or  university :  the  fourth 
sets  aside  an  entire  township  of  land  for  the  use  of  a  seminary  of 
learning  to  lie  vested  in  the  State  Legislature.  The  first  provision 
gave  the  state  nearly  T. 000, 000  acres  of  land,  the  proceeds  of  which 
passed  into  a  permanent  township  school  fund  and  is  the  financial 
basis  of  the  public  school  system  of  Illinois. 

In  Governor  Bond's  first  message  to  the  Legislature,  in  1819,  he 
recommended  to  that  body  a  revision  of  the  territorial  laws  and  called 
special  attention  to  education  in  these  words:  "It  is  our  imperious 
duty,  for  the  faithful  performance  of  which  we  are  answerable  to 
Grod  and  our  country,  to  watch  over  this  interesting  subject. ' '  In 
response  to  this  call  of  duty  by  the  governor,  the  Legislature  passed 
laws  making  it  an  offense  to  cut  timber  from  any  school  lands,  the 
rents  resulting  therefrom  to  be  applied  to  the  cause  of  education. 

But  the  time  was  at  hand  when  a  mea.sure  was  to  become  funda- 
mental law  which  should  prove  the  first  step  toward  a  free  school 
system  for  the  entii'e  state.  As  already  stated,  its  author  was  -Joseph 
Duncan,  .state  senator  from  Jackson  County,  and  destined  for  seats 
in  Congress  and  the  gubernatiorial  chair.  On  the  face  of  it  the  law 
was  a  good  one.  It  provided  for  schools  in  every  county,  created  the 
proper  officers  and  the  means  of  electing  them.  School  sites  and  tax 
levies  for  the  support  of  the  system  were  to  be  fixed  by  the  legal 
voters  in  mass  meetings.  The  taxes,  which  could  be  paid  in  money 
or  merchantable  produce,  must  not  be  more  than  one-half  of  one  per 
cent  on  the  as.sessed  value  of  property  in  the  county,  and  in  no  case 
more  than  $10  for  any  one  person.  Schoolhouses  were  to  be  built 
and  kept  in  repair  by  a  poll  tax  payable  in  labor.  The  local  taxes 
were  to  be  increased  by  the  distribution  of  a  general  state  fund  de- 
rived from  one-fiftieth  of  the  entire  state  tax  and  five-sixths  of  the 
interest  due  on  the  school  fund  which  the  state  had  borrowed. 

The  Workixgs  of  the  Duncan  Law 

The  Duncan  law  nominally  appropriated  $2  out  of  each  $100  re- 
ceived by  the  state  treasury,  to  be  distributed  to  those  who  had  paid 


Ql'INCV  AND  ADA.AIS  COUNTY  24r. 

taxes  or  subscriptions  for  the  suppoi-t  of  scliools.  Hut  iis  tlie  afrjiro- 
gate  revenue  of  the  state  at  that  time  was  only  about  .i^tiO.dOO.  the  sum 
realized  from  the  Duncan  law  would  have  been  but  little  more  than 
$1,000  per  aniuim.  It  praetieally  remained  a  dead  letter,  and  in  the 
sessions  of  1826-27  the  taxing  power  authorized  l)y  it  was  nullitii'd, 
and  a  return  and  a  retrogression  taken  to  the  popular  subscription 
plan,  or  no  system  at  all.  No  provision  was  made  for  the  examination 
of  the  teacher,  who  was  usually  sole<'ted  hy  the  subscribers  to  tlie  local 
school. 

This  was  the  condition  of  affairs  when  the  first  schools  were  estab- 
lished in  Adams  County,  and  .so  remained,  without  radical  change, 
until  the  foundation  of  the  present  system  was  laid  in  1855.  But 
gradually  order,  under  the  control  of  the  constituted  authoi-itics.  got 
the  upper  hand,  although  a  consistent  county  system  of  schools  was 
not  developed  until  the  passage  of  the  legislative  acts  of  1854  and 
1855,  the  former  creating  a  state  superintendent  of  pul)lic  instruc- 
tion and  the  latter  a  uniform  state  system,  including  a  more  com- 
pact county  organization. 

Under  the  previous  law  no  townshi]i  could  sell  its  sixteenth,  or 
school  section,  until  it  had  fifty  inhabitants,  which  i)rovision  for 
many  years  barred  out  many  townships  in  Adams  County  from  tak- 
ing advantage  of  even  that  small  revenue,  .\gain.  the  law  permitted 
the  people  of  any  school  district,  by  the  affirmative  vote  of  two-tliirds 
of  the  legal  voters,  to  levy  a  tax  c(|ual  to  15  cents  on  each  $100  of 
taxable  property  for  the  support  of  the  public  schools.  Tn  view  of 
the  comparative  poverty  of  the  peoi)le  in  the  early  times,  when  con- 
sidered as  owners  of  taxable  property,  this  also  was  an  insignificant 
source  of  revenue.  Each  county  was  also  entitled  to  a  certain  quota, 
based  on  popidation,  of  the  state  interest  on  the  school,  college  and 
seminary  funds. 

T'nder  the  old  law  the  secretary  of  state  was  ex-officio  superintend- 
ent of  common  schools,  aiul  each  county  elected  a  commissioner,  to 
wliom  was  committed  the  care  and  sale  of  the  s<'hool  lands  and  the 
examination  of  teachers,  but  he  was  innowise  authf)rized  to  superin- 
tend the  schools.  There  was  therefore  neither  a  jiublic  system  nor 
public  support,  each  locality  depending  on  the  intelligence  and  gen- 
erosity of  resident  subscribers  for  the  f|uality  of  the  education  sup- 
plied to  the  eoiinnunity. 

Professor  Turner  Father  op  Present  System 

But,  commencing  with  the  movement  iiiauirurated  by  Prof.  Joini- 
than  B.  Turner  of  Jacksonville,  wbii'li  eventuated  in  the  founding  of 
the  Univei-sity  of  Illinois,  and  culniinati-d  in  the  passage  of  the  1854- 
55  laws,  which,  in  turn,  laid  the  fouiulation  of  a  solid  system  of  free 
.school  headed  by  the  state  whii'h  threw  out  tentacles  into  all  the 
counties  and  townsiiips  of  the  coinmonwealtli.  tiu^  present-day  era  of 
popular  education  was  born.     Now  eaih  county  elects  a  suierintend- 


246  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

eiit  of  schools,  whose  duty  it  is  to  visit  the  schools,  conduct  teach- 
ers' institutes,  advise  with  teachers  and  school  officers  and  instruct 
them  in  their  respective  duties,  conduct  teachers'  examinations,  and 
exercise  general  supervision  over  the  public  educational  affairs  of 
the  county.  The  subordinate  officers  are  township  trustees,  a  town- 
ship treasurer,  a  board  of  district  directors,  or  in  districts  having  a 
population  of  1,000  or  more  (in  cities  and  villages)  boards  of  educa- 
tion. A  compulsory  educational  law  is  in  force  and  women  are 
eligible  to  any  office  created  by  the  general  or  special  school  laws  of 
the  state. 

Instructive  Report  op  State  Superintendent 

Tlie  biennial  report  of  the  state  superintendent  of  public  instruc- 
tion issued  in  1914  contains  much  interesting  and  valuable  matter, 
especially  covering  the  legislation  relating  to  the  state  and  county 
systems  for  the  past  decade.  CuUings  from  that  report,  issued  by 
Francis  G.  Blair,  are  especially  instructive  and  encouraging  as  show- 
ing the  advancement  made  in  the  qualifications  required  of  teachers 
and  the  specialization  in  the  supervision  of  the  rural  schools. 

"When  the  public  school  s.v.stem  of  Illinois  was  in  its  infancy," 
says  Superintendent  Blair,  "boards  of  directors  examined  their  own 
teachers.  Later  on,  the  law  placed  this  function  in  the  bands  of  the 
township  trustees.  It  soon  became  apparent  that  if  standards  of 
education  were  to  be  established,  some  greater  uniformity  in  the  qual- 
ification of  teachers  was  necessary.  No  such  uniformity  in  teaching 
qualification  was  jiossible,  unless  the  certificating  authorities  were 
more  uniform  in  their  requirements.  This  led  to  giving  the  county 
superintendent  the  power  to  examine  and  certificate  teachers  within 
his  county.  At  the  same  time,  the  superintendent  of  pulilic  instruc- 
tion was  empowei'ed  to  grant  certificates  of  state-wide  validity.  The 
number  of  certificates  granted  by  the  superintendent  of  public  in- 
struction from  1855  down  to  1!)14  has  been  a  very  small  number  of 
all  the  certificates  issued  in  the  state.  The  great  mass  of  the  teachers 
taught  on  county  certificates.  For  the  last  twenty-five  years  it  has 
been  generally  known  tliat  standards  of  (|ualifications  for  county 
certificates  differed  widely  in  the  different  counties  of  the  state,  as 
teachers  were  passing  from  one  part  of  the  state  to  the  other,  carr.v- 
ing  certificates  and  asking  that  tliey  be  recognized  wherever  they 
went.  Some  of  the  county  sujierintendents  in  the  state  began  also  to 
feel  the  burden  of  tlie  preparation  of  questions  and  the  grading  of 
the  manuscripts  of  the  candidates  examined.  It  was  such  a  function 
as  usurped  much  of  the  valualile  time  of  a  county  superintendent 
which  should  have  been  spent  on  tlie  supervision  of  his  schools. 

State  Examining  Board  Created 

"Finally  after  many  years,  a  bill  was  drafted  which  received  the 
support  of  the  State  Teachers'  Association  and  the  county  superin- 


(^riXCY  AND  ADAMS  CorXTY  247 

tfiulonts.  It  passeil  the  Forty-eiglitli  (ieiieral  Assi.Miil)ly.  and  lieeaine 
effei'tive  on  July  1,  1!)14.  It  provided  for  a  State  Examiiiiiiij  Board 
which  should  make  such  rules  as  were  necessary  to  carry  into  effect 
the  i)rovisions  of  the  law.  The  superintendent  of  i)ul)lic  instruction 
was  made  ex-officio  a  member  and  chairman  of  this  examininor  board. 
The  law  re(|uired  that  three  of  the  four  appointed  members  should 
be  nominated  by  the  county  su]ierintendents'  section  of  the  State 
Teachers'  Association  and  appointed  by  the  superintendent  of  pub- 
lie  instruction.  The  other  member  of  the  board  was  to  l)e  appointed 
by  the  same  authority. 

'"In  order  that  the  three  county  sui)eriiitcMdciits  upon  tlie  ex- 
aminiiifr  board  might  represent,  in  a  general  way.  the  three  large  sec- 
tions of  the  state,  the  superintendent  of  pulilic  instruction  asked 
that  the  county  superintendents  from  each  one  of  these  sections  .should 
nominate  a  candidate.  At  the  meeting  of  the  State  Teachers'  Asso- 
ciation in  December,  1913,  the  county  superintendents'  section  nom- 
inated Cyrus  S.  Grove,  county  superintendent  of  Stephenson  County, 
for  the  northern  portion  of  the  state:  Ben  C.  Moore,  county  super- 
intendent of  McLean  County,  for  the  central  section,  and  Elmer  Van 
Arsdall.  county  superintendent  of  Riclilaiul  County,  for  the  .south- 
ern section.  Thej-  were  subsequently  appointed.  The  superintendent 
of  public  instruction  appointed  as  the  other  member  of  the  examin- 
ing board  Hugh  S.  Magill.  Jr.,  superintendent  of  the  city  schools  of 
Springfield,  Illinois,  who,  as  a  State  senator,  had  had  more  to  do 
with  the  enactment  of  the  law  than  any  other  one  member  of  the  Gen- 
eral As.seiiibly.  The  Examining  Board  met  and  organized  by  elect- 
ing Superintendent  Magill  its  secretary. 

"Very  few  boards  have  faced  as  large  a  task  as  lay  before  this 
examining  board.  It  had  to  deal  with  30.000  teachers  in  service  and 
provide  means  for  making  the  transfer  of  their  old  certificates  for 
those  under  the  new  law:  it  had  to  arrange  for  examinations  to  accom- 
modate these  who  wished  to  secure  certificates  before  the  ojiening 
of  the  school  year.  The  law  was,  necessarily,  extended  and  detailed. 
Few  laws,  covering  such  broad  field  and  such  complicated  interests, 
have  been  freer  from  perplexing  inconsistencies  in  provision  and  lan- 
guage. However,  it  has  been  found  necessary  to  interpret  some  of 
the  language  of  the  law  so  as  to  make  it  consistent  with  certain  other 
provisions.  It  has  been  necessary  to  issue  circulars  of  instruction 
to  county  superintendents  and  teachers,  and  to  provide  blanks  cov- 
ering every  detail  of  the  inauguration  of  the  law. 

State  Superintendent  ur  Pibuc  Instruction 

"The  history-  of  the  movement  to  establish  the  office  of  superin- 
tendent of  i)ublic  instructions  has  been  tol<l  in  detail  many  times. 
The  need  of  such  an  office  had  been  felt  long  before  the  State  took 
the  first  .step  toward  its  permanent  establishment.  Three  lines  of 
work  were  assigned  to  it  by  the  Legislature: 


248  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

"Tlie  first  one  of  these  related  to  gathering  and  tabnlating  statis- 
tics and  data  relating  to  public  education. 

"The  second  one  related  to  the  giving  of  legal  and  educational 
advice  and  counsel  to  all  the  school  officers  of  the  State. 

"The  third  related  to  the  supervision  of  the  State  eommou  school 
system. 

"The  first  one  of  these  functions  occupied  the  time  and  energy 
of  the  superintendent  of  public  instruction  for  the  first  ten  or 
fifteen  years,  along  with  some  advice  and  counsel  to  school  officers. 
The  superintendent  of  public  instruction  was  given  no  assistance 
and  practically  no  expense  fund.  One  stenographer  helped  him  in 
the  preparation  of  all  the  reports  and  in  the  getting  out  of  all  his  cir- 
culars. This  statistical  work  has  grown  rather  than  diminished,  but 
the  Legislature  has,  in  recent  years,  been  more  liberal  and  has  pro- 
vided the  office  of  superintendent  of  public  instruction  with  two 
clerks,  who  give  practically  all  their  time  to  the  collection  of  this 
data  and  the  preparation  of  the  statistical  reports. 

"Advice  on  legal  matters  is  now  given  by  one  assistant,  who  is 
a  trained  lawyer  and  who  has  made  a  special  study  of  the  School 
Law  of  the  State.  The  advice  on  educational  matters  is  divided  up 
amongst  the  heads  of  the  various  departments — the  persons  in  charge 
of  rural  schools  giving  advice  to  elementary  school  officers ;  those  in 
cliarge  of  the  high  schools,  to  high  school  officers.  Thus  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  advisory  function  of  the  Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction  has  become  more  effective  through  the  enlargement  of 
the  office  force  and  the  placing  of  special  men  in  charge  of  special 
fields  of  work. 

"This  last  result,  however,  has  been  made  possible,  mainly, 
through  the  enlargement  of  the  office  force  for  the  performance  of 
the  third  legal  duty — that  of  supervision. 

"Prom  the  very  beginning  of  the  office,  the  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction  did  whatever  supervising  he  could  in  the  little 
time  which  was  left  over  from  his  other  burdensome  duties.  At  the 
very  best,  he  could  do  nothing  which  merited  the  name  of  super- 
vision. 

"In  1906  the  work  of  building  up  the  office  for  the  performance 
of  this  duty  was  begun.  A  supervisor  of  rural  school  was  appointed, 
who  was  to  go  into  the  field,  work  with  and  through  the  county  super- 
intendents for  the  supervision  and  improvement  of  rural  schools. 
Two  years  later,  another  assistant  was  allowed  whose  duties  are  to 
supervise  rural  and  village  schools. 

"In  1913  the  Legislature  provided  for  a  high  school  supervisor, 
with  an  annual  salary  of  $4,000.  "With  these  tliree  men,  it  was  pos- 
sible for  the  superintendent  of  public  instruction  to  arrange  for  a 
systematic  supervision  of  the  country  schools,  the  elementary  schools, 
and  the  high  schools.  As  high  school  supervisor,  the  superintendent 
of  public  instruction  appointed  Principal  John  Calvin  Hanna,  of 
the  Oak  Park  High  School.     It  is  believed  that  the  office  of  super- 


QriNCV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  241) 

iiiteiitleiit  of  imlilie  instruction  can  serve  the  cause  of  public  educa- 
tion in  no  iiKire  effective  way  than  through  giving  advice  and  coun- 
sel in  directing  the  growth  of  scconilaiy  education.  Tlie  last  twenty 
years  has  seen  a  tremendous  develo])inent  in  high  seiiools.  In  no 
other  field  has  there  been  such  a  demand  and  such  a  need  for  care- 
ful, competent  advice  and  counsel.  The  work  of  recognizing  the  high 
schools,  as  required  hy  the  certificating  law,  is  proceeding  with  thor- 
oughness and  care. 

■'Mention  has  been  made  of  the  appointment  of  rural  school 
supervisors. 

Rural  Schools  ST\Nn.\RnizEn 

"In  inOf).  a  system  of  standardization  foi-  the  improvement  of 
rural  and  graded  .schools  was  adopted  by  this  ofifice.  In  brief,  it  pro- 
vides for  the  visitation  by  a  supervisor  from  the  Department  of  Pub- 
lic Instruction,  who,  with  the  county  superintendent  visits  the 
schools.  If  these  schools  meet  the  minimum  re(|uirements  in  physical 
equipment,  in  course  of  study  and  in  teaching,  a  dijiloma,  signed  by 
the  supervisor  and  by  the  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  is 
granted  to  the  school.  A  door  plate  is  also  given  by  the  Department 
of  Public  Instruction  to  be  placed  on  the  front  door  of  the  school- 
house.  It  was  found,  in  a  verv  short  time,  that  school  officers  wanted 
something  to  work  for  above  the  minimum  standards  already  set. 
It  was  decided  to  offer  a  superior  diploma  for  a  one-room  country 
school  which  should  furnish  superior  eciuipment,  course  of  study,  and 
teaching,  and  a  superior  school  plate  was  made. 

High  School  Tuitiox  Act 

"In  1909,  the  Legislature  also  passed  an  act  requiring  districts 
whiih  did  not  maintain  a  higii  school  to  pay  the  tuition  of  their 
eighth  grade  graduates  in  some  four-year  high  school,  selected  by 
the  parents  upon  the  approval  of  the  directors  of  the  local  district. 
This  law,  however,  in  its  passage  tlirough  the  Senate,  was  amended 
by  the  insertion  of  the  clause  which  said,  that  the  tuition  should  be 
paid  by  the  district,  provided  the  parents  or  guardian  were  unable 
to  pay.  It  was  known  by  those  who  were  interested  in  the  measure, 
that  this  amendment  weakened  greatly,  if  it  did  not  destroy  the  law. 
Very  shortl.v  after  it  went  into  effect,  it  was  attacked  in  various 
courts  on  various  grounds.  Finally,  a  decision  was  given  by  the 
Supreme  Court  that  it  was  unconstitutioniil.  inasmuch  as  a  Board 
of  Edtication  was  not  com^ietcnt  to  decide  who  was  able  and  who  was 
not  able  to  i)ay  the  tuition.  The  State  Teachers"  Association,  which 
had  taken  up  this  matter,  again  went  before  the  Legislature  witli  a 
demand  for  an  enactment  of  a  law  without  this  unconstitutional  pro- 
vision. Such  a  law  was  ])a.ssed  by  the  Kort.\  -Eighth  (ieneral  A.ssem- 
blv  anil   went   into  effect  Julv   1.   19i:i" 


QULNCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  251 

Free  High  Schools 

The  law  of  1013  provided  for  the  payment  of  tlie  tuition  hy  the 
sehuul  districts,  tlie  parent  to  ciioose  tiie  seiiool  with  the  approval 
of  the  directors  of  district  in  which  tiie  pupil  resided,  provided  the 
high  school  selected  oiTered  a  course  of  study  extending  through 
four  years. 

"It  is  difficult  to  over-estimate  the  far-reaching  consequences  of 
such  a  law.  Immediately  upon  its  going  into  effect,  every  square 
foot  of  territory  within  tiie  State  became  high  school  territory.  Be- 
fore that  time  over  300,000  boys  and  girls  were  living  in  districts 
where  no  high  schools  were  estal)lislied.  When  they  completetl  tiieir 
eighth  grade  work,  all  free  school  opportunity  for  them  ended.  If 
they  attended  any  high  school,  their  parents  had  to  pay  the  tuition. 
Here  arose  that  old  and  ugly  distinction  wiiere  society  was  divided 
by  a  money  consideration.  With  the  going  into  ert'ed  of  this  new 
law,  every  gi-aduate  of  the  eighth  grade  in  every  district  in  tiie  State 
had  this  free  high  scliool  opportunity  open  for  him.  He  was  not 
compelled  to  accept,  hut  it  was  open  if  he  desired  it. 

"In  the  fir.st  year  uiuler  this  law  it  has  been  tested  and  tried  in 
practice  as  well  as  in  tiie  courts.  JIany  of  the  decisions  based  on 
this  law  are  of  great  interest.  Two  of  them  are  printed  in  this 
biennial  report.  It  is  sufficient  here  to  say  that  the  law  has  been 
held  constitutional  by  the  Supreme  Court.  Under  its  provisions,  at 
least  5,000  boys  and  girls,  who  would  not  otherwise  have  iieen  in 
high  seliool,  have  gone.  In  the  year  closing  June  30,  1913,  there  were 
enrolled  in  tlie  high  .schools  of  the  State  78,942 ;  in  the  year  closing 
June  30.  1914,  thei'e  were  85,301  pupils  enrolled,  a  gain  of  over  8 
per  cent,  whereas  the  gain  in  the  enrollment  in  the  elementary 
schools  is  only  2.6  per  cent.  While  the  enrollment  in  the  high 
schools,  as  compared  with  the  enrollment  in  the  elementary  schools, 
has  been  gradually  increasing  this  rapid  and  unprecedented  growth 
must  be  attributed  to  the  free  high  school  tuition  law.  Some  difficul- 
ties have  appeared.  It  has  been  found  that  some  school  districts 
cannot  raise  enough  money  under  the  limit  set  by  the  law  to  main- 
tain a  good  elementary  school  and,  at  the  same  time,  pay  the  tuition 
of  their  high  school  pu])ils." 

This  worked  a  hardship  in  tiie  poorer  districts  tiiat  liad  a  num- 
ber of  pupils  in  high  school.  Wherever  such  a  condition  existed,  tlie 
directors  had  to  do  one  of  two  things — employ  cheaper  teachers,  tlius 
lower  tiie  standard  of  work  done  in  the  elementary  sdiool  or  refuse 
to  pay  tlic  tuition  of  the  high  school  pupils.  This  law  was  very 
luisatisfactory  and  was  tiie  cause  of  many  suits  in  court. 

The  Forty-Xinth  (ieiieral  A.s.sciiibly  jiassed  a  law  whicli  repealed 
the  act  of  1913.  This  law  went  into  effect  July  1,  1915.  This  law 
provided  that  the  county  superintendent  pay  from  the  State  Dis- 
tributive School  Fund  of  eadi  county,  tlie  tuition  at  any  four-year 
high  school  of  any  pupil  residing  in  a  di.strict  not   maintaining  a 


252  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

four-year  high  school.  This  law  was  entirely  satisfactory  to  the 
country  districts  but  opposed  by  the  districts  maintaining  four  years 
of  high  school  work,  the  high  school  districts  claiming  that  their 
proportionate  part  of  the  State  Distributive  School  Fund  was  being 
used  to  pay  the  tuition  of  non-resident  pupils  which  was  unfair  to 
them. 

This  law  was  declared  unconstitutional  by  the  Supreme  Court 
in  November,  1916,  on  the  grounds  that  it  was  class  legislative  and 
that  the  state  distributive  fund  was  appropriated  by  the  state  for 
the  use  of  their  schools  and  could  not  be  used  to  pay  the  tuition  of 
non-resident  high  school  pupils. 

This  left  us  with  no  provisions  for  paying  the  tuition  of  pupils 
residing  in  non-high  school  districts.  The  Fiftieth  General  Assem- 
bly passed  another  High  School  Tuition  act  which  was  approved  by 
Governor  Lowden  on  June  12,  1917,  and  went  into  effect  on  July 
1,  1917. 

This  law  created  all  the  territory  of  the  county  not  included  in 
four-year  high  school  districts  into  one  district  called  The  Non-High 
School  District.  This  law  provided  for  the  election  of  a  non-high 
school  board  of  education  to  consist  of  three  members.  The  county 
superintendent  of  schools  is  ex-officio  member  and  clerk  of  the  Board 
and  may  take  part  in  the  discussion  but  has  no  vote.  It  is  the  duty 
of  this  Eoard  of  Education  to  levy  a  tax  on  all  the  property  both 
personal  and  real  of  the  non-high  school  district  of  the  county  and 
pay  the  tuition  of  every  pupil  who  docs  not  reside  in  four-year  high 
school  district.  The  pupils  may  attend  and  have  their  tuition  paid 
at  any  two,  three  or  four  year  high  school  whose  course  of  study, 
methods  of  teaching  and  equipment  is  approved  by  the  State  Super- 
intendent of  Public  Instruction.  This  seems  to  be  the  most  satisfac- 
tory high  school  tuition  act  Illinois  has  had. 

The  School  Survey 

The  last  ten  years  have  witnessed  the  development  of  a  new  tend- 
enc.y  in  public  education — tliat  of  the  school  survey.  It  has  arisen 
out  of  the  desire  of  taxpayers,  as  well  as  school  officers,  to  have  some 
sort  of  an  appraisement  of  the  quantity  and  quality  of  the  work 
which  is  being  done  in  public  education.  T'nfortunately,  for  the 
success  of  this  movement,  these  surveys  took  the  form,  in  the  begin- 
ning, of  private  ventures.  Certain  clubs,  organizations  or  individu- 
als provided  mone.v  to  employ  experts  to  conduct  these  investigations 
or  surveys.  In  several  notable  instances,  the  ex]3erts  thus  employed 
seemed  to  be  more  interested  getting  out  a  startling,  sensational 
report  rather  than  in  arriving  at  conclusions  which  would  assist  school 
officers  in  making  the  work  of  the  public  school  system  more  effec- 
tive. In  manj-  parts  of  the  country,  school  officers  and  school  teach- 
ers were  beginning  to  think  that  these  experts  were  like  some 
surgeons,  who  were  reputed  to  care  very  little  whether  the  patient 


QUIN'CY  AXl)  ADAMS  COUNTY  253 

;-urvivcd  or  not,  so  long  as  the  operation  could  bi-  idimipunocd  suc- 
cessful. No  one  could  deny,  however,  that  the  desire  for  tiiese  sur- 
veys and  appraisements  represented  a  distinct  and  worthy  demand 
on  the  part  of  the  public.  It  became  necessary  therefore,  for  school 
officers  and  school  teachers  to  devi.se  methods  whereby  the  i)ul)lic 
iniglit  be  informed  in  some  tangible  sort  of  a  way  concerning  the 
work  of  public  education.  In  the  State  of  Illinois,  the  State  Teach- 
ers' As'iociation  has  undertaken  a  state-wide  survey  of  public  instruc- 
tion. Tiie  State  Association  and  its  various  sections  appropriated 
money  out  of  their  treasury.  A  number  of  the  normal  schools, 
colleges  and  the  State  I'niversity  added  to  this  amount.  A  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  take  direct  control  of  this  survey.  A  plan 
was  formulated.  The  various  lines  of  investigation  were  placed 
under  the  immediate  direction  of  men  and  women  especially  fitted 
to  carry  them  ont.  Professor  Lotus  I).  Coflfman,  of  the  School  of 
Education  of  the  University  of  Illinois,  was  made  secretary  of  the 
State  Association  and  dii-ector  of  the  State  Survey.  It  may  take 
two  years,  three  years,  or  four  years  to  carry  out  this  survey  to  a 
conclnsion.  When  it  is  done,  iiowever,  it  will  have  the  distinction 
of  having  been  thorough-going  and  complete,  but  at  the  .same  time, 
sjnnpathetic  and  considerate.  The  taxpayer  will  have  no  reason  to 
question  the  genuine,  bona  fide  character  of  the  survey,  and  the 
friends  of  public  education  cannot  quarrel  with  this  conclusion  on 
account  of  any  lacking  of  sympathy  on  the  part  of  the  investigators. 

Strong  Points  of  Ad.vjis  County  Syste.m 

The  foregoing  epitome  picturing  tiie  progress  of  the  State  system 
of  public  instruction,  of  which  the  schools  of  Adams  County  under 
the  supervision  of  the  county  superintendent  have  been  a  closely 
united  unit  for  more  than  seventy  years,  is  the  vital  feature  of  this 
cliaptcr,  as  it  should  enable  the  reader  to  better  under-staiid  and 
appreciate  what  has  been  accomplished  in  home  territory.  An  inter- 
esting extension  of  that  picture  has  been  furnished  by  County  Su]ier- 
intendent  John  II.  Steiner,  who  was  requested  to  specially  designate 
the  strong  features  of  progress  in  the  county  .system  of  public  instruc- 
tion, covering  the  pa.st  decade.  '"Within  that  period,"'  he  notes, 
"the  State  course  of  study  has  been  adopted,  and  put  into  every 
school  in  the  county. 

The  Course  of  Study 

"The  Illinois  State  Course  of  Study  is  tlie  product  of  the  best 
educational  thought  of  the  times.  It  has  been  develoj)ed  l)y  much 
experimental  teaching  and  its  outlines  are  based  upon  sound  and 
practical   pedagogical   theory. 

"Its  greatest  strentrth  lies  in  tiie  fact  that  it  unifies  tiic  work  of 
the  schools  by  outlining  each  month's  work  for  every  grade.     This 


254  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

greatly  reduces  the  loss  to  pupils  who  move  from  one  district  to 
another  and  it  not  infrequently  happens  that  the  County  Superin- 
tendent sees  the  same  lesson  being  taught  several  times  during  the 
same  day  of  visitation. 

Perfect  Attendance 

"A  perfect  attendance  system  introduced  into  the  county  two  years 
ago  has  increased  the  attendance  over  ten  per  cent.  If  a  pupil  is 
perfect  in  attendance  for  one  month — neither  tardy  nor  absent — the 
teacher  issues  him  a  perfect  attendance  certificate.  When  he  has 
earned  four  certificates  of  attendance,  the  county  superintendent 
issues  him  a  certificate  of  award.  When  he  secures  four  of  these 
certificates,  which  means  that  he  has  not  been  tardy  or  absent  ior 
two  years,  the  county  superintendent  issues  him  a  diploma  of  honor. 
After  receiving  two  of  these  diplomas,  he  is  given  a  gold  punctuality 
button. 

Better  Trained  Teachers 

"There  has  been  a  remarkable  progress  in  the  educational  standard 
of  the  teaching  force  of  the  county.  Ninety-five  per  cent  of  the 
teachers  have  had  either  normal  school  or  college  training.  Prac- 
tically all  high  school  teachers  are  either  college  or  university 
graduates." 

High  Schools 

The  high  .schools  at  Quiney,  Camp  Point.  Clayton,  Payson  and 
Mendon  are  on  the  accredited  list  of  the  Illinois  State  University. 
The  curriculum  and  the  qualifications  of  the  teachers  of  these  schools 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  State  University  and  the  graduates 
are  admitted  into  any  college  or  university  in  the  State  without  an 
examination. 

The  above  named  schools  are  recognized  by  the  State  Department 
as  four-year  high  schools.  Loraine  and  Liberty  are  recognized  three- 
.year  high  schools,  while  Coatsburg,  Ursa,  Lima,  La  Prairie  and  Plain- 
ville  are  recognized  two-year  high  schools. 

The  Charles  W.  Seymour  Memorial  High  School  in  Payson  is  one 
of  the  most  modern  school  buildings  in  Western  Illinois,  and  is  de- 
scribed in  detail  in  the  sketch  of  that  village,  published  elsewhere 
in  this  volume. 

The  Mendon  Township  High  School,  an  elegant  two-story  brick 
building  located  in  the  Village  of  Mendon,  is  Hearing  completion. 
The  Mendon  Township  High  School  District,  the  first  to  be  organized 
in  Adams  County,  includes  all  the  Town  of  ]\Iendon  and  sections  5, 
6,  7,  8  and  18  in  the  Town  of  Honey  Creek.  The  building,  when 
completed,  will    contain    six    class  rooms,  manual    training  rooms, 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  255 

domestic  science   room,   large  gymnasium,   and    a   large   auditorium 
which  will  seat  500  people. 

Parent  Teachers'  Association' 

Another  agency  which  is  doing  a  great  deal  to  link  up  the  school 
with  the  patrons  of  it,  is  the  Parent  Teachers'  Associations.  The 
ob,ject  of  these  associations  is  to  co-operate  with  the  schools  for  their 
betterment.  These  a.s.sociations  have  been  organized  in  all  the  schools 
of  the  city  and  most  of  the  villages,  and  in  a  luimtiei-  of  the  rural 
school  districts. 

Pio.vEER  Schools  and  Teachers  Outside  of  Quincy 

The  history  of  the  earlier  years,  during  which  strenuous  efforts 
were  made  by  the  i)ioncers  to  provide  educational  facilities  for  their 
children  and  those  of  the  future,  is  a  record  of  valiant  struggles  and 
few  real  achievements.  Outside  of  Quincy,  schools  were  early  estab- 
lished in  such  of  the  river  townships  as  Fall  Creek  and  Ellington, 
while  Burton,  in  the  second  soutliei'ii  tier  from  the  west,  was  also 
quite  enterprising.  Camp  Point,  Clayton  and  Northeast,  in  the 
sections  of  the  county  indicated  by  the  latter  township,  were  well  to 
the  front  in  chronological  order  of  edui-ational  pioneering.  The 
southeast,  being  rather  neglected  as  to  means  of  communication  and 
transportation,  was  thinly  setth'd  and  devoid  of  any  considerable 
centers  of  poi)ulation,  and  the  schools  were  backward  in  coming  for- 
ward throughout  that  section  of  the  co\nity.  Beverly  was  perhaps 
as  noticeable  for  enterprise  in  that  line  as  any  of  the  southeastern 
townships.  Now  a  ])aragraph  freighted  with  names  and  dates  to  bear 
up  the.se  general  statements  as  to  the  comparative  standing  of  the 
various  townships  in  the  matter  of  schools  and  teachers  during  this 
purely  experimental  stage  of  the  niovcuicnt. 

Fall  Creek  was  one  of  the  first  townships  to  be  settled  in  Adams 
County,  Justus  I.  Perigo,  who  located  .iust  south  of  the  present  site 
of  ^larblehead,  being  the  first  settlei-  to  locate  in  the  county.  The 
school  section  (16)  was  about  a  mile  to  the  southea.st,  and  the  first 
schoolliouse  was  erected  thereon  in  the  year  1825.  Levi  Wells  was 
the  first  teacher.  At  an  early  day,  probably  about  1M31,  William 
Jledford.  a  Methodist  mini.ster  living  on  the  southeast  (juarter  of 
.section  8,  Burton  Townshi[),  commenced  to  teach  school.  The  village 
by  that  name  was  laid  out  some  years  later,  on  the  section  to  the 
west.  In  the  Village  of  Burton  itself  the  first  school  was  taught,  in 
the  winter  of  lS4-'l-44,  l)y  Otis  Thomiison  in  an  upper  room  of  Joseph 
Levcrett's  dwelling.  The  first  sclioolhouse  was  built  in  the  summer 
of  1844. 

In  Northeast  Township  the  first  schoolliouse  was  a  log  cabin  built 
in  section  4,  during  1. •<:{:!,  and  the  little  class  of  pioneer  children  was 
taught  by  Mi.ss  Janes.     Although  a  school  may  have  been  opened  in 


Keeping  the  Pupils  Bright 


griXCY  AND  ADA.Ms  (OLXTV  257 

the  iieip'hborhood  of  Indian  Cani]i  Point  liefore  1886,  it  was  durintr 
tliat  year  lliat  a  huildincr  was  creeted  1)\-  the  settlers  to  1)8  entirely 
devoted  to  school  i)nrposes.  It  was  ereeted  on  the  southeast  (juarter 
of  section  26  on  land  owned  liy  Peter  B.  (Jarrett.  and  several  years 
afterward  stood  in  the  midst  of  (juite  a  settlement  known  as  Gar- 
rett's Mill.  The  second  sehof)lhonse  in  Cainii  Point  Township  was 
built  on  the  southeast  iiuai'tci-  of  section  I'll,  about  two  miles  to  the 
west  of  the  first,  on  land  owned  by  Daniel  Smith.    The  year  was  1840. 

Ellingrton,  in  the  west,  and  Clayton  Township  in  the  northeast, 
both  budded  foi-tli  with  schools  about  1886.  In  the  former  river 
townshijis  irrejrular  classes  had  met  in  vacant  cabins,  when  the 
weather  would  [  eiinit.  and  Wesley  Chapel,  which  had  stood  on  sec- 
tion ")  for  a  number  of  years,  had  been  donated  by  the  ^Ictimdists, 
when  anyone  eonld  be  found  to  teach.  Hut  "rcjiulai'  schooling"' 
dates  fi-om  the  erection  of  a  tiny  los  house  on  C.  F.  Sterne's  farm, 
in  the  neJLrhborhood  of  the  cha;  el.  sometime  in  the  year  1886. 

As  early  a.s  1829  settlement  commenced  a  few  miles  north  of  the 
present  Village  of  Clayton,  in  the  townsiiip  h\-  that  name,  and  by 
1884  the  permanent  residents  in  its  southern  sections  wei'e  strong 
in  theii-  support  of  the  town  by  that  name  which  was  laid  out  on 
.section  84.  Whether  the  ye:ir  when  the  X'illage  of  Clayton  was 
platted  and  the  number  of  the  section  upon  which  it  was  laid  out 
were  mere  coincidences,  without  Iniman  design  or  molding,  has  never 
been  decided  by  the  pioneer  Irstorians  who  might  have  settled  the 
(piestion.  It  is  known,  however,  which  is  more  to  the  point  of  the 
j)re.sent  writing,  that  the  early  settlers  of  the  township  took  so  much 
interest  in  educational  matters  as  to  establish  a  school  and  engage 
David  JI.  Campbell  as  its  teacher.  That  was  in  1882;  but  the  first 
exclusive  schoolhonse  was  erected  in  the  Village  of  Clayton  in  1836, 
and  Amos  Andrews  had  the  honor  of  first  teaching  in  it. 

In  certain  respects  the  Quincy  schools  had  a  more  bitter  up-hill 
fight  before  they  were  fii'udy  fixed  in  public  favor  than  those  which 
were  established  in  more  rural  and  modest  centers.  From  the  tenor 
of  the  accounts  which  have  filtered  down  to  the  present,  it  appears 
that  the  business  men  of  the  town  and  the  neighborhood  farmers  felt 
that  the  proposed  schooling,  during  the  hard-working  pioneer  period 
of  development,  would  absorb  too  much  of  the  time  and  sti-ength 
of  brisk  and  vigorous  youth  and  maidenhood,  so  u.seful  when  applied 
to  the  conduct  of  farm,  household,  tavern  and  what-not. 

"Pernicious  Svste.m''  to  E.ncour.vge  Ii>i,e.\es.s 

An  aceount  of  the  growth  of  the  Quincy  Schools  to  the  year  when 
they  were  transferred  from  the  supervision  of  the  township  or  the 
county  authorities  to  the  control  of  the  municipality,  written  forty 
years  ago,  is  interesting  as  ])ictnring  the  difficulties  with  which  the 
the  advocates  of  popular  education  had  to  contend.  The  history  of 
the  local  system,  if  it  could  be  thus  dignified,  eommenccd  with  the 

Vol.  1—17 


258  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

establishment  of  the  first  school  in  1837.  It  was  opened  in  what 
was  known  as  the  Lord's  Barn,  a  log  church  situated  very  near  the 
present  Washing1:on  Park.  The  school  contained  about  thirty  pupils, 
some  of  them  learning  their  letters  and  others  being  able  to  read  and 
spell  indift'erently.  The  school  was  taught  by  Mr.  Burnham,  who 
had  been  engaged  by  Mr.  Keyes  and  a  few  other  public-spirited  gen- 
tlemen, and  was  paid  his  salary  bj-  them,  some  of  the  citizens  who 
sent  their  children  to  the  school  being  unable  to  pay  anything  for 
the  privilege.  A  few  previous  attempts  to  maintain  schools,  among 
them  one  by  Rev.  Jabez  Porter,  the  Congregational  minister,  had 
been  made,  but  the  Burnham  School  was  the  first  of  any  permanent 
value  as  an  educational  influence. 

"The  establishment  of  the  school,"  reads  the  old-time  account, 
"was  attended  with  great  difficulties.  There  was  serious  objection 
to  education  in  those  days,  which  is  even  not  hinted  at  now.  Some 
of  the  people  were  open  and  outspoken  in  opposition  to  what  they 
considered  a  pernicious  system  of  keeping  boys  and  girls  idle  when 
they  ought  to  be  at  work ;  and  these,  as  a  matter  of  course,  refused 
to  assist  the  school  in  any  manner  whatever.  In  that  early  time  a 
contract  was  usually  made  between  the  teacher  and  the  parents  of 
the  pupils,  in  which  it  was  stipulated  that  the  tutor  should  receive 
so  much  per  quarter  (probably  ten  weeks)  for  each  pupil.  The  com- 
pensation was  necessarily  very  small,  and  a  part  of  this  the  teacher 
had  to  secure  by  'boarding  aromid'  a  week  at  one  house,  a  week  at 
another,  and  so  on  until  he  had  been  at  each  house  in  the  district 
for  a  given  time. 

"However,  the  inconvenience  of  changing  his  hoarding  place  was 
not  the  greatest  obstacle  which  Mr.  Burnham  had  to  encounter.  Very 
few  books  could  be  obtained ;  the  seats  in  the  neighborhood  were  bare 
boards;  the  pupils  had  to  walk  long  distances,  owing  to  the  sparsely 
settled  condition  of  the  place ;  and  finally,  in  1837,  many  of  those 
who  attended  this  school  died  of  cholera,  and  teaching  had  to  be 
brought  to  a  sudden  termination.  It  was  revived,  however,  the  fol- 
lowing year,  with  the  opponents  of  instruction  fortified  in'  the  partial 
failures  which  had  already  occurred.  In  one  of  the  public  meetings 
held  about  that  time  a  giant  Kentuckian,  who  was  familiar  to  every- 
one in  the  place,  made  a  speech  in  opposition  to  the  school,  declaring 
that  'eddycashun  wasn't  no  good;  that  he  sent  his  Sal  to  school  one 
day  an'  she  didn't  larn  a  hooter;  them  teachers  didn't  know  nothin'.' 
It  was  the  element  controlled  largely  by  expressions  of  this  kind 
that  retarded  the  progress  of  learning  in  the  then  thriving  little 
town,  but  nevertheless  the  school  succeeded,  maintained,  as  it  was, 
by  private  subscriptions." 

Public  School  Tax  Levied  in  Quinct 

The  first  real  step  forward  in  the  management  of  the  schools  in 
Quincy  came  of  an  effort  made  by  R.  S.  Benneson,  Captain  Artus 


(^ll.XC'V  AND  A1)A-MS  COUNTY  259 

and  Governor  Wood,  in  1S42.  Tn  April,  they  circulated  a  petition 
and  sent  it  to  the  Legislature,  wliich  was  then  in  session,  for  per- 
mission to  amend  the  existing  city  charter,  which  had  been  adopted 
in  1839,  so  as  to  enable  Quincy  to  levy  a  tax  of  12'. _.  cents  on  the 
•$100.  to  be  used  under  the  direction  of  the  City  Council  exclusively 
for  school  purposes.  The  necessary  enactment  was  obtained,  was 
ratified  b.v  a  vote  of  the  people,  and  the  cit.v  then  commenced  the 
operation  of  the  school  system  in  a  somewhat  satisfactory  manner. 

First  Town  Schools 

It  had  been  necessary,  meantime,  to  rent  rooms  in  various  places 
for  the  accommodation  of  scholars,  who  had  been  growing  in  ninii- 
bers  by  the  increase  of  population,  and  in  1843  the  first  sehoolhouse 
was  built  by  the  town  authorities.  This  was  a  two-story  brick  build- 
ing on  the  Franklin  School  lot.  Fifth  Street,  wJiieh  was  torn  down 
to  make  room  for  the  edifice  afterward  erected  on  the  old  site.  Its 
dimensions  were  about  40  by  60  feet  and  it  contained  two  rooms, 
and  the  building  continued  to  be  used  for  nearl.v  thirty  years. 

A  little  over  a  year  afterward,  a  similar  sehoolhouse  was  erected 
on  Jefferson  Square,  and  this  remained  occupied  for  school  purposes 
until  the  county  purchased  the  ground  and  commenced  to  build  the 
courthouse  in  1875.  The  Franklin  and  Jefferson  schools  each  cost 
about  $4,000.  They  were  deemed  of  such  ample  capaeit.v  that  it  was 
believed  the.v  would  meet  all  the  requirements  of  the  school  popula- 
tion for  years  to  come.  Like  those  outside  the  cit.v.  the.v  were  under 
the  immediate  direction  of  School  Examiner  Grover.  Although  for 
some  time  the  Cit.v  Council  had  been  appointing  a  "visiting  com- 
mittee" annually  to  view  the  local  public  schools  that  body  had  no 
authority,  and  the  schools  were  still  directly  responsible  to  the 
county. 

The  Town  Schools  Hkcomf.  the  People's  Schools 

But  the  time  was  near  at  hand  when  the  municipal  authorities 
were  to  have  their  hands  forced  by  the  people  themselves  and  he 
made  to  bear  the  responsibilit.v  for  the  maintenance  of  the  schools 
within  the  city  area.  In  1843  the  trustees  of  the  Quincy  Schools 
asked  the  Cit.v  Council  for  a  "donation"  with  whicli  to  sustain  them. 
As  their  request  was  not  granted;  the  citizens  held  a  mass-meeting 
and  adopted  this  resolution:  "That  this  meeting  instruct  the  City 
Council  to  appropriate  $300  per  <|uarter  to  sustain  the  public  schools 
in  this  city,  and  that  this  appropriation  remain  permanent  through 
the  remainder  of  this  year,  and  also  continue  through  1844." 

Thereuj)on.  the  Council  adopted  a  series  of  resolutions,  in  wliii-li 
they  recited  the  financial  disabilities  under  which  the  city  was  labor- 
ing, and  regretted  their  inability  to  make  the  required  appropria- 
tion.   The.v  also  recognized  the  dut.v  of  public  officials  to  obey  instruc- 


oriXCY   AXl)  ADA.MS  CdlNTV  261 

tious,  and  as  they  tliouglit  they  oould  not  in  tliis  instance  obey,  they 
expressed  a  willingness  to  resign,  if  the  citizens  desired  them  to  do 
so,  and  to  replace  tliem  with  men  who  oonld  sec  their  way  clear  to 
comply  with  the  above  instructions.  It  does  not  appear  from  the 
record  that  any  of  the  aldermen  resig.ied,  yet  at  the  next  succeed- 
ing meeting  of  the  Council  tlic  ajijjropriation  was  made,  tiius  indi- 
cating a  strong  pressure  from  the  citizens.  So  that,  at  that  early 
day  in  the  history  of  Quincy.  the  pulilic  schools,  as  we  see  from  this 
ijicident.  had  become  tiie  people's  schools,  and  they  were  a  fixed  insti- 
tution. It  is  true  that  they  often  languished  afterward  for  suflficieut 
support  to  make  them  eflficient.  but,  except  for  very  brief  jieriods, 
under  unusual  circumstances,  they  have  never  been  aih)wed  to 
suspend. 

The  I'eal  foundation  of  the  Quiiicy  city  system  of  schools  dates 
from  1847:  as  in  Ajiril  of  tiiat  year  the  City  of  Quincy  was  organized 
into  school  di.stricts  under  control  of  the  city  authorities  and  under  the 
laws  of  tlie  state.  In  June  of  the  same  year  tlie  City  Council  ])assed 
ordinances  providing  for  the  sup;  ort  of  tlie  public  schools  witiiin  the 
municipal  limits  and  for  the  appointment  of  a  superintendent. 

The  county  snitcriiitendent  issues  tlie  teachers'  certificates  to 
city  teadiei-s  including  tiie  city  superintendent.  The  county  super- 
intendent has  charge  over  city  schools,  as  over  the  smaller  districts 
in  the  county.  They  are  required  to  make  all  their  reports  to  that 
official. 

CorXTY    SCIIUOL    (.'o.M.MISSIOXERS    A.Vn    SlI'ERIXTENDENTS 

Seven  or  eight  yeai-s  afterward,  as  has  been  noted,  the  broad  foun- 
dations of  the  present  state  and  county  systems  were  laid,  and  the 
fine  suiK-rstructures  of  today  have  never  suffered  an  arrested  devel- 
opment. What  has  been  accomplislied  in  the  evolution  of  both 
schemes  of  popular  education  has  been  already  told  by  the  state  and 
county  superintendents.  Since  18r)4.  wlien  such  unity  in  edui'utional 
matters  was  effected,  the  county  sciiool  connnissioners  and  superin- 
tendents of  Adams  have  been  as  follows:  A.  ToMzaliii.  February  21, 
1S.j4.  to  Deceiuber  1.  1857:  A.  W.  Ulakesly,  from  the  latter  date 
until  December  1.  I*)!):  tiien  -M.  T.  Lane,  whose  term  cominenced 
December  1,  1859:  William  Avise,  1860.  and  Hope  S.  Davis,  1864. 
The  county  superintendents  of  schools,  with  years  when  they  com- 
menced service:  Seth  W.  Grammer  (elected  in  Xovember,  u'lder  the 
school  law  of  1865),  1865;  John  H.  Black.  1869:  S.  S.  Nesbitt,  1881 
(appointed  by  Count.v  Board  of  Supervisors  t  :  John  Jimis(ui.  1882 
(elected)  and  served  until  his  deatii  in  June.  189:?;  Klla  .M.  Grubb, 
appointed  by  County  Board  and  fillc  1  out  Mr.  Jimison's  unexpired 
term;  A.  A.  Seehorn,  1894:  A.  R.  Smith,  appointi'd  by  County 
Board.  September  16,  1897.  to  serve  out  Mr.  Se?horn 's  unexpired 
term,  who  had  resigned  to  accept  the  citv  superintcndency,  and 
served  more  than  thirteen  .vears;  succeeded  December  4.  191(1.  l)y  the 
lire.sent   incumbent,  John    H.   Steincr. 


\*.V/T.v.  v'.*/*  rrr.  v'.v/' v '.  v«.*.v''' .'  v».»  *."' "  v».»:*  "r ' '\»  •.#7*?"^ 


262  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Present  Status  of  the  County  System 

In  the  spring  of  1918,  according  to  special  figures  prepared  for 
this  history,  the  total  enrollment  for  the  year  in  the  iirst  eight  grades 
of  the  county  schools  had  been  9,631;  high  school  enrollment,  1,354; 
total,  10,985.  Of  that  number  5,517  bo.ys  had  been  enrolled,  and 
5,468  girls.  The  average  daily  attendance  had  been  approximately 
ninety  per  cent  of  the  enrollment. 

The  sex  division  in  the  teaching  force  is  represented  by  90  men 
and  308  women.  The  average  salary  for  men  teachers  was  $748.18 
and  of  women,  .$564.20 ;  average  salary,  $625.25. 

The  value  of  school  property,  including  real  estate,  tixtures, 
apparatus,  etc.,  by  townships,  with  the  figures  also  for  the  City  of 
Quincy,  is  given  below;  the  table  applies  to  the  spring  of  1918: 

Township  Value  Township  Value 

Clayton    .$37,300  Gilmer    $9,850 

Camp   Point    48,280  Ellington     11,207 

Honey   Creek    13,750  Riverside   13,175 

Mendon    29,100  McKee    8,350 

Ursa    6,340  Liberty     13,975 

Northeast     39,050  Burton    9,350 

Houston     7,575  Melrose  14,425 

Keene     19,150  Beverly    7,950 

Lima     19,660  Richfield    9,950 

Concord      9,625  Payson    60,445 

Columbus    8,35«  Fall  Creek 11,475 

Total  for  Townships $    478,337 

Quincy   894,967 


Grand  Total  $1,373,304 


CIIAl'TKl!  XI 

TIIF:  GEH.MAX  element:   its   I.MPoKTAXCE   IX  THE  HIS- 
TORY AND  DEVELOPMEXT  OF  QLIXCY  AND 
ADAMS  COUNTY 

Bij  Henry  Bornmann 

III  the  introduction  to  his  great  work,  "The  German  Element  in 
the  United  States,"  Albert  Bernhardt  Faust,  professor  of  German  in 
Cornell  University,  says:  "Tlie  history  of  the  Germans  in  this  coun- 
try goes  hack  to  the  earliest  Coh)Mial  period.  Recurrent  waves  in  the 
eighteenth  were  followed  by  great  tides  of  German  immigration  in 
the  nineteenth  century,  and  these  carried  into  the  population  of  the 
United  States  an  element  second  in  amount  only  to  the  contribution 
of  the  English  stock." 

German  Contributions  to  American  Nationality 

And  Vincent  H.  Todd,  Ph.  D.,  professor  in  Greenville  College, 
Illinois,  in  the  introduction  to  his  treatise  on  "Christoph  Von  GrafTen- 
ried  and  the  Founding  of  Xew  Bern,  X.  C,  in  1709,"  published  in 
1912,  says:  "A  carefully  prepared  and  conservative  computation 
made  within  the  last  ten  years,  gives  the  surprising  result  that  of 
our  white  population  tliere  are  at  least  twenty-seven  per  cent  of  Ger- 
man birth  or  extraction,  while  those  of  English  origin  number  but 
thirty  per  cent.  With  such  a  proportion  of  Germans,  is  it  not  strange 
that  almost  nothing  is  said  in  our  histories  alwut  this  great  element  of 
our  po|)ulatioii ;  about  the  causes  that  induced  them  to  leave  their 
homes;  about  the  circumstances  of  their  first  settlements;  about  their 
influence  upon  the  growth  of  our  common  culture? 

'"The  reason  of  this  lies  i)artly  in  the  undeveloped  provincial 
character  of  American  historiography,  partly  in  the  fact  that  Ameri- 
can History  was  first  written  by  men  from  Xew  England.  They  wrote 
of  tlic  things  with  which  they  were  most  familiar,  their  own  Puritan 
commonwealths  and  the  institutions  developed  from  them.  Biased  by 
provincial  prejudices  they  overlooked  other  events  of  equally  great 
importance,  so  that  their  histories  read  like  a  one-sided  glorification 
of  their  ancestors." 

Prof.  Albert  Bernhardt  Faust  is  a  great  (icrman-Aiiicrican.  and 
Prof.  Vincent  H.  Todd  an  Anglo-American,  and  both  are  earnest  and 
fair-minded  men. 

While  I  might  quote  the  sayings  of  many  other  prominent  his- 
torians of  our  country,  equally  to  the  point,  the  foregoing  nuiy  suffice 

26:i 


A  Pioneer  German  Couple 


(JllXrV  AND  AUAMS  COIXTY  26r> 

for  our  i)urp()se.  namely:  to  aciiiiaint  tlii-  reader  with  tlie  iinijortanee 
of  the  German  element,  and  its  share  in  the  development  of  our  eoun- 
try,  the  upbuilding  of  the  commonwealth,  at  the  same  time  not  wishing 
to  detract  one  iota  from  the  credit  due  any  of  the  many  other  nation- 
alities comprisuig  the  i)()pulation  of  the  United  States,  this  great  melt- 
ing pot  of  the  peoples  of  the  whole  world,  that  have  gathered  here  in 
the  course  of  time. 

In  an  address  delivered  before  the  German  University  League  in 
New  York  City,  January  14.  1916.  Prof.  Albert  Bernhardt  B^aust  .said : 
"Wlien  asked  to  define  the  German  contribution  to  the  history  of  the 
Ainerican  people  in  a  few  words,  I  have  often  given  the  reply,  the 
Germans  have  contributed  blood,  brawn,  brain  and  buoyancy  to  the 
make-uj)  of  the  American  people.  Under  the  head  of  the  contril)ii.ti()n 
of  blood  should  be  included  also  the  l)l(K)d  spilt  on  the  battlefields  of 
the  United  States.  Monographs  that  have  been  written  on  the  sub.iect 
show  how  lavishly  German  blood  has  been  shed  in  defense  of  American 
liberty  and  union.  The  hi.storian  Bancroft  estimated  the  German 
contingent  in  the  patriot  armies  of  the  Revolutionary  War  as  in  excess 
of  their  ratio  in  the  population.  The  statistics  of  Gould  on  the  Civil 
War  prove  that  the  German  volunteering  exceeded  in  proportion  that 
of  the  native  and  also  that  of  the  other  foreign  elements." 

That  the  German  element  in  the  United  States  is  predominant  in 
the  engineering  branches,  in  chemical  industries,  the  manufacture  of 
musical  and  optical  instruments,  the  preparation  of  food  products,  as 
sugar  and  .salt,  cereals,  flour  and  starch,  also  in  canning,  preserving, 
milling  aiul  brewing,  goes  without  saying.  They  have  been  prominent 
in  inventing  agricultural  machinery,  in  the  manufacture  of  wagons, 
electric  and  railway  ears;  they  have  been  identified  with  the  growth 
of  the  iron  and  steel  industries,  and  glass  manufacture,  also  in  print- 
ing, and  have  had  a  monopoly  in  the  art  of  lithography. 

But  I  nuist  put  on  the  brakes  on  my  train  of  thoughts,  to  keep  it 
from  running  on  ad  infinitum  in  this  direction,  and  get  down  to  the 
task  assigned  me.  namely:  to  give  a  fair  and  unbiased  treatise  on 
"The  German  Element  and  its  Importance  in  the  History  and  De- 
velopment of  Quincy  and  Adams  County."  intcrspei-sing  many  inter- 
esting rcminiscenscs.  as  they  were  brought  to  light  during  the  years 
spent  in  gathering  the  historical  data,  which  I  intend  to  give  in  the 
course  of  my  narrative.  The  sub.ject  of  historical  research  is  not  only 
interesting,  it  is  a  most  worthy  enterprise,  for  it  establishes  a  con- 
nection between  the  past  and  present,  brings  things  to  light  that  are 
of  value  for  the  present,  and  preserves  them  for  future  generations. 
It  being  my  object  to  write  about  the  German  element,  I  will  mention 
those  who  are  of  Gorman  blood. 

The  Foi'NDER  of  Quincy 

John  Wood,  the  first  settler  aiul  foinulcr  of  Quincy,  was  born  in 
Moravia.  Cayuga  County,  New  York.  I)eceml)er  20,  1798.     lie  was  the 


266  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

only  sou  of  Daniel  and  Katherine  (Krause)  Wood.  His  father, 
Dr.  Daniel  Wood,  was  born  in  Orange  County,  New  York,  June  29, 
1751,  and  served  as  captain  and  surgeon  in  the  Revolutionary  war 
for  a  term  of  three  years.  After  that  war  he  settled  in  Cayuga 
County,  where  he  later  married  Miss  Katherine  Krause,  a  German 
girl,  born  of  German  parents  in  the  Mohawk  Valley,  many  Germans 
having  settled  there  in  the  early  Colonial  days,  owing  to  the  beauty 
and  fertility  of  soil  in  that  region.  Dr.  Daniel  AVood's  father  came 
to  this  country  from  Ireland,  and  was  killed  by  Indians  on  Long 
Island,  New  York.  John  Wood's  mother  died  in  1803,  when  her  son 
was  only  five  j-ears  of  age,  while  his  father  lived  to  the  high  old  age 
of  more  than  ninety-two  years,  his  death  occurring  October  3,  1843, 
at  his  home  in  Cayuga  County.  His  body  was  afterwards  exhumed 
and  now  lies  in  beautiful  Woodland,  a  cemetery  established,  improved 
and  eared  for  by  John  Wood  as  long  as  he  lived. 

Thus  we  see  that  John  Wood,  the  first  settler  and  founder  of 
Quincy,  was  of  Irish  and  German  extraction,  and  it  therefore  is  meet 
and  proper  that  this  fact  be  emphasized  here,  as  no  history  of  the 
German  element  of  this  community  would  be  complete  without  making 
this  statement.  While  Dr.  Daniel  Wood,  the  father  of  John  Wood, 
was  quite  a  scholar  and  linguist,  as  might  be  expected  from  a  man 
in  his  position,  he  being  able  to  speak,  read  and  write  in  German,  his 
wife,  the  German  girl  from  the  Mohawk  Valley,  never  learned  to  speak 
English.  Had  she  lived  longer,  her  son,  John,  would  have  become 
thoroughly  conversant  with  the  German  language. 

John  Wood,  the  pioneer  of  Quincy,  visited  the  present  site  of  this 
city  in  the  fall  of  1821,  and  soon  afterward  purchased  a  quarter 
section  of  land.  The  place  being  uninhabited,  he  returned  in  the  fall 
of  1822  and  erected  a  log  cabin  near  the  river,  at  a  point  which  now 
is  known  as  the  foot  of  Delaware  Street.  This  cabin,  which  covered 
an  area  of  18  by  20  feet,  was  the  first  building  in  what  now  is  known 
as  the  City  of  Quincy. 

On  January  25,  1826,  John  Wood  was  married  to  Jliss  Ann  M. 
Streeter,  daughter  of  Joshua  Streeter,  formerly  of  Washington  County, 
New  York,  the  wedding  taking  place  in  Quincy. 

The  facts  contained  in  the  foregoing  statement  were  given  to  the 
writer  of  this  history  more  than  sixteen  years  a^o  by  Daniel  C. 
Wood,  the  eldest  son  of  John  Wood,  born  February'  9,  1829,  in  the 
log  cabin  erected  by  his  father  on  Delaware  near  Front  Street,  he 
being  the  first  white  child  born  in  Quincy,  and  the  only  person  now 
living  here  born  in  Quincy  prior  to  1830. 

John  Wood,  the  first  settler  and  founder  of  Quincy,  who  died 
June  4,  1880,  in  the  eighty-second  year  of  his  life,  after  having  spent 
fifty-eight  years  in  this  community,  where  he  was  the  most  prominent 
factor  in  the  historj'  of  the  city  for  such  a  long  period,  will  ever  be 
remembered  by  all  who  had  occasion  to  come  in  contact  with  him.  In 
his  personage  were  combined  the  best  traits  of  his  ancestors,  the  vim 
and  vigor  of  the  Irish,  and  the  patient  steadfastness  of  the  German. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNT Y  267 

Robust  in  body,  of  a  commaiKliiig  figure,  resolute  iu  character,  he 
also  was  eiulowwl  by  a  kind  and  benevolent  disposition,  as  the  writer 
of  this  narrative  had  the  opportunity  to  learn,  when  he  made  his 
personal  acquaintance  more  than  sixty  years  ago,  the  incident  being  as 
follows:  .My  father  had  l)ought  a  bale  of  hay  from  John  ^Yood,  and 
sent  me  with  the  mon<>y  to  pay  for  the  hay.  Arriving  at  the  resi- 
dence, the  present  Historical  Building,  which  at  that  time  stood 
where  afterwards  the  great  stone  mansion  was  erected,  now  known 
as  Christ  Church.  I  found  Mrs.  Wood  at  home  and  wanted  to  give 
her  the  money.  She  told  me  to  be  seated,  the  "governor"  would 
soon  be  in.  When  Mr.  Wood  arrived,  I  handed  him  the  money  and 
started  to  leave,  i)ut  he  in  a  most  positive  manner  told  me  to  sit 
down,  which  of  course  I  did,  being  somewhat  frightened.  Then  the 
old  gentleman  said  something  to  Jlrs.  Wood,  which  I  did  not  under- 
stand. The  good  lady  left  the  room  and  soon  appeared  with  a  glass 
of  sweet  eider,  which  she  gave  to  me.  She  also  carried  a  plate  full 
of  nice  red  apples,  telling  me  to  fill  my  pockets  after  I  had  drank 
the  cider.  This  I  did,  and  then  Mr.  Wood  said:  "Now,  my  boy, 
you  may  go." 

The  German  iiinnigrants,  who  were  among  the  early  settlers  in 
this  community,  found  in  John  Wood  a  friend  and  adviser,  always 
willing  to  assist  them  in  acquiring  a  home  of  their  own.  "I  attribute 
the  kindly  feeling  of  father  for  the  German  immigrants  to  the  fact, 
that  his  mother  was  German,"  said  Daniel  Wood,  the  son,  to  the 
writer,  in  commenting  on  this  distinctive  feature  in  the  character  of 
his  father. 

In  my  description  of  John  Wood,  the  pioneer,  I  have  said  nothing 
about  the  life  work  of  the  man,  the  many  positions  of  honor  and 
trust  held  by  him  in  this  community,  as  well  as  in  the  state  and  in  the 
nation,  leaving  this  to  men  more  able  and  better  (|ualified  to  do  justice 
to  the  subject,  my  only  object  lieing  to  establish  his  connection  with 
the  German  element,  his  German  blood  relationship. 

By  popular  sul)scrij)tion  the  people  of  Quincy  contributed  the 
means  for  the  erection  of  a  monument  in  Washington  Park,  a  statue 
of  heroic  size,  to  the  memory  of  John  W^ood.  Cornelius  G.  Yolk, 
a  noted  sculptor,  who  made  the  designs  for  the  Lincoln  and  Lovejoy 
monuments,  also  designed  the  statue  of  Governor  Wood,  thus  gaining 
a  national  reputation.  Mr.  Yolk  came  to  Quincy  in  184S  and  resided 
here  for  fifty  years,  following  his  calling  as  sculptor  for  many  years 
until  his  death  in  1898.  He  also  was  of  German  descent,  as  his  name 
indicated,  and  as  he  repeatedly  assured  the  writer  of  this  history. 

Our  German  Pioneers 

That  the  German  pioneers  and  their  descendants  were  of  great 
importance  in  the  development  of  Quincy  as  town  and  city,  and  also 
in  the  development  of  the  farming  communities  of  Adams  County, 


268  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

is  plain  to  every  one  who  has  given  the  subject  some  thought.  In 
times  of  peace  and  in  times  of  war  they  have  made  their  mark.  In 
our  churches,  schools  and  colleges,  in  our  banks  and  commerce,  in  our 
factories  and  industrial  ventures  of  every  description,  we  see  the 
results  of  German  thrift,  energy  and  patience,  which  has  done  so 
much,  has  been  such  an  important  factor  in  the  development  of 

OuB  Gem  City 

Quiney,  the  beautiful  city  of  the  valley 

Of  the  Mississippi,  the  Father  of  Waters. 

From  thee  oft  have  gone  forth  many  brave  and   true  sons, 

In  thy  homes  we  may  find  bright  and  noble  daughters. 

Built  nj)on  rock-ribbed  bluffs,  firm  is  thy  foundation, 

We  may  call  tliee  with  pride,  Jewel  of  the  Nation. 

Thy  beauties  of  nature,  rare  gems  of  creation, 

In  all  seasons  do  call  for  man's  admiration. 

Upon  thy  lofty  heights,  while  looking  around  me, 

My  heart  truly  thankful  that  our  fathers  found  thee. 

The  First  German  Settlers 

As  far  as  known,  Michael  ]\Iast  was  the  first  German  who  settled 
in  Quiney.  Born  in  1797  in  Forchheim,  Baden,  he  came  to  America 
in  1816.  After  spending  a  number  of  years  in  different  parts  of  this 
country,  also  in  the  City  of  ilexieo  and  Vera  Cruz,  he  finally  came 
to  Quiney,  where  he  settled  down  in  1829,  and  became  prominent  in 
pulilic  life,  serving  as  one  of  the  five  trustees  chosen,  when  Quiney 
was  incorporated  as  a  town,  June  4,  1834.  He  also  served  in  the 
Black  Ilawk  War,  together  with  John  Wood,  in  Capt.  W.  G.  Flood's 
company,  which  was  raised  in  Quiney.  Michael  Mast  was  a  tailor  by 
trade,  which  occupation  he  followed  for  some  time.  In  1835  he 
opened  a  general  store  in  Jlillville,  a  village  seven  miles  south  of 
here  (now  known  as  Marblehead),  but  soon  returned  to  Quiney,  where 
he  continued  in  business  for  many  years,  until  his  death  in  1852,  never 
having  mafried. 

Henry  Wagy  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  Adams  County. 
It  is  stated  that  he  was  of  German  lineage,  which  is  probably  correct, 
as  the  name  Wagy  would  indicate,  a  name  which  is  found  among  the 
Germans,  especially  in  Switzerland.  Wagy  came  in  the  early  '20s 
of  last  century  from  Licking  County,  Ohio,  and  purchased  what  was 
known  as  the  "Smoking  Dutchman's"  place  in  Melrose  Township. 
Many  of  the  descendants  are  today  living  in  Adams  and  Pike  counties. 

The  family  of  John  Wigle  (Weigel)  was  among  the  early  pioneers 
of  Adams  County.  The  Hon.  John  A.  Broady,  circuit  judge  of  this 
county,  in  June,   1901,  related  the  following  to  the  writer  of  this 


I^LIXCV  A.\0  ADAMS  COL'XTV  2G:t 

history:  "John  Wigle,  who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  ITSU.  was 
married  to  Miss  Margaret  Wolf  in  Fayette  County,  I'a.,  in  1802;  the 
lady  was  born  in  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  in  1785;  both  were  German. 
Shortly  after  their  marriage  they  moved  to  Kentueky,  and  in  180.5 
to  Mi.ssouri.  In  1813  tiiey  K'ft  Cape  Cirardeau,  Mo.,  and  loeated 
in  Union  County.  HI.  Margaret  Wiglc,  nee  Wolf,  was  the  aunt  of 
John  Wolf,  who  was  born  in  I'nion  County.  111.,  in  1811,  seven  years 
before  Illinois  became  a  state.  Solomon  Wigle  was  Iwrn  in  Union 
County,  April  20,  1816.  The  mother  of  Judge  Broady,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Anna  Wigle,  was  born  in  Union  County  in  1818.  In  1826  the 
Wigle  family  located  in  Adams  County.  At  that  time  tiiere  were  only 
fifteen  families,  all  told,  living  in  this  county.  .Idhn  Wigle.  the 
maternal  grandfather  of  Judge  Broady,  only  read  his  German  Bible, 
he  not  being  able  to  read  English.  George  Wolf,  the  father  of  the 
above  mentioned  John  Wolf,  was  a  Dunkard  preacher,  and  in  the 
year  1829  preached  for  the  first  time  in  Liberty  Township  in  this 
county,  services  being  held  in  German  as  well  as  English.  The  first 
couple  married  in  Liberty  Township  were  Jacob  Wigle  and  Nancy 
Hunsaker,  both  German,  and  Hcv.  George  Wolf  performed  the  cere- 
mony. ' ' 

Concerning  the  family  of  George  Wolf,  further  information  was 
given  the  writer  of  this  narrative  nine  years  ago  by  ;\Irs.  I'armelia 
Metzger,  widow  of  John  Jletzger,  her  husband  having  been  a  Dunkard 
preacher.  Mrs.  Metzger  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1823.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Isabel  (Williams)  McKnight.  Her  mother 
was  a  sister  of  Judge  Archibald  Williams,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky 
in  1801  and  came  to  Quincy  in  1829.  Mrs.  .Metzger 's  parents  having 
died  early,  .she  was  brought  to  Quincy  by  relatives  in  1833.  The 
writer  called  on  the  old  lady  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Martha  J.  Lambert,  widow  of  Rodney  Lambert,  and  found  Mrs.  Metz- 
ger very  bright  for  her  age  of  eighty-six  years.  She  gave  the  follow- 
ing information:  "I  was  married  twice,  and  both  husbaiuls  were 
German.  My  first  husband  was  David  Wolf,  a  son  of  George  and  Anna 
(Hun-saker)  Wolf,  w^ho  were  married  March  3,  1803,  in  Pennsylvania, 
as  recorded  in  the  old  Bible  of  the  faraih-.  In  the  year  1808  they 
came  to  Union  County,  111.,  where  they  lived  for  twenty  years,  and 
in  1829  came  to  Adams  Coiinty.  George  Wolf  for  many  years  served 
as  preacher  of  the  Dunkards  in  this  county.  Jly  first  husband,  David 
Wolf,  also  was  a  Dunkard  preacher.  When  I  came  to  Quincy  in 
1833  the  courthouse  consisted  of  a  story-and-a-half  loghouse,  and  the 
first  hotel  was  conducted  in  a  loghouse.  Jacob  B.  Wolf,  formerly 
overseer  of  the  county  farm,  is  my  son,  and  I  have  two  daughters, 
Mrs.  Martha  J.  Lambert  in  this  city.  an<l  Mrs.  Mary  C.  Poley  in 
Georgia." 

[The  Dunkards,  Duiikcrs,  or  Tunkers  (German,  "tunken."  to  dip). 
were  founded  in  Germany  in  1708  by  Alexander  JIack  in  a  village  on 


270  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  Eder,  a  small  stream  which  courses  through  Westphalia,  Waldeck 
and  Hessen.  lu  1719  they  began  to  emigrate  to  America.  Conrad 
Beissel,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  had  been  educated  for  the  min- 
istry at  the  University  of  Halle,  was  a  member  of  the  Dunker  Society 
at  Muehlbach  (Mill  Creek),  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  in  1725, 
and  established  the  Seventh  Day  Dunkers  in  1728.  It  is  probable 
that  the  Wolf  and  Wigle  families  all  came  from  the  settlement  on 
the  Mill  Creek,  in  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania.  From  there  they 
came  through  Virginia  to  Kentucky,  then  to  Union  County  in  South- 
ern Illinois,  and  finally  to  Adams  County.  Many  of  the  early  settlei-s 
in  Pennsylvania  followed  that  course  in  their  migrations  west.] 

In  gathering  and  preserving  the  history  of  the  early  German 
pioneers  the  historian  finds  innumerable  cases,  where  names  have  been 
changed  to  conform  with  the  pronunciation  in  English,  being  ' '  Amer- 
icanized," so  to  speak.  But  it  is  remarkable  how,  in  many  instances, 
traits  of  German  character  have  clung  to  the  descendants  through 
generations.  William  and  Catherine  (Sell)  Lierle  were  among  the 
early  pioneers,  who  came  to  Union  County,  Illinois,  in  1821,  and 
finally  located  in  Liberty  Township  in  this  county.  As  the  names 
indicate,  both  were  German,  and  the  name  Lierle  originally  was 
written  Leierle.  ]\Iore  than  fifty  years  ago  R«v.  Rudolph  G.  Linker 
was  pastor  of  the  Lutheran  Church  at  Liberty.  In  conversation  with 
the  writer  of  this  history  many  years  ago,  Reverend  Linker  related 
the  following  incident:  "When  the  aged  William  Lierle  felt  that 
his  end  was  near,  he  sent  for  me.  Arriving  at  the  home  of  the  family, 
I  found  several  friends  and  neighbors  assembled  there.  Stepping  to 
the  bed  where  the  venerable  pioneer  lay,  I  shook  hands  with  him. 
William  Lierle  then  requested  me  to  read  a  passage  from  the  Ger- 
man Bible  and  also  to  pray  in  German.  The  neighbors  were  astonished 
at  this,  as  none  of  them  seemed  to  have  known  that  the  old  gentleman 
was  of  German  descent. ' ' 

Rev.  William  R.  Lierle,  a  son  of  William  and  Catherine  (Sell) 
Lierle,  more  than  twelve  years  ago  made  the  following  statement  con- 
cerning the  family:  "Zachariah  Lierle.  my  paternal  grandfather, 
was  one  of  the  patriots  of  the  Revolutionary  army,  serving  under 
Washington  for  eight  years,  during  the  entire  period  of  hostilities, 
that  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  American  independence.  I  was 
born  in  Montgomerj-  County,  North  Carolina.  August  16,  1818.  About 
the  year  1821  my  parents  left  the  south,  first  settling  in  Union 
County,  111.,  which  was  then  a  pioneer  district,  in  which  the  work  of 
improvement  and  development  had  hardly  begun.  They  then  came  to 
Adams  County,  locating  in  Liberty,  where  they  spent  their  remaining 
days.  Father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  always  followed  that 
pursuit  in   order  to  provide  for  his  family." 

Rev.  William  R.  Lierle  lived  with  his  parents  until  twenty-five 
years  of  age.  October  12,  1843,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Penina 
Hendricks.     He  began  to  work  early  in  his  life  and  in  his  j'ounger 


C^L'IXCY  AND  AUA.MS  COUNTY  271 

clays  split  rails  at  50  coiit.s  per  day.     Dcsccudaiits  of  the  family  are 
living  in  this  L-ouuty,  also  in  Iowa  and  Kansas. 

In  June,  1901,  the  writer  of  this  history,  wliile  attending  to  some 
business  in  the  eounty  clerk's  office,  was  introduced  to  Isom  Vancil 
(Wenzel)  of  Liberty  Township.  ".Mr.  Vancil,  you  are  German,  are 
you  not?"  were  my  first  words.  The  old  gentleman,  at  that  time 
.seventy-tive  years  of  age,  now  stood  erect  and  proudly  said:  "Yes 
sir,  I  am  German,  my  father  and  mother  both  were  German!"  Then 
(piestioning  him  as  to  his  mother's  name,  he  said:  "My  mother's 
maiden  name  was  Susan  Lierle,  and  she  was  a  sister  of  old  Uncle 
William  Lierle  in  Liljertj'  Township.  !My  mother  could  sing  such 
lovely  German  songs,  but,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  I  have  forgotten  all  the 
German  my  motlier  taught  me."  Questioned  further,  Mr.  Vancil 
said:  "I  was  born  in  Union  County.  111.,  Juiu'  1,  1826.  My  parents 
came  to  Adams  County  September  6,  1829,  and  my  ancestors  came 
from  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  to  Illinois.  I  have  an  old  iron 
kettle  on  my  farm  in  Liberty,  which  my  great-grandfather  brought 
from  Germany,  and  my  gi-andfather  used  to  cook  his  meals  during 
the  Revolutionary  war;  I  also  have  an  old  hoe  on  my  place,  brought 
from  the  fatherland  by  my  great-grandfather,  and  many  a  row  of 
potatoes  I  hoed  during  iny  younger  days  with  that  old  hoe;  also  an 
old  tla.x  hackle,  which  my  great-grandfatlier  brought  from  Germany, 
on  which  I  hackled  innumerable  skeins  of  flax  during  my  younger 
days." 

In  convei-satioM  with  Senator  Bernard  Arntzen  many  years  ago, 
the  Senator  made  the  following  statement  to  the  writer  of  this  history: 
"I  was  married  to  Jliss  Martha  M.  Munn  of  Keokuk  in  1861.  My 
wife  being  related  to  the  Wikc  family  at  Pittsfield,  we  went  there  on 
a  visit.  On  the  center  table  in  the  sitting  room  I  saw  a  large  old  Bible, 
which  I  opened,  and  to  my  astonishment  found  it  to  be  German.  Upon 
my  question,  who  read  the  German  Bible  in  that  home,  the  grand- 
mother of  Scott  Wike  being  present  said:  "While  I  am  conversant 
with  the  English  language,  yet,  when  I  read  the  Bilile  or  pray  to  the 
Lord,  it  must  be  in  German,  as  he  then  understands  me  better."  No 
doubt,  old  Uncle  William  Lierle  of  Liberty  was  moved  by  the  same 
thought,  when  he  recpiested  Rev.  Linker  to  read  a  pas.sage  from  the 
German  Bible  and  to  jn-ay  in  German.  Scott  Wike  represented  our 
district  in  Congress  for  several  terms,  and  was  Assistant  Comptroller 
of  Currency  during  President  Cleveland's  second  term.  Evidently 
the  family  was  of  German  extraction  and  the  name  originally  was 
written  Weik. 

The  Ilunsaker  family  is  well  represented  in  Adams  County.  They 
are  of  German  origin,  and  probably  came  from  Switzerland.  In  the 
year  1730  Ilarfmann  Ilunsaker  came  to  America  with  his  wife  and 
one  son  John,  who  was  liorn  in  the  old  fatherland  May  22.  1728.    They 


272  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

settled  down  in  Pennsylvania,  where  the  following  children  were 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hartmann  Hunsaker:  Verena,  wife  of  John 
Roth;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Jacob  Guth;  Orschel  (Ursula),  who  was 
married  twice,  her  first  husband's  name  being  Landis,  the  second 
Kopf;  Marie,  wife  of  Caspar  Roland;  Anna,  wife  of  Louis  Mohler. 
Half-sisters  were:  Catherine,  wife  of  John  Birg;  Eva,  wife  of  John 
Weldy;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Abraham  Birg.  Tliis  would  indicate  that 
Hartmann  Hunsaker  was  married  twice. 

John  Hunsaker,  who  came  to  tliis  country  with  his  father  in  1730, 
was  married  to  Jliss  Magdalena  Birg,  May  15,  1750;  she  was  the 
eldest  daughter  of  Nikolaus  Birg,  and  was  born  January  3,  1732.  The 
children  of  John  and  ilagdalena  (Birg)  Hunsaker  were:  Abraham, 
John,  Barbara,  Nikolaus,  Hartmann,  Jacob,  Joseph,  George,  Catharine, 
Magdalena,  Andrew  and  Samuel. 

On  July  27,  1788,  occurred  the  deatli  of  Barbara  Birg,  nee  ]\Iiller, 
the  mother  of  Magdalena  Hunsaker,  nee  Birg,  in  the  eighty-first  year 
of  her  life,  leaving  120  children,  grandchildren  and  great-grand- 
cliildren.  The  data  given  in  this  story  concerning  Hartmann  Hun- 
saker and  his  descendants  were  gleaned  from  the  old  family  Bible, 
printed  in  Philadelphia  in  1818,  and  in  possession  of  Robert  Hunsaker, 
a  son  of  Samuel  Y.  Hunsaker,  and  l)orn  in  this  county  in  1855. 

While  John  Hunsaker,  the  second  son  of  the  before  mentioned 
John  and  ilagdalena  (Birg)  Hunsaker,  with  liis  wife  and  child  were 
traveling  overland  from  Pennsylvania  to  Hlinois,  they  were  killed 
by  Indians.  This  occurred  April  18,  1792,  while  they  were  on  their 
way  to  Union  County,  111.  The  wife  was  Elizabetli,  a  daughter  of 
Andrew  Huber. 

Samuel  Hunsaker,  tlie  youngest  son  of  Jolui  and  Magdalena  (Birg) 
Hunsaker,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  November  22,  1777,  and  was 
married  to  Hannah  Rhoades  (Rohde?),  who  was  born  January  4, 
1786.  Their  children  were :  John,  Rachel,  Andrew,  Hiram,  Margaret, 
Daniel,  Susannah,  Elizabeth,  Katherine,  Samuel  Y.  and  Joseph, 
Samuel  Y.  Hunsaker  being  the  father  of  the  above  mentioned  Robert 
Hunsaker. 

John  Hunsaker,  born  in  Pennsylvania,  December  17,  1794,  moved 
to  Kentucky,  where  a  son  was  born  to  him  October  16,  1824,  who  was 
named  Alexander.  In  the  fall  of  1829  the  familj'  came  to  Adams 
County,  where  they  settled  in  Liberty  Township.  Here  Alexander 
grew  up  and  in  1845  married  IMary  L.  Freeman,  a  native  of  New  York. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen  Alexander  Hunsaker  began  learniug  the  black- 
smith's trade  at  Liberty,  and  worked  at  it  imtil  1864,  when  owing  to 
impaired  health  he  abandoned  this  trade  and  engaged  in  general  mer- 
cantile and  milling  business,  conducting  what  was  known  as  Havanna 
Mills  in  Melrose  Township.  While  the  subjects  of  this  sketch  have 
departed  this  life,  a  number  of  descendants  are  still  among  the  living. 

Daniel  Wilson  Hunsaker,  born  Septeml)er  25,  1820,  in  Union 
County,  Illinois,  at  an  early  age  with  his  parents  moved  to  Jefl'ersou 
County,  Jlissouri,  in  1830.    In  1834  the  family  came  to  Adams  County, 


Ql'IXCY  AND  ADA.MS  COrXTV  27:? 

Illinois,  where  they  located  in  I'''all  (,'reck  Townsliip.  Julj-  3,  1850,  he 
niarriod  Frances  Shuarl,  a  native  of  South  Bend,  Indiana.  March  27, 
1904,  Jlr.  Ilunsaker  died,  and  April  18,  1906,  his  wife  followed  him 
in  death.  George  Ilunsaker,  the  only  son  of  Daniel  Wilson  and 
Frances  (Shuart)  Ilunsaker,  was  born  in  Fall  Creek  Township  Janu- 
ary 15,  1854,  and  for  sixteen  years  was  a  telegraph  operator  on  the 
railroad  between  Quiney  and  Louisiana,  Mo.,  serving  at  every  station 
of  the  railroad  known  as  the  Louisiana  branch  of  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  road. 
He  also  worked  in  the  same  capacity  on  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande 
Railroad  in  Colorado.  In  later  years  he  was  town  collector  of  Melrose. 
Elijah  Ilunsaker  celebrated  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  his 
birth  August  19,  1909,  at  the  old  settlers'  reunion,  Clayton,  Adams 
County:  he  died  several  years  ago. 

It  was  in  the  fall  of  1902,  when  the  writer  of  this  history  met 
James  T.  Ruddell  of  Ursa  Township.  In  the  course  of  conversation 
ilr.  Ruddell  stated  that  his  grandparents  both  were  German.  The 
grandfather,  Stei)hen  A.  Ruddell,  was  l)orn  of  German  parents  in 
Pennsylvania  in  1768,  and  the  grandmother,  Susan  C.  David,  was 
born  on  the  ocean  about  1780.  when  her  parents  were  on  their  voyage 
from  Germany  to  America,  where  they  settled  down  in  Peinisylvania. 
The  father  of  Stephen  A.  Ruddell  (Rodel?)  was  a  fanner  by  occupa- 
tion, and  also  served  as  preacher,  doing  mission  work  among  the 
Indians.  In  the  year  1780,  during  an  uprising  of  the  Indians,  the 
Ruddell  family  were  captured  I)y  the  red  men  at  Ruddell  and  Mar- 
tin's fort  and  were  held  in  captivity  for  fifteen  years,  lieing  released 
when  Gen.  Anthony  AVayne.  who  bore  the  nickname  ".Mad  Anthony," 
made  his  treaty  with  the  Indians,  having  broken  their  power  in  two 
vigorous  campaigns,  thus  giving  peace  to  the  frontier  settlements. 
Subsequently  Stephen  A.  Ruddell  and  iliss  Susan  C.  David  were 
married  and  later  moved  to  Bourbon  County,  Kentucky,  where  Mr. 
Ruddell  engaged  in  the  milling  business  until  1817,  when  he  disposed 
of  all  his  busine.ss  affairs  and  moved  to  Clark.sville,  Mi.ssouri,  where 
he  followed  farming  until  1829,  in  which  year  he  with  his  family  came 
to  Adams  County,  Illinois,  locating  in  I'rsa  Township,  where  he 
passed  the  remaining  years  of  his  life  until  about  1840,  when  he  died. 

John  Mulhein  Ruddell,  the  son  of  Stephen  A.  and  Susan  C. 
(David  I  Ruddell,  was  born  in  Bourbon  County,  Kentucky,  September 
28,  1812,  and  came  with  his  parents  when  the  family  settled  down  in 
this  county.  In  March,  1832,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  Ann 
Dunlap,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky,  her  parents  locating  in  Mendon 
Township  in  the  fall  of  1830.  John  M.  Ruddell  became  prominent 
in  public  affairs,  serving  on  the  board  of  supervisors  for  about  fifteen 
years,  he  also  was  school  treasurer  for  about  thirty-five  years,  and 
served  as  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  about  the  year  1846.  In 
the  year  1896  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ruddell  lioth  died  within  a  period  of  three 
months.  The  children  living  were:  George  IT.  IJud<le!l  in  Andi-ew 
County.  Mi.s.sonri:  James  T.  Ruddell  and  Mrs.  Margaret  R.  Wicster, 

Vol.  1—18 


274  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

both  in  Adams  County,  the  husband  of  the  latter,  Jacob  W.  Wiester, 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  also  being  of  German  descent,  as  the  name 
indicates. 

James  T.  Ruddell,  a  son  of  John  M.  and  Martha  A.  (Dunlap) 
Ruddell,  was  born  in  Ursa  Township,  this  county,  November  4,  1855. 
He  grew  up  on  the  farm  and  was  married  December  20,  1876,  to  Miss 
Sarah  E.  Jenkins,  a  daughter  of  William  A.  and  Rachel  (Price)  Jen- 
kins. James  T.  Ruddell  continued  farming  until  his  father's  death 
and  then  moved  to  Ursa,  where  he  conducted  a  store  for  two  years, 
after  which  he  became  manager  of  the  Ursa  Creamery  Company.  He 
has  held  the  office  of  assessor  for  nine  years,  collector  for  four  years, 
and  has  served  as  school  director  for  many  yeai"s.  He  now  has  retired 
from  active  business. 

About  fifteen  years  ago  the  writer  of  this  narrative  met  Charles 
Bean,  one  of  the  earliest  inhabitants  of  Fall  Creek  Township,  who 
stated  that  he  was  of  German  descent,  his  grandj^arents  having  come 
from  Germany  during  Colonial  days,  his  grandfather's  name  was 
Moses  Bean,  his  grandmother  Betsy  Johnson.  (Probably  the  name  was 
originally  written  Buehn.)  They  settled  down  in  Pennsylvania.  Later 
the  family  left  Pennsylvania  and  located  in  Athens,  Ohio,  where 
Cliarles  Bean  was  born  August  14,  1828.  In  1830  his  parents,  John 
aud  Betsy  (Tibbetts)  Bean,  came  to  Adams  Countj^,  Illinois,  and 
located  in  Fall  Creek  Township,  where  they  followed  farming.  Charles 
Bean,  who  now  lives  in  Quincy,  has  a  rocking  chair,  which  his  uncle 
Joshua  Tibbetts  made  by  hand  in  1838.  Mrs.  Olive  S.  Haselwood,  the 
widow  of  Willis  Haselwood,  for  many  years  county  clerk  of  Adams 
County,  is  the  sister  of  Charles  Bean,  and  the  brother,  Henry  Bean, 
born  in  1840,  lives  in  Carroll  County,  Missouri. 

In  the  course  of  conversation  between  the  writer  and  Charles  Bean, 
the  latter  related  a  very  interesting  incident,  which  shows  how  names 
often  are  changed.  Mr.  Bean  said : ' '  Did  you  know  Gen.  JI.  M.  Bane  ? ' ' 
The  writer  of  this  story  answered  in  the  affirmative.  "Well,"  con- 
tinued Charles  Bean,  "General  Bane  was  my  cousin."  "From  your 
mother's  side?"  was  the  writer's  query.  "No,  from  my  father's  side," 
was  the  prompt  answer  of  Charles  Bean,  who  then  continued:  "My 
father  and  General  Bane's  father  were  brothers,  their  family  name 
being  Bean.  Both  lived  in  Athens,  Ohio,  where  Moses  Milton  Bean, 
my  cousin,  also  was  born.  He  later  studied  medicine  under  Professor 
Howard  in  Columbus,  Ohio.  After  graduation  Moses  Milton  Bean  was 
married  to  Miss  Marina  Howard,  the  daughter  of  Professor  Howard. 
Not  liking  the  name  Bean,  it  was  changed  to  Bane.  This  was  in  1849, 
and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  the  young  couple  came  to  Pall  Creek, 
where  they  stayed  at  our  house  for  several  months."  Later  the 
young  couple  located  in  Payson,  where  they  went  to  housekeeping, 
and  Dr.  Moses  M.  Bane  practiced  medicine  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
soon  became  prominent  in  public  life,  and  in  1858  was  elected  to  the 


(^nXCY  AND  ADAMS  COr.NTV  275 

State  Legislature,  serving  one  term.  When  the  War  of  the  Rebelliou 
broke  out.  Dr.  Closes  il.  Hane  was  eleeted  eolonel  of  tlie  Fiftieth  Illi- 
nois Infantry  Regiment,  which  was  raised  in  this  county.  At  the 
Battle  of  Shiloh  lie  lost  his  right  arm,  but  n'turned  to  the  service  as 
soon  as  he  was  able  to  again  go  into  the  field,  later  gaining  the  rank 
of  brigadier  general.  After  the  war  General  Bane  wa.s  sent  to  Salt 
Lake  City,  Utah,  as  agent  of  the  Governiuent  to  enforce  the  laws 
against  polygamy.  While  his  appointment  was  for  a  term  of  four 
years,  he  spent  live  years  in  Utah.  Then  he  returned  to  Quincy,  where 
he,  together  with  Thomas  J.  Sechorn,  practiced  law  for  two  years, 
and  finally  went  to  Washington,  D.  C".  His  dcatli  occurretl  more  than 
ten  years  ago,  his  wife  having  died  many  years  before.  Two  sons 
have  been  in  Washington  for  many  years. 

In  June,  190L  Alfred  A.  Seehorn.  at  that  time  superintendent 
of  the  public  schools  of  Quincy.  related  the  following  to  the  writer  of 
this  history:  "My  great-graiulfatlicr.  Nicholas  Seehorn,  was  born  in 
Germany  and  came  to  America  in  the  early  Colonial  days,  settling 
down  in  South  Carolina,  where  my  grandfather,  Gabriel  Seeliorn,  was 
liorn  July  'JO,  ITTo.  The  latter  in  the  course  of  time  located  in 
Tennessee,  in  which  state  my  father,  .\lfred  Seehorn,  was  born  in  the 
year  1S22.  Later  the  family  emigrated  from  Tennessee  and  in  1832 
came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Fall  Creek  Township,  where  I  was  born 
October  1,  1860."  Alfred  Seehorn,  the  father,  who  came  here  with 
his  parents  when  only  ten  years  of  age,  grew  up  in  this  county,  and 
was  married  to  Miss  .Martha  E.  Harris,  a  daughter  of  John  Harris. 
She  was  born  in  Kentucky,  and  came  with  her  parents  when  they 
located  in  Fall  Creek  Township.  In  the  course  of  time  Alfred  Seehorn 
Ijceame  identified  with  the  development  of  the  community,  in  which  he 
lived.  Taking  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  township,  he  was 
elected  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors  and  was  chosen  as 
chairman  of  the  lioard.  lie  held  other  positions  of  honor  and  trust 
and  became  widely  known  in  the  county. 

Alfred  A.  Seehorn,  the  son,  was  brought  up  on  the  farm  and 
attended  the  district  school.  Desiring  a  broader  education,  he  attended 
the  Payson  High  School  and  Chaddock  College.  He  then  took  up  the 
vocation  of  teaching,  serving  one  year  in  Hancock  County,  nine  years 
in  Fall  Creek  and  two  years  in  Plainville  in  this  county.  Being 
elected  as  county  superintendent  of  schools  in  1894.  the  experience 
gained  during  the  many  years  of  teaching  proved  of  great  advantage 
in  his  new  position,  enabling  him  to  inaugurate  changes  ami  reforms 
of  first  importance.  In  the  fall  of  1897  he  resigned  his  office  to  accept 
the  position  of  superintendent  of  schools  of  Quincy,  in  whicli  capac- 
ity he  served  four  years.  Then  he  went  into  the  agricultural  imple- 
ment business  in  which  he  has  continued  up  to  the  present  time. 
October  18,  1892,  Alfred  A.  Seehorn  was  married  to  Miss  Laura  C. 
Carr.  a  daughter  of  L.  G.  Carr  of  Fall  Creek,  born  in  that  township. 

Tliomas  J.  Seehorn,  brother  of  the  aforesaid,  born  in  Fall  Creek 


276  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Township,  April  19,  lS6-i,  attended  Chaddoek  College,  studied  law 
and  practiced  as  attorney  in  Quincy,  together  with  Gen.  M.  M.  Bane 
in  1886  and  1887.  In  the  fall  of  1887  he  went  to  Kansas  City,  where 
he  has  resided  ever  since,  and  has  held  the  office  of  circuit  judge  for 
the  last  twelve  years. 

The  other  brothers  are :  Sherman  E.  Seehorn,  born  in  1866,  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  business  in  Quincy;  Harry  E.  Seehorn,  born  July  6, 
1869,  is  in  the  cigar  business  in  this  city;  and  James  H.  Seehorn,  born 
in  1871,  who  still  resides  on  the  old  homestead  in  Fall  Creek  Town- 
ship, is  a  railway  mail  clerk  between  Quincy  and  Chicago. 

During  a  meeting  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Quincy  in  1905, 
i\Irs.  Cecelia  R.  Hill,  the  daughter  of  Henry  Root,  one  of  the  early 
pioneers  of  Quincy,  assured  the  writer  of  this  history  that  her  ancestors 
all  were  of  German  lineage.  To  prove  her  assertion,  Mi-s.  Hill  wrote 
to  Bucks  County,  Pennsylvania,  where  the  family  originally  lived, 
and  also  to  Canada,  where  her  father  was  liorn.  In  due  time  the  fol- 
lowing information  came:  Henry  Root's  grandfather,  whose  name 
was  Henry  Ruth,  was  born  in  Germany  and  came  to  what  now  is 
Bucks  County,  Pennsylvania,  in  the  early  Colonial  days.  There  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  Wisraer;  later  the  grandfather  died,  and 
his  widow  was  married  to  Frank  Albrecht.  A  son  born  to  Henry  and 
Nancy  (Wismer)  Ruth  also  received  the  name  Henry,  and  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Marie  Overholt.  This  was  after  the  War  of  the 
Revolution,  which  lasted  eight  years  and  led  to  American  independ- 
ence. But  there  being  considerable  of  unrest  in  this  country  for  a 
long  time  after  that  war,  Henry  and  Marie  (Overholt)  Ruth,  like  many 
others,  fearing  that  the  Government  in  the  shortly  before  established 
United  States  would  not  endure,  in  1799  left  Pennsylvania  for  Canada, 
where  they  located  in  Clinton.  There  a  son  was  born  to  them,  receiv- 
ing the  name  Henry.  In  the  course  of  time,  probably  to  conform  with 
the  English  pronunciation,  this  son  adopted  the  name  Root  (as  the 
name  Ruth  in  German  is  pronounced  the  same  as  Root  in  English). 
Henry  Root,  born  in  Clinton,  Canada,  June  14,  1813,  left  Canada  and 
came  to  Chicago  in  1837 ;  from  there  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  then  to 
Palmyra,  Missouri,  and  finally  to  Quincy,  where  he  located  in  1840, 
with  less  than  a  dollar  in  his  purse.  Here  he  for  some  time  was 
engaged  as  auctioneer.  In  the  year  1844  Henry  Root  was  married 
to  Miss  Sarah  Ann  Miller,  a  daughter  of  Judge  Andrew  Miller,  who 
was  .iudge  of  the  probate  court  in  the  early  days  of  Adams  County. 
Andrew  Miller  was  born  in  Switzerland  in  1744,  and  was  German,  his 
name  originally  being  written  Mueller.  He  was  married  to  Miss 
Catherine  Harrison,  a  cousin  of  Gen.  William  Henry  Harrison,  who 
acquired  fame  in  the  history  of  this  country,  serving  against  the 
Indians  and  in  the  War  of  1812.  Being  elected  to  the  presidency  in 
1840  by  an  overwhelming  majority,  he  died  only  one  month  after 
his  inauguration.  Thus  we  see  that  Catherine  Harrison  was  the  only 
link  in  the  chain  of  ancestors  of  Mrs.  Cecelia  Hill  that  was  not  of 


(»!l  INH'Y  AND  ADAMS  COIXTY  277 

Geriiiaii  origin.  .Jiuijrt'  Amlrew  Miller,  the  maternal  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  llill,  tlied  in  ltJ4S,  at  the  high  old  age  of  104  years.  Mrs.  Hill 
remembered  him  from  her  early  ehildhood.  stating  that  her  grand- 
father was  only  ahle  to  speak  iiernian  in  his  declining  years,  having 
forgotten  the  English,  which  he  certainly  handled  to  perfection  during 
his  term  as  prohate  judge. 

Henry  Root,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Hill,  aeijuired  a  prominent  position 
in  the  business  circles  of  Quiney.  He  was  a  sutler  in  the  American 
army  of  1847  during  the  war  with  Jlexieo.  After  that  war  he  was  a 
member  of  the  firm  Koot  &  Lanc;  later  he  conducted  a  business  of 
his  own,  which  he  finally  sold  to  Shinn,  Bert  &  Hill.  During  the 
War  of  tlie  Keliellion  he  liaii  a  contract,  furnishing  horses  to  the 
Government.  In  1869  Henry  Root,  in  connection  with  other  capitalists 
established  the  Union  Bank,  and  was  elected  president  of  that  institu- 
tion. After  having  been  closely  identified  with  the  business  interests 
of  Quincy  for  fifty-five  years,  Henry  Root  died  April  9,  1895,  his  wife 
having  preceded  him  in  death  in  1875, 

Jlrs.  Cecilia  Hill  is  the  only  daughter  of  Henry  Root  now  living. 
Her  husband,  Fred  T.  Hill,  died  several  years  ago,  after  having  been 
prominent  in  business,  conducting  a  carpet  store  for  many  years. 
Gen.  Henry  R.  Hill,  the  son  of  Fred  T.  and  Cecelia  (Root)  Hill,  is  at 
pre.sent  in  the  United  States  army,  commanding  a  brigade  in  Texas. 
He  is  highly  regarded  as  a  tactician,  evidently  having  inherited  some 
of  the  spirit  of  his  ancestor.  Gen.  William  H.  Harrison. 

Endless  is  the  number  of  people  of  German  extraction  in  this 
country,  whose  names  in  the  course  of  time  have  become  "American- 
ized." It  was  in  the  spring  of  1903,  when  the  wiiter  of  this  narra- 
tive became  acquainteil  with  George  William  Lcmley,  at  that  time  in 
the  grocery  business.  The  question  as  to  his  ancestry  lieing  pro- 
pounded to  .Mr.  Lemley,  the  latter  made  the  following  statement: 
"My  grandfather,  George  Lemley  (German;  Lacmmlei,  was  born 
in  Wuei-ftemberg.  South  Germany,  and  with  his  wife  camp  to  America 
in  1773.  where  they  located  at  Germantown,  Pennsylvania.  Grand- 
father was  a  smith  by  occni)ation  and  served  under  George  Washing- 
ton during  the  Wai-  of  the  Revolution.  My  father,  Jacob  Lemley 
(Laemmlc)  was  born  in  Germantown,  Pa.,  September  25,  1790,  and 
served  in  the  War  of  1812  against  the  British.  He  also  was  a  smith, 
having  learned  the  trade  from  his  father,  George  Lemley  (Laemmie), 
and  was  with  the  garrison  in  Fort  MeHenry,  September.  1814,  at 
the  time  when  the  British  fleet,  after  bombarding  Washingtun,  partly 
destroying  the  capitol,  tiesides  burning  many  other  buildings  in  our 
national  capital,  eame  up  the  Patai)seo  river  to  bombard  Balti- 
more. It  was  then,  in  the  defense  of  the  city,  that  two  Americans  f)f 
(ierman  origin  took  the  most  promin<'nt  i>art.  The  commander  of  the 
militia  was  Gen.  John  Strieker,  iiorn  1759  at  Frederick,  .Maryland 
(originally  ?'riederichstadt,  where  Johann  Thomas  ."^chl 'y.  a  Gernuni 
s<'hi>olmaster,    ancestor   of    .Admiral    Winficld    Scott    Srhlcy,   in    1745 


278  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

erected  the  first  house).  The  British  having  landed  at  North  Point, 
General  Strieker  led  his  men  against  them  iu  a  running  skirmish,  in 
which  General  Boss,  the  British  commandei",  was  killed.  Major  George 
Armistead,  the  son  of  Johann  Armstiidt,  a  Hessian,  living  iu  New 
Market,  Virginia,  gallantly  defended  Fort  ilcHeury,  when  the  British 
fleet,  consisting  of  sixteen  frigates,  opened  a  terrific  bombardment  on 
the  fort,  on  the  morning  of  September  12,  1814.  The  garrison  con- 
sisted of  one  thousand  men.  The  cannonade  lasted  for  thirty-six  hours. 
The  fort,  commanding  the  entrance  to  the  port,  answered  the  fire 
with  chain-shot,  prepared  by  Jacob  Lemley,  the  smith.  The  chain- 
.shot  consisted  of  two  cannon  balls,  connected  by  a  short  chain.  It  was 
on  this  occasion  that  Francis  Scott  Key,  who  was  a  prisoner  on  02ie 
of  the  British  ships,  composed  the  celebrated  national  song,  '  The  Star 
Spangled  Banner,'  September  14,  1814.  After  the  British  fieet  left, 
the  detachment  of  troops,  iu  which  Jacob  Lemley  served,  were  quar- 
tered in  that  part  of  the  capitol  at  Washington  which  had  not  been 
destroyed.  After  the  War  of  1812  Jacob  Lemley  was  married  to  iliss 
Elizabeth  Hotsenpiller  (Hatzenbuehler  ?),  born  1791  in  Frederick 
County,  Va.,  no  doubt  also  of  German  parentage.  Jacob  Lemley, 
who  was  a  smith,  in  the  course  of  time  became  very  proficient  in  his 
calling;  he  made  the  iron  and  steel  work,  bars  and  crossbars,  for  the 
fii'st  jail  in  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  and  also  was  the  inventor  of  a 
plow,  for  the  first  time  using  steel  for  the  ploughshare.  Friends 
advised  him  to  secure  a  patent-right  on  his  invention,  but  he  said: 
'No,  it  is  for  the  benefit  of  the  people;  I  wish  no  royalty  on  my  inven- 
tion.' But  Cyrus  H.  McCormick,  born  February  15,  1809,  at  Walnut 
Grove,  Virginia,  took  advantage  of  Jacob  Lemley 's  invention  and  in 
the  course  of  time  made  a  fortune  out  of  it.  Jacob  Lemley  also  was 
a  wagonmaker,  his  wagons  being  known  all  over  the  country  for  their 
durability.  In  1858  he  came  west,  settling  down  in  Paris,  Missouri, 
where  he  died  ^lay  3,  1874,  aged  83  years  and  9  months,  his  wife  pre- 
ceding him  in  death  in  1873,  aged  82  years." 

The  children  of  Jacob  Lemley  were:  George  W^.,  Jacob,  Harvey, 
Joseph  T.  and  Robert  D.  Lemley,  Mrs.  Margaret  Jane  Henning  and 
IMrs.  Anna  Catherine  Drake.  Only  Robert  D.  Lemley  is  among  the 
living,  at  present  residing  in  Kansas  City,  ^Missouri,  all  the  others 
having  died  since  the  writer  met  George  William  Lemley  for  the  first 
time  fourteen  years  ago. 

George  William  Lemley,  the  oldest  son  of  Jacob  Lemley,  was  born 
in  Stephen  City,  Frederick  County,  Virginia,  December  29,  1819,  and 
was  married  to  Miss  Susan  JIargaret  Ritteuouer  (Rittenauer),  born 
in  Frederick  County,  Virginia,  September  13,  1826,  of  German  par- 
ents, as  the  name  plainly  indicates.  In  the  history  of  the  Lemley  and 
Rittenauer  families  we  have  another  instance  of  names  being  changed 
to  conform  with  the  proniniciation  in  English.  From  the  parents  of 
Mrs.  Lemley  the  couple  inherited  several  slaves,  but  considering 
slavery  wrong,  they  granted  freedom  to  their  slaves,  long  before  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion,  which  led  to  the  emancipation  of  all  slaves 


Ql'lXCV  AXI)   ADAMS  COrXTV  27f) 

in  this  country.  As  George  \V.  Lcniley  assured  tiie  writer  of  this 
narrative,  the  same  course  was  followed  by  other  slaveholders  iu 
Frederick  County.  Virginia.  In  1SG4  the  family  came  to  (juincy, 
where  George  W.,  Joseph  T.  and  Robert  D.  Lemley  opened  a  dry  goods 
store,  the  name  of  the  firm  being  Lemley  Brothers.  Later  the  firm 
was  dissolved,  Kobei-t  1).  Lendey  going  to  Huntsville,  Jlissouri,  and 
Jasepli  T.  Lemley  to  Middle  Grove,  Missouri,  both  continuing  in  the 
dry  goods  business  in  the  towns  mentioned.  Still  later  the  Lemley 
]{rothei"s  were  engaged  in  the  iron  and  steel  business  in  Quincy. 
Finally  George  "William  Lemley  went  into  the  grocery  business,  in 
which  he  continued  during  the  remaining  years  of  his  life,  his  <leath 
occurring  Ai)ril  i).  lf)l(),  while  his  wife  lived  until  December  17,  1912. 
Children  living  are,  Charles  T.  Lemley  and  Miss  Anna  Lemley  in  Los 
Angeles,  California,  and  John  W.  Lemley  in  Quincy,  all  of  them 
born  in  Frederick  County,  Virginia.  John  W.  Lemley  in  1873  was 
married  to  ^liss  JIary  K.  Thomas,  born  in  Ohio,  They  have  one  son, 
Edward,  living  in  Nevada,  and  one  daughter.  Miss  Cora  Lemley, 
teacher  in  Irving  School  in  Quincy. 

Early  in  the  year  1904  the  writer  of  this  history  met  TTenry  Clay 
Cupp,  for  many  years  ])roi)rictor  of  large  fruit  orchards  in  F'all  Creek 
Township.  The  naiiu'  Cu]ip  sounding  German,  the  question  of  his 
ancestry  was  pn)])()uri(lc(l  to  Mr.  Cupp.  who  said  he  did  not  know, 
but  had  an  old  document  in  his  ])Ossession,  found  among  the  papers 
of  his  father  after  the  latter's  death,  which  he  could  not  read.  Being 
requested  to  tiring  the  document  to  town.  Mr.  Cupp  comi)lied  with  the 
request,  and  theiv  the  writer  fouiul  the  proof.  The  document  was 
the  certificate  of  baptism  of  the  father  of  Henry  Clay  Cupp.  The 
graiulfather  was  Konrad  Kop.  and  his  wife  was  Elisabctha  Kroidnger, 
daughter  of  Daniel  Kroninger.  Evidently  the  family  originally  lived 
in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  grandparents  of  Henry  Clay  Cupp  emi- 
grated to  Ohio,  where  they  located  in  Bloom  Townshiji.  Fairfiebl 
County,  and  there  it  was  where  Jacob  Kop  was  born  October  '21,  1817, 
at  9  o'clock  in  the  evening,  as  it  was  especially  mentioned  in  the 
certificate.  Reverend  Sfeck  was  the  minister  who  performed  the  bap- 
tism, and  Jacob  Bichrg  and  wife  were  the  sponsoi-s.  Every  single  one 
of  the  names  contained  in  the  document  were  distinctly  German,  and 
the  certificate  was  executed  in  an  artistic  nmnner. 

Jacob  Kop,  after  arriving  at  ycai-s  of  maturity,  was  married  to 
Jliss  Dorcas  Smith,  born  in  Maryland  and  later  removed  to  Ohio.  In 
the  meantime  the  original  luniie  Kop  liad  been  changed  to  Cupp.  and 
the  family  located  in  Steuben  County,  Indiana,  as  we  learn  from  a 
publication  issued  in  190.5.  To  them  were  born:  Catherine,  the  eldest, 
born  Xovember  18.  1839.  became  the  wife  of  William  Cook  in  1860, 
they  living  at  Newark,  ^Missouri,  where  Mr.  Cook  conducted  a  gro- 
cery store  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  located 
on  a  farm.  lie  also  became  a  mail  contractor  at  Palmyra.  Missouri, 
where  he  remained  for  eight  years  and  then  removed  to  Macon  City, 


280  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

^lissouri,  wliere  he  resided  until  liis  deatli  in  1876.  A  number  of  chil- 
dren and  grandchildren  reside  in  Missouri  and  Illinois.  After  the 
death  of  her  husband,  Jlrs.  Cook  resided  ".'ith  her  children  and  at 
present  lives  at  Bozeman,  Montana.  Lewis  C,  who  was  a  member 
of  the  Third  Missouri  Cavalry  during  the  Civil  war,  married  and  had 
thre€  children ;  he  died  in  Ralls  County,  Missouri,  in  1901.  John  S., 
also  a  member  of  the  Third  Missouri  Cavalry,  for  three  years  and  six 
months,  farmer  and  stockraiser  at  Elm  City,  Kansas,  had  two  sons 
and  three  daughters.  Theodore,  of  Ralls  County,  iIis.souri,  who  served 
in  the  Thirty-ninth  Missouri  Infantry,  married  and  had  a  sou  and 
two  daughters,  the  son  being  a  Christian  minister  at  Platte  City, 
ilissouri.  George  W.,  who  died  in  1882,  aged  thirty  years,  was  a 
farmer,  and  left  a  son  Wilmer.  Henry  C.  was  the  next  in  the  family, 
the  youngest,  Francis  M.,  being  a  farmer  of  Marion  County,  Missouri. 

The  family  left  Indiana  in  1858  and  moved  to  Shelb.y  County, 
ilissouri.  The  father,  Jacob  Cupp,  being  an  outspoken  abolitionist, 
was  many  times  threatened  with  violence  by  the  pro-slavery  element 
during  the  trying  period  at  the  beginning  and  during  the  War  of 
the  Rebellion,  suffering  the  loss  of  horses  and  other  property.  Jacob 
Cupp  died  in  Shelby  County,  Missouri,  in  1874,  his  w-ife  preceding 
him  in  death  in  1859. 

Henry  Clay  Cupp,  born  October  30,  1848,  in  Steuben  County, 
Indiana,  came  to  Shelby  County,  Missouri,  with  his  parents  when  ten 
yeai's  of  age.  Receiving  his  elementary  education  in  the  country 
schools  of  Shelby  County,  he  later  attended  the  college  at  Palmyra, 
Missouri,  and  became  a  resident  of  Adams  County  in  1870.  In  1871 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Frances  L.  Rankin,  a  daughter  of  Robert 
Rankin,  one  of  the  prominent  farmers  of  Fall  Creek  Township.  To 
them  was  born  one  daughter,  Lillie  J.,  January  28,  1872,  who  was 
educated  in  the  eountrj'  schools  and  spent  four  years  at  Chaddock 
College  in  Quincy,  where  she  graduated.  July  26,  1893,  she  was  mar- 
ried to  Perry  W.  Sapp  of  ^Macoml),  Illinois,  who  in  1905  held  the 
position  of  recording  clerk  and  assistant  bookkeeper  at  the  insane 
asylum  at  Bartonville,  Illinois. 

Henry  Clay  Cupp,  for  many  years  prominent  as  fruit  raiser,  has 
been  president  of  the  Adams  County  Fair  Association,  was  levee 
commissioner  of  the  Quincy  levee,  president  of  the  IMississippi  Valley 
Apple  Growers'  Association,  president  of  the  Central  Illinois  District 
Horticultural  Society,  was  appointed  delegate  to  the  National  Farmers' 
Congre.ss,  and  has  held  other  positions  of  honor  and  trust. 

Judge  Carl  E.  Epler  in  June,  1904,  gave  the  writer  of  this  history 
the  following  information  about  his  ancestors:  "The  Epler  family 
origiuall}'  lived  in  Switzerland  and  from  there  emigrated  to  the  Black 
Forest  in  Southwest  Germany.  In  the  year  1734  a  number  of  Luth- 
erans, among  them  an  Epler  family,  came  to  this  country,  settling 
down  in  Berks  County,  Pennsylvania.  In  1768  John  Epler  bought 
a  tract  of  land  in  Dauphin  County,  Pennsylvania :  he  died  in  1782. 


(^nXCY  AND  AUAMS  COUNTY  281 

Aljrahaiii  Epler,  a  sou  of  John  JOider,  born  February  28,  1769,  iu 
Lamaster  Couuty,  Pa.,  was  married  to  Miss  Auua  Olilweiler  in  1791, 
and  seven  years  later,  iu  17!)8,  the  couple  emigrated  to  Kentueky, 
where  they  located  at  the  falls  of  the  Ohio  river,  six  miles  south  of 
Louisville.  In  the  year  1800  they  crossed  the  river,  and  settled  down 
in  Clark  County,  Indiana.  -March  26,  1832,  Abraham  Epler  emifjrated 
to  Illinois,  lauding  at  Heardstown  and  settling  on  Indian  Creek  iu 
Morgan  County,  where  he  died  January  22.  1837,  his  wife  departing 
this  life  May  3,  1847.  John  Epler,  a  son  of  Abraham  Epicr,  boru 
April  15,  1795,  was  married  iu  Clark  County,  Ind.,  to  iliss  Sarah 
Beggs.  a  daughter  of  Capt.  Charles  Heggs.  In  1831  the  family  emi- 
grated to  Morgan  County,  111.,  where  a  sou,  Cyrus  Epler,  born  No- 
vember 12.  1823.  on  the  second  day  of  August.  1852,  was  married  to 
Miss  Cornelia  Nettletou.  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Clark  Xettleton  at  Jackson- 
ville, 111.  Cyrus  Epler  studied  law,  became  prominent  in  his  pro- 
fession, and  was  elected  as  state's  attorney  in  several  counties  of  the 
district.  In  1872  he  was  elected  circuit  .judge,  and  later  was  re-elected 
three  times,  altogether  serving  in  that  office  for  24  years." 

Carl  E.  Epler.  a  sou  of  Cyrus  and  Cornelia  (Nettletou)  Epler, 
born  November  20,  1857,  after  attending  different  schools,  graduated 
from  Illinois  College,  being  elected  as  valedictorian  of  his  class.  He 
then  went  to  Yale  College,  receiving  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  in 
June.  1876.  Later  he  attended  the  University  of  Ann  Arbor,  Michi- 
gan, where  he  studied  law.  graduating  in  1879.  April  27,  1880, 
Carl  E.  Epler  came  to  Quincy,  where  he  began  to  practice  law.  In  the 
spring  of  1881  he  was  elected  city  attorney,  wiiich  office  he  held  for 
three  successive  terms,  being  re-elected  in  1882  and  in  1883.  In  1885 
he  revised  the  City  Code  of  Quincy,  comjirising  the  constitutional 
provisions  and  statutes  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  affecting  the  govern- 
ment of  the  city,  and  the  ordinances  of  the  city  council.  In  June, 
1891.  he  was  elected  to  fill  a  vacancy  in  the  office  of  state's  attorney. 
In  November,  1894.  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  county  judge  of 
Adams  Couuty.  and  in  1898  he  was  re-elected  to  that  office.  Aft^r 
♦be  expiration  of  his  term  in  December,  1902,  he  resumed  his  practice 
as  attorncj'-at-law. 

It  was  in  the  fall  of  1904  when  the  writer  of  this  history,  in 
conversation  with  Homer  JI.  Swope,  the  well  known  attorney,  made 
the  assertion  that  the  latter 's  ancestors  came  from  Germany,  and  that 
the  name  originally  was  written  Schwab.  ^Ir.  Swope  smilingly 
admitted  the  truth  of  the  as.sertion,  having  in  his  possession  a  book 
entitled  "History  of  the  Swope  Family  and  their  Connections,  1676- 
1896."  The  book,  a  volume  of  390  pages,  was  published  by  Gilbert 
Ernest  Swope,  who  lived  in  New\ille,  renusylvania,  and  was  pro- 
prietor of  a  drug  store  in  Pittsburgh.  P.  D.  and  J.  B.  Cochran,  of 
Lancaster.  Pennsylvania,  printed  the  book.  Gilbert  Ernest  Swope 
must  have  been  a  man  of  means,  and  also  must  have  l)cen  pos.se.ssed 
by  an  indomitable  will-power,  coupled  with  an  inexhaustible  amount 


282  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  patience,  to  collect  all  the  data  contained  in  that  book.  He  traced 
back  his  ancestry  to  Jost  Schwab,  who  was  born  in  Sinsheim,  Baden, 
Germany,  February  22,  1678,  his  father  being  burgomaster  of  Leimen, 
a  town  of  about  2,700  inhabitants  on  the  Bergstrasse  near  Heidelberg. 
In  1720  Jost  Schwab,  with  his  wife  and  five  children,  emigrated  to 
America,  where  he  bought  1,000  acres  of  laud  in  Leacock  Township, 
Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  settling  down  there,  his  death 
occurring  in  173.5.  Gilbert  Ernest  Swope  traced  his  family  through 
nine  generations,  and  published  the  names  of  2,318  descendants  of 
Jost  Schwab,  distributed  all  over  the  United  States,  finding  many  emi- 
nent men  among  them  in  all  walks  of  life.  In  the  Archives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania the  author  found  the  names  of  twenty  families  b3'  the  name 
of  Schwab,  who  came  to  this  country  before  the  War  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, between  September  18,  1727,  and  September  20,  1764,  but  was 
unable  to  establish  any  connection  between  them  and  his  ancestor  Jost 
Schwab,  who  came  from  Sinsheim,  Baden,  in  1720. 

In  the  course  of  his  investigations  Gilbert  Ernest  Swope  dis- 
covered the  ancestors  of  Homer  M.  Swope,  and  recorded  them  in  his 
book,  as  follows:  Rev.  Benedict  Schwab,  born  in  Germany  in  1732, 
studied  theology,  became  a  minister  in  the  Reformed  Church,  emi- 
grated to  this  country,  where  he  was  engaged  as  a  missionary ;  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Susanna  Welker,  and  in  1759  was  pastor  in 
York,  Pennsylvania,  preaching  in  German  and  English ;  Rev.  Benedict 
Schwab  died  March  30,  1811,  his  wife  having  preceded  liim  in  death 
in  1795.  George  Schwab,  a  son  of  Rev.  Benedict  and  Susanna 
(Welker)  Schwab,  was  born  January  9,  1758,  in  Spencer  County, 
Kentucky,  became  a  merchant,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret 
Hoffheim,  March  10,  1777;  later  George  and  Margaret  (Hofflieim) 
Schwab  moved  to  Maryland,  locating  near  Baltimore,  where  on  May 
8,  1794,  a  son  was  born  to  them,  whom  they  named  Michael.  But 
the  family  again  returned  to  Kentucky,  where  the  son  grew  up, 
learned  the  shoemaker's  trade  and  became  a  merchant.  And  here  we 
find  the  name  in  the  record  changed  to  Swope.  Michael  Swope,  on 
December  3,  1813,  was  married  in  Kentucky  to  Miss  Jane  Ringo,  she 
being  born  of  German  parents,  September  23,  1792.  In  1835  the 
family  emigrated  from  Kentucky  and  settled  down  in  Scott  County, 
Indiana.  Michael  Swope  died  August  11,  1877,  his  wife  having  pre- 
ceded him  in  death  August  11,  1866.  Albert  P.  Swope,  a  son  of 
Michael  and  Jane  (Ringo)  Swope,  was  born  near  Lexington,  Ken- 
tucky, March  10,  1819,  and  came  with  his  parents  when  they  located 
in  Scott  County,  Indiana,  in  1835.  He  followed  farming,  and  was 
married  to  Caroline  T.  Sullivan,  September  2,  1842.  Albert  P.  Swope 
died  in  this  city  November  20,  1909,  his  wife  preceding  him  in  death 
June  18,  1899.  Homer  M.  Swope,  the  son  of  Albert  P.  and  Caroline 
T.  (Sullivan)  Swope,  was  born  May  15,  1857,  in  Vienna,  Scott  County, 
Indiana,  and  came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents,  where  they,  in  Oetober, 
1857,  located  on  a  farm  between  Camp  Point  and  Clayton  in  Adams 
County.    He  attended  the  district  school  and  then  entered  Carthage 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COCNTV  28a 

College  for  four  years,  graduating  in  1879.  Tauglit  school  at  Wag- 
ner's Bridge,  eleven  miles  south  of  Beardstown,  Cass  County.  Illinois, 
for  one  year.  Came  to  (^uincy,  where  he  read  law  in  .Sil)iey,  Carter 
&  Govcrts  office  for  one  year.  In  1882  he  entered  the  law  depart- 
ment of  the  university  at  Ann  Arhor,  Michif^an,  which  he  attended 
for  two  years,  graduating  in  June,  1884.  Locating  in  (^uincy,  where 
he  began  practicing  law,  he  on  Jlay  18, 1887,  was  married  to  Mis.s  Ilallie 
Bradley.  In  April,  1891,  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  city  attorney, 
which  office  lie  held  for  four  successive  terms,  being  re-elected  three 
times.  In  1896  he  was  appointed  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  by 
Mayor  John  A.  Steinbadi  for  a  term  of  two  years.  In  1903.  under 
the  general  school  law,  he  was  elected  as  a  member  of  the  school  board 
for  a  term  of  three  years,  being  re-elected  for  two  more  terms,  he 
served  eleven  years  altogether  on  that  ])oard.  At  present  he  is  presi- 
dent of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Quincy  Public  Library.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Homer  M.  Swope  have  thi"ee  children,  Lillian,  Alma  and 
Homer  J.  Swope. 

George  Washington  Goodner  in  Quincy  is  a  descendant  of  early 
German  pioneers,  that  located  in  Xorth  Carolina,  more  than  loO  years 
ago.  The  name  evidently  was  written  Uutner  (pronounced  Gootner), 
and  this  in  the  course  of  time  led  to  the  name  Goodner.  What  today 
is  known  as  Xorth  Carolina  originally  was  called  Carolana,  named 
after  Charles  I,  King  of  England,  Scotland  and  Ireland,  who  in  1630 
granted  the  land  located  between  the  31st  and  36th  degrees  of  latitude, 
and  for  a  distance  of  1,000  miles  west  from  the  coast,  to  Sir  Robert 
Heath,  his  attorney  general,  who  later  transferred  the  grant  to  Earl 
Arundel.  But  neither  of  the  two  grantees  complying  with  the  con- 
ditions of  the  grant,  nanu'ly,  to  induce  immigrants  to  locate  in  that 
vast  territory,  the  grant  was  revoked  in  1663  by  Charles  II.  As  far  as 
known  the  first  settlement  of  Germans  was  established  at  New  Bern, 
North  Carolina,  in  1709,  by  Christoph  Von  GrafFenried,  and  Louis 
Michel,  650  of  the  first  immigrants  coming  from  the  Palatinate  (Pfalz) 
and  1,500  from  Switzerland.  Sixty  of  those  pioneers  were  ma.ssacred 
by  Indians  at  the  conflux  of  the  Neuse  and  Trent  rivers.  The  ancestors 
of  George  Washington  Goodner  came  from  the  Palatinate  and  .settled 
down  in  Guilford  County,  North  Carolina,  in  the  forejjart  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  His  grandfather  was  Conrad  Goodner  (Gutner), 
and  his  grandmother  Elizabeth  Scherer,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Daniel 
and  Sophia  (Dick)  Scherer,  of  Guilford  County.  North  Carolina. 
When  One  considers  the  condition  of  things  at  that  time  existing, 
especially  in  the  Palatinate,  in  Germany,  the  results  of  the  Thirty 
Years'  war  from  1618  to  1648,  making  themselves  felt  for  a  century 
and  more,  it  may  be  readily  understood  what  induced  untold  thou- 
sands of  people  to  leave  that  country  and  look  for  a  home  in  the 
new  world,  which  appeared  to  them  as  the  promised  laiul.  according 
to  the  old  saying:  "distance  lends  enchantment." 

George  Washington  Goodtier  has  in  his  jiossession  a  letter,  dated 


284  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

April  19,  1764,  and  written  by  George  Theobald  Scherer,  residing 
in  Oberbexbaeh,  Rhenish  Bavaria,  to  his  brother,  Jacob  Daniel  Scherer 
(the  great-grandfather  of  G.  "W.  Goodner),  in  Guilford  County,  North 
Carolina.  The  contents  of  this  letter  afford  an  insight  into  conditions 
prevailing  at  that  time.  George  Theobald  Scherer  wanted  to  join  his 
brother  Jacob  Daniel  Scherer  "in  the  new  country,"  and  sold  his 
land,  having  executed  a  deed  to  the  party  buying  the  estate.  But 
before  he  was  able  to  consummate  the  deal,  he  was  ofiScially  notified 
by  the  magistrate,  that  the  sale  would  have  to  be  revoked,  otherwise 
his  property  and  that  of  his  brother  would  be  confiscated.  Conse- 
quently the  sale  was  annulled.  The  reason  for  all  this  was  explained 
as  follows :  After  sufi'ering  for  many  years  from  continued  wars, 
the  Palatinate  was  slowly  recovering  and  the  authorities  were  averse 
to  allowing  people  to  emigrate  and  taking  the  money  (gold),  which 
they  received  for  their  possessions,  out  of  the  countrj'  to  a  far  distant 
land. 

The  genealogy'  of  the  Scherer  family  for  five  generations  is  as  fol- 
lows: (1)  Jacob  Daniel  Scherer;  (2)  Frederick  Scherer;  (3)  Jacob 
Scherer;  (4)  Rev.  Simeon  Scherer;  (5)  Rev.  M.  G.  G.  Scherer,  D.  D. 
The  latter  formerly  was  professor  at  Mount  Pleasant  Seminary,  and 
at  present  is  a  Lutheran  pastor  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  He 
has  been  in  correspondence  with  his  relative,  George  Washington 
Goodner  in  Quincy,  and  in  one  of  his  letters  stated  that  the  college 
known  as  Whitsett  Institute  is  located  on  the  old  Scherer  homestead, 
near  Allemance  Postoffice,  North  Carolina.  Jacob  Daniel  Scherer's 
grandson,  Jacob  Scherer,  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Closer,  a  daughter 
of  ]\Iichael  ]Moser,  who  had  four  or  five  brothers  in  Tennessee  and 
Ohio.  Conrad  and  Elizabeth  (Scherer)  Goodner  were  married  in  Guil- 
ford County,  North  Carolina,  and  emigrated  to  Sullivan  County, 
Tennessee,  where  their  son,  Benjamin  Goodner,  was  born  June  6, 
1795.  Later  the  family  moved  to  Smith  County,  Tennessee.  Either 
in  1812  or  in  1813  the  family  emigrated  to  Illinois,  locating  at  Fort 
Massac,  Johnston  County,  and  finally  settling  in  St.  Clair  County, 
where  George  "Washington  Goodner,  the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Nancy 
(Jackson)  Goodner,  was  born  ilay  13,  1833.  Benjamin  Goodner 
had  six  brothers.  George  Washington  Goodner  in  1863  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  Huff  (Hoff'>  of  Decatur,  Illinois;  she  died  in  1877. 
In  1881  he  was  married  to  Alice  E.  Demsey,  now  living.  George 
Washington  Goodner  has  four  children  living,  namely :  George  Wil- 
liam Goodner,  in  Southern  ^lissouri ;  John  Lewis  Goodner,  in  Omaha, 
Nebraska ;  'Sirs.  Lennie  Goit  and  William  Raphael  Goodner,  both  in 
Chicago. 

It  was  in  the  fall  of  1903,  when  the  writer  of  this  history  met 
Hiram  Franklin  Cassell,  who  gave  an  interesting  story  about  the 
genealogy  of  his  family,  which  was  of  German  origin :  Michael  Cas- 
sell. born  in  Hessen-Cassel,  witli  liis  wife  and  one  son  came  to  America 


(^riXCV  AXI)  ADA.MS  COrXTV  285 

in  1696.  Their  emigration  no  doubt  was  due  to  the  adverse  conditions 
existing  in  the  country  of  their  birth,  as  the  result  of  the  Thirty 
Years'  war,  1618-1648.  They  settled  down  in  what  now  is  Wash- 
ington County,  Virginia,  where  the  son,  Abraham  Gabriel  Cassell, 
born  in  the  fatherland  1695,  grew  up,  and  in  1762,  being  in  the  sixty- 
eighth  year  of  his  life,  married  Miss  Bessie  Fleener  (Klieimcr?), 
nineteen  years  of  age.  January  14,  1763,  a  son  was  born  to  them, 
whom  they  named  Michael :  when  this  son  was  in  the  fifteenth  year 
of  his  life,  he  enlisteil  as  a  tifer  in  the  American  army  during  the  War 
of  the  Revolution,  taking  part  in  the  battle  of  Bennington,  August 
16,  1777,  under  Gen.  John  Stark.  It  was  on  this  memorable  occasion 
when  General  Stark,  pointing  at  the  enemy,  said  to  his  .soldiers,  that 
he  would  gain  a  victory,  or  Molly  Stark  should  he  a  widow  that  night; 
then  Michael  Cas.sell,  the  youth  still  in  his  teens,  picked  up  a  gun, 
also  taking  an  active  part  in  the  engagement,  which  resulted  vie- 
toriousfy  for  the  Americans.  Later  on  he  served  under  Gen.  William 
Henry  Harrison  against  tlie  Indians,  who  at  that  time  under  Chief 
Tecumseh  were  committing  all  kinds  of  depredations,  killing  the  set- 
tlers, pillaging  and  destroj'ing  their  settlements.  He  took  part  in 
the  Battle  of  Tippecanoe,  on  the  banks  of  the  Tippecanoe  River, 
November  5,  1811. 

Tecumseh 's  brother,  prophet  of  the  tribe,  in  the  absence  of  the 
chief,  who  was  attempting  to  form  an  alliance  with  tribes  from  the 
south  for  hostilities  against  the  whites,  demanded  a  parley  and  a 
council  was  propo.sed  for  the  next  day.  But  while  General  Harrison 's 
little  army,  consisting  of  300  regulars  and  500  militia  men.  were  .sound 
asleep,  the  Indians  suddenly  attacked  the  camp  at  4  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  A  desperate  fight  ensued,  lasting  till  daylight  and  the  In- 
dians finally  were  defeated  and  dispersed.  Michael  Cassell  in  the 
course  of  time  attained  the  rank  of  colonel.  His  son,  John  Franklin 
Ca.ssell,  born  January  1,  1799,  in  Wa.shington  County,  Virginia,  in- 
herited the  martial  spirit  of  his  father,  enlisting  in  the  American  army 
as  a  fifer  during  the  War  of  1812,  and  took  part  in  the  Battle  of  Xew 
Orleans,  which  was  fought  at  Chalmette,  about  four  miles  below 
the  city,  January  8,  1815.  Ooneral  Jackson,  in  command  of  the 
Americans,  with  a  force  of  6,000  men,  repulsed  Sir  Edward  Paken- 
ham's  army  of  12,000  British  veterans.  Pakenham  lost  his  life,  while 
700  of  his  men  were  killed,  1,400  wounded  and  500  taken  prisoner. 
The  loss  of  the  Americans  amounted  to  8  men  killed  and  13  wounded. 
This  remarkable  result  is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  General 
Jackson's  men  were  entrenched,  and  protected  by  sandbags  and  cotton 
bales.  Later  John  Franklin  Ca-ssell  served  in  the  Blackhawk  war, 
attaining  the  rank  of  major;  he  also  served  in  the  Mexican  war  as 
colonel.  In  1848  he  settled  down  in  Clayton.  Adams  County.  Illinois; 
he  was  a  smith  and  gunsmith,  which  trade  he  learned  from  his  father. 
He  died  March  23,  1886,  aged  eighty-seven  years. 

Hiram  Franklin  Cassell.  a  son  of  John  Franklin  Cassell,  was  born 
August  28,  1843,  in  Fort  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  his  father  at  that  time 


286  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

being  in  command  of  the  post.  At  the  beginning  of  the  "War  of  the 
Rebellion  he  enlisted  in  the  Eighth  Illinois  Infantry,  serving  four 
years  and  five  months  to  the  end  of  the  war.  In  1866  he  enlisted  in 
the  Third  Regular  Cavalry,  in  which  he  served  si.x  years  and  seven 
months,  taking  part  in  the  different  Indian  wars.  At  the  massacre  of 
Julesburg,  Colorado,  perpetrated  by  Indians  in  1868,  he  saved  the  life 
of  Charles  Boone,  a  grandson  of  Daniel  Boone,  the  famous  backwoods- 
man and  trapper.  In  1869  Hiram  Franklin  Cassell  was  captured  by 
Cheyenne  Indians  at  Plain  Creek,  sixteen  miles  from  Fort  Kearney ; 
they  traded  liim  for  four  ponies  to  the  Red  Cloud  Sioux,  being  held 
by  the  latter  in  captivity  for  eleven  months,  until  Gen.  George  A. 
Custer  (Kuester)  defeated  those  Indians  at  Devil's  Lake,  Idaho,  and 
Cassell  was  rescued.  (Custer's  ancestor,  a  Hessian  soldier,  was  paroled 
1778  after  Burgoyne's  surrender  at  Saratoga.  His  name  Kuester, 
hard  to  pronounce  for  English  tongues,  was,  like  so  many  others, 
changed  to  a  form  of  easier  pronunciation.  Custer  was  a  graduate  of 
West  Point.  As  a  commander  of  cavalry  divisions  he  fought  in  many 
battles  of  the  Civil  war,  and  was  appointed  brigadier-general  for  gal- 
lantry. With  great  distinction  he  served  in  several  campaigns  against 
the  Indians.  But  on  June  26,  1876,  when  he  with  250  men  da.shed 
into  overwhelming  masses  of  Sioux  Indians,  he  became  surrounded. 
In  the  desperate  battle  Custer,  as  well  as  his  brother.  First  Lieutenant 
Thomas  Custer,  and  all  soldiers  were  massacred  to  the  last  man.  The 
fight  is  known  as  the  Custer  massacre  at  the  Little  Big  Horn  River, 
Montana.) 

Solomon  Cassell  and  William  Cassell,  uncles,  and  James  Cassell, 
a  brother  of  Hiram  Franklin  Cassell,  also  served  in  the  Eighth  Illinois 
Infantry;  besides  these,  two  brothers,  Abraham  Cassell  and  Gabriel 
Ca.ssell,  and  a  nephew,  Anderson  N.  Cassell,  served  in  the  Fiftieth 
Illinois  Infantry.  Finally  a  grand-nephew,  Alonzo  G.  Cassell,  served 
in  the  Forty-third  United  States  Regiment  in  the  Spanish-American 
war.  Hiram  Franklin  Cassell  took  part  in  twenty-two  battles  and 
engagements  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  His  uncle,  William 
Cassell,  lo.st  his  life  in  the  second  battle  of  Jackson,  Mississippi,  July 
7,  1864.  Hiram  Franklin  Cassell  and  his  only  daughter  are  at  this 
writing  living  in  Kansas  City,  ilissouri;  his  only  son,  Warren  L. 
Cassell,  is  sergeant  of  the  police  force  in  Quincy. 

After  the  foregoing  record  of  old  pioneers,  who  came  to  America 
in  the  earl.y  Colonial  days,  as  far  as  the  writer  of  this  history  was 
able  to  learn  that  record,  we  now  get  doM'n  to  those  who  came  some- 
what later. 

Settlers  of  1833 

The  first  German  family  locating  in  Quincy  was  that  of  Anton 
Delabar,  who  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  Juliane,  aged  ten  years, 
came  to  this  city  in  1833.  Anton  Delabar  was  born  in  1798  in 
Schelingen,    Grand-duchy   of  Baden,   while   his   wife,   Barbara,   nee 


(^rJNCY  AND  ADA.MS  C'OrXTY  287 

Linncniaiin,  was  Ixirn  in  1799  in  IIorliolilsluMin.  liiulen.  Anton  Doiabar 
was  a  carpenter,  and  erected  the  tirst  sawmill  on  the  ereck  at  Third 
and  Delaware  streets,  being  assisted  by  Henry  Grimm,  an  old  pioneer 
who  came  to  this  eity  in  1834.  the  mill  being  rnn  by  water-power. 
Delabar  also  ereeted  the  first  brewery  on  Kentncky,  between  Fourth 
and  Fifth  streets,  later  removing  it  to  Front  and  Spring  streets,  where 
he  continued  the  business  for  many  years.  Anton  Delabar  was  one 
of  the  first  judges  of  election  in  1840.  when  the  question  of  incor- 
porating Quiney  as  a  eity  was  voted  on  by  the  people.  When  the 
votes  were  canva.ssed  on  Mardi  18.  1840,  it  was  found  that  228  votes 
were  in  favor  and  12  votes  against  a  city  charter,  which  thus  was 
adopted.  In  184")  Anton  Delabar  organized  the  .second  German 
military  company  in  Quiney.  the  "Quiney  Jaeger"  (the  first  German 
military  company,  the  Quiney  German  Guards,  being  organizeil  in 
1844  by  John  Bernhard  Schwindclcr,  taking  part  in  the  .Mormon 
war).  The  "Quiney  Jaeger"  Company  continued  in  existence  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  in  1861,  when  it  formed  the  nucleus 
of  Comjjany  II,  the  Gernmn  company  of  the  Sixteenth  Illinois  In- 
fantrj'.  Capt.  Anton  Delabar  was  for  many  years  prominent  as  a 
business  man  in  this  eity.  Ilis  wife  dying  in  1860.  he  in  later  years 
returned  to  his  old  home  in  Baden,  where  he  died  in  1880.  Juliane, 
the  eldest  daughter,  who  with  her  parents  eame  from  Germany,  grew 
up  in  this  city  and  was  married  to  Adolph  Kaeltz.  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  Quiney.  Louise,  another  daughter  of  Anton  and  Barbara  (Linne- 
mann)  Delabar,  was  born  in  Quiney  Mareh  21,  1835,  being  the  first 
child  of  German  parents  born  in  this  eity.  She  was  married  to  Her- 
man C.  Schroer.  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Quiney.  who  died  September 
5,  1866.  Louise  Schroer  departed  from  this  life  March  9,  1909.  One 
.son.  P.  A.  (Duke)  Schroer.  city  clerk  of  Quiney.  was  born  September 
19,  1865.  After  acquiring  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  he 
learned  the  printer's  trade  in  the  offices  of  the  Manufacturers'  Ex- 
change, the  ^Modern  Argo  and  the  Quiney  Journal,  serving  on  the 
reportorial  staff  of  the  latter  paper  and  also  on  the  Quiney  Herald. 
He  was  private  secretary  to  the  Hon.  J.  Ross  Jliekey,  representative 
of  the  Fifteenth  Congressional  District  of  Illinois,  from  December, 
1901,  to  March  4.  190,3.  A  vacancy  occurring  in  the  office  of  city 
clerk  in  1910.  be  was  appointed  by  Mayor  John  A.  Steinbach  to  fill 
the  vacancy  for  the  remainder  of  the  term,  after  which  he  was  elected 
to  the  office  by  a  vote  of  the  people,  for  three  successive  terms.  Novem- 
ber 25,  1894.  P.  A.  Duke  Schroer  married  Miss  Mary  Ellen  Brophy, 
daughter  of  George  Brophy.  for  many  years  circuit  clerk  of  Adams 
County.  They  have  one  son,  George  Carl,  and  one  daughter,  Catherine 
Julia. 

Charles  Delabar,  a  son  of  Anton  and  Barbara  (Linnemann)  Dela- 
bar, was  born  in  Quiney,  in  1839.  He  grew  up  to  manhood  in  this  city 
and  became  interested  in  the  business  ventures  of  his  father.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  Civil  war  Charles  Delabar  rallied  to  the  defense  of 
the  Union,  enlisting  in  Company  H,  Sixteenth  Illinois  Infantry,  and 


288  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

was  elected  as  second  lieutenant  of  the  company.  But  his  father, 
being  well  along  in  years,  needed  the  assistance  of  his  only  son  in 
business,  and  so  he  resigned  and  came  home.  He  married  Miss  Anna 
Thompson,  whose  father  for  many  years  held  a  responsible  position 
with  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quiney  Railroad,  having  charge  of 
what  is  knowai  as  Thompson's  Switch,  north  of  the  city.  Charles 
Delabar  at  this  writing  lives  in  Chicago  Heights,  where  he  has  two 
daughters,  Mrs.  John  Cordes  and  ^Irs.  Charles  Lepper,  his  wife 
having  died  many  years  ago. 

As  far  as  known,  several  other  German  families  came  to  Quiney 
in  1833,  namely :  Christian  Gottlob  Dickhut,  who  was  born  in  Muehl- 
hausen,  Thuringia,  Germany,  January  4,  1804.  In  the  year  1828  he 
married  Johanna  E.  Schmidt,  also  born  in  Muehlhausen,  February 
8,  1810.  They  came  to  America  in  1831,  locating  in  Pittsburgh.  Penn- 
sylvania. In  1833  they  came  to  Quiney  and  shortly  afterward  moved 
to  the  Mill  Creek,  seven  miles  south  of  the  city,  where  Mr.  Dickhut 
built  a  log  cabin  and  went  to  farming.  But  he  was  taken  down  with 
malaria,  and  after  suffering  for  a  whole  year,  he  tore  down  his 
cabin,  brought  the  material  to  Quiney,  where  he  rebuilt  it  and  made 
his  home  in  the  city,  where  he  occupied  a  prominent  position  in 
business,  as  a  contractor  and  a  merchant.  While  in  the  contracting 
business  he,  together  with  the  early  pioneers,  Paul  Konantz  and  Anton 
Guth,  carried  out  the  work  of  grading  ]\Iaine  and  Hampshire  streets 
from  Third  Street  to  the  river  front,  quite  an  undertaking,  consider- 
ing the  high  bluffs  and  the  primitive  implements  of  those  days.  During 
the  "gold  fever"  of  1850,  Christian  Gottlob  Dickhut,  in  company 
with  his  son  Charles  W.  Dickhut,  Charles  Pfeiffer,  and  another  pioneer, 
crossed  the  plains  with  two  prairie  schooners  drawn  by  oxen.  After 
an  absence  of  one  year  they  returned  by  crossing  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama,  thence  to  New  Orleans  and  from  there  by  river  to  Quiney. 
Christian  Gottlob  Dickhut  died  in  Quiney,  August  12,  1878,  his  wife 
died  August  17,  1885,  in  California,  where  she  had  gone  with  some 
of  her  children. 

Charles  W.  Dickhut,  a  son  of  Christian  Gottlob  and  Johanna 
(Schmidt)  Dickhut,  was  born  in  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  March  1, 
1833,  and  came  to  Quiney  with  his  parents  in  the  same  year.  He 
grew  up  in  this  county  and  followed  farming  in  Ellington  and  Mel- 
rose tovniships.  During  the  war  he  served  in  the  One  Hundred  and 
Eighteenth  Illinois  Infantry.  He  finally  located  in  Kansas,  where  he 
died  in  1910.  His  wife,  Margaret,  nee  Stork,  at  this  writing  resides 
in  Nickerson,  Kansas.  George  Dickhut,  the  next  son  of  Christian 
Gottlob  and  Johanna  (Schmidt)  Dickhut,  was  born  in  this  city  May 
24,  1835 ;  he  married  Catherine  Dingeldein,  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer 
Sebastian  Dingeldein,  and  became  a  farmer.  His  first  wife  died  and 
he  married  JIary  Sehuchmann.  Later  he  came  to  Quiney  and  was 
humane  officer  for  some  yeai'S.  He  died  May  18,  1912.  One  daughter, 
]Mrs.  Addie  Tilden,  lives  in   Chicago ;  one  son,  William,  in  Denver, 


QI'INCY  AND  ADA.MS  COrXTV  289 

Colorado,  is  coiuliu'tor  on  the  Burlington  Railroad;  another  son,  Roj-, 
is  engaged  as  fruit  raiser  in  Florence,  Colorado ;  and  still  another 
son,  Arthur,  lives  in  Texas.  William  C.  Dickhut,  born  in  1837,  farmed 
for  some  time,  then  eame  to  town,  where  he  served  on  the  police 
force  for  years,  until  he  died  about  twenty-two  years  ago ;  his  widow, 
Caroline,  nee  Garbrecht,  is  living  in  Ocean  Park,  California,  with  her 
daughter,  Jlrs.  Ada  Sowers.  Christian  G.  Dickhut,  the  youngest  sou 
of  Christian  Gottlob  and  Johanna  (Schmidt)  Dickhut.  was  born  in 
(^uincy  February  1,  1847 ;  he  grew  up  in  this  city,  served  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Infantiy  during  the  Civil  war,  and 
later  married  Lizzie  Tliocle  of  this  city.  For  manj-  years  he  was 
engaged  as  solicitor  in  the  coal  business.  His  wife  died  JIarch  3, 
1913.  lie  has  the  following  children :  Minnie,  wife  of  George  Dasbaeh  ; 
Alfred,  machinist  in  Quincy;  Emma,  stenographer  witli  the  Swift 
Packing  Co.,  Chicago;  Irene,  stenographer  in  the  State  Street  Bank; 
Myrtle,  at  home;  Ralph,  member  of  the  fire  department;  Ruth,  ste- 
nographer with  the  E.  "SI.  Miller  Co. 

Christian  Gottlob  and  Johanna  (Schmidt)  Dickhut  had  the  fol- 
lowing daughters,  still  living:  Emily,  wife  of  Henry  Beutel,  who  was 
lieutenant  in  the  Forty-third  Illinois  Infantry,  both  are  living  in 
I'kiali,  California;  Carrie,  widow  of  Arthur  Bitle,  in  yiiles  City, 
^Montana;  ]Mathilde,  wife  of  Charles  Smith,  in  this  city;  and  Ruth, 
in  Richmond,  California. 

Christopher  William  Dickhut  was  born  in  Muehlhausen,  Thuringia, 
1806,  and  married  Caroline  Schmidt ;  she  was  born  in  the  same  town 
in  1808.  In  1831  he  with  his  wife  accompanied  his  brother.  Christian 
Gottlob  Dickhut,  to  Pittsl)urgh,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1833  also  came 
to  Quinc}'.  He  was  a  gunsmith  and  locksmith  by  profession.  One 
son.  Charles  Christopher  Dickhut,  conducted  a  drug  store  in  Quincy 
for  a  number  of  years  until  his  death  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
nineties.  Another  son,  Frederick  William  Dickhut,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  Civil  war  was  among  the  first  volunteers,  enlisting  in  Com- 
pany A,  Tenth  Illinois  Infantry,  being  selected  as  a  corporal.  After 
serving  for  three  months  under  the  first  call  of  President  Lincoln, 
Frederick  W.  Dickhut  enlisted  in  the  Third  Illinois  Cavalry,  as  first 
lieutenant  of  Companj-  F,  serving  during  the  war.  After  the  war 
he  entered  the  mail  sers'iee  of  the  Government,  and  later  went  to 
Indianapolis  where  he  still  resides.  Christopher  'William  and  Caroline 
(Schmidt)  Dickhut  had  one  daughter,  ilarie,  who  in  1857  was  mar- 
ried to  Rev.  H.  Koenecke,  pastor  of  the  German  Methodist  Church, 
but  has  long  since  died. 

Settlers  of  1834 

Joseph  Mast  was  born  in  Forcbhcim,  Baden,  Germany,  in  1811, 
and  came  to  this  city  in  1834.  He  was  a  nephew  of  Jlichael  Mast, 
the  first  German  who  settled  in  Quincy  in  1829.  The  fact  that  Michael 
Mast  was  the  first  f!fi-iiian   ])iniieer  in  this  city,  soon  induced  other 


290  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

relatives  and  friends  to  make  their  home  here.  In  1838  Joseph  Mast 
married  Anna  Maria  Bross,  they  being  the  first  German  couple 
married  in  the  Catholic  Church  in  Qiiincy.  Anna  Maria  Bross  was 
born  in  the  year  1819  in  Elgesweier,  Baden,  and  came  with  her  pai-ents 
to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  in  1832.  From  there  the  family,  consisting 
of  father,  mother,  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  came  overland  in 
a  prairie  schooner,  drawn  by  hoi'ses,  to  Qiiincy.  When  they  arrived 
here  in  1836,  there  was  no  vacant  dwelling  in  the  town,  and  so  they 
camped  out  under  a  mighty  tree  until  a  loghouse  was  built.  Joseph 
Mast  for  many  years  conducted  a  grocery  business.  He  died  in  1891, 
his  wife  surviving  him;  she  departed  this  life  in  1902.  Joseph  and 
Anna  Maria  (Bross)  Mast  had  two  sons,  Joseph  and  John  Mast,  who 
for  a  number  of  years  were  engaged  in  the  grocery  business.  Joseph 
Mast  died  twenty  years  ago,  while  John  Mast  is  among  the  living. 
Besides  there  are  four  daughters,  ilrs.  Christina  Sonnet,  Mrs.  Alfred 
Kurz,  Mrs.  "William  Kurz  and  Miss  Emilie  Mast,  all  in  Quincy. 
Another  daughter,  Mrs.  Edward  Meyer,  died  three  years  ago. 

A  letter,  which  Joseph  ]Mast  on  July  20,  1834,  wrote  from  Quincy 
to  his  parents,  whom  he  had  left  in  the  fatherland,  is  still  in  existence, 
in  the  hands  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Christina  Sonnet  in  this  city.  The 
writer  gives  an  interesting  account  of  the  voyage  across  the  ocean. 
There  were  190  passengers,  all  from  the  Grandduchy  of  Baden,  on 
board  of  the  Bolivar,  a  sailing  vessel.  They  left  Havre,  France,  April 
5,  1834,  and  arrived  at  New  Orleans  June  2d,  the  trip  taking  fifty- 
eight  days.  The  cholera  raging  in  the  city,  they  left  New  Orleans 
the  next  day  after  their  arrival,  taking  a  boat  for  the  north.  When 
they  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  River  in  the  night  at  10  o'clock, 
they  had  to  leave  the  boat,  which  was  bound  for  Louisville,  Kentucky. 
At  the  present  site  of  Cairo  they  camped  out  over  night,  gathering 
a  pile  of  wood  and  building  a  real  campfire.  The  next  morning  they 
went  aboard  another  boat  for  St.  Louis,  where  they  arrived  June 
13th,  and  left  by  boat  the  next  day.  In  the  following  night  their  boat 
collided  with  another  boat  coming  down  stream,  and  they  came  near 
being  shipwrecked,  but  finally  reached  Quincy  on  June  16th.  The 
condition  of  things  as  he  found  them  here  did  not  seem  to  appeal  to 
the  writer,  for  he  advised  his  parents  to  stay  in  their  home  in  Ger- 
many. 

Michael  Weltin,  born  in  1802  in  Forchheim,  Baden,  grew  up  to 
manhood  in  the  fatherland,  and  married  Katherine  ililler,  also  born 
in  Forchheim  in  1804.  In  the  fall  of  1833  the  couple  emigrated  from 
their  old  home  to  America,  arriving  in  Quincy  January  31,  1834, 
accompanied  by  one  daughter,  Maria  Anna,  born  in  1826,  and  one 
son,  Theodore,  born  October  28,  1828.  Michael  Weltin  went  to  farm- 
ing near  the  IMill  Creek,  and  died  December  30,  1851,  while  his  wife 
lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-two  years.  Theodore  Weltin  was  apprenticed 
to  a  saddler  and  harnessmaker  in  Quincy,  and  after  learning  the  trade 
later  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Weltin  &  Wilhelm,  manu- 


QriNTT  A\D  ADAMS  fOrXTY  291 

facturers  of  and  dealers  in  saddlery  and  harness,  in  which  business 
he  was  engaged  for  many  years,  until  he  retired  from  active  business 
life.  Marclj  3,  1851,  Tlieodore  Weltin  married  Katberine  Kun.  also 
born  in  Forchheim,  Baden.  She  preceded  her  husband  in  death  in 
1903,  while  the  latter  died  December  15,  1907.  Their  children  were : 
ilary,  wife  of  Frederick  Flaiz,  died  some  years  ago;  Theresia,  wife 
of  Joseph  Sohm,  at  this  writing  lives  in  San  Francisco,  California, 
her  husband  having  died  six  years  ago;  Helena,  wife  of  John  Sohm 
in  Quincy:  Anna,  wife  of  Joseph  Sommers,  a  teacher,  in  St.  Louis; 
Elizabeth  Uhli,  widow,  in  St.  Louis;  Louise,  wife  of  Eugene  Flaiz  in 
Quincy;  Albert  Weltin,  the  son.  who  was  engineer  on  the  Wiggins 
Ferry  at  East  .St.  Louis,  died  some  years  ago. 

Maria  Anna,  the  eldest  daughter  of  ^Michael  and  Katherine  (Mil- 
ler) Weltin.  was  married  to  Frank  Werner,  bom  January  7,  1820, 
in  Lautcrbach,  Granddijchy  of  liessen,  who  conducted  a  notion  store 
in  Quincy  until  his  death,  February  23,  1869,  after  which  the  busi- 
nes-s  wa,s  conducted  by  the  widow,  who  died  Januarj-  24,  1901. 

John  Stephen  Weltin,  born  in  Forchheim  Augiist  15,  1830,  re- 
mained on  the  Weltin  farm  on  Mill  Creek  until  1865,  where  he  died 
December  12,  1857 ;  his  son,  John  S.  Weltin,  is  at  present  with  the 
Tenk  Hardware  Company  in  Quincy.  Joseph  Adam  Weltin,  bom 
December  8,  1833,  grew  up  and  remained  on  the  farm  for  many  years, 
but  later  came  to  the  city,  where  he  engaged  in  the  express  business 
until  his  death  in  1872.  Sophia  Weltin,  born  November  1,  1839, 
was  married  to  John  Werner,  a  saddler;  both  are  dead.  Charles  F. 
Weltin,  born  February  28,  1843.  was  a  hatter  with  the  firm  of  Laage 
&  Barnum,  until  1861,  when  he  moved  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  went 
into  the  grocerj'  business,  until  his  death,  December  13,  1899. 

Michael  Weltin,  Jr.,  bom  September  29,  1845,  grew  up  on  the 
Weltin  farm,  later  came  to  the  city,  where  he  married  Wilhelmina 
Flaiz,  daughter  of  Xavier  and  Maria  Gesina  (Beratzen)  Flaiz.  He 
wa.s  mailing  clerk  in  the  Quincy  postoffice  for  about  ten  years.  In 
March,  1878,  he  entered  the  Farmers  Jlill,  as  manager  of  the  busi- 
ness, which  position  he  held  until  his  death.  May  11.  1911.  The 
widow  survives  with  three  children,  namely :  Otto  JI.  Weltin.  manager 
of  the  Farmers  Mill ;  I\Iathilde  Weltin,  bookkeeper  of  the  farmers 
Mill,  and  Mrs.  Dorothy  Weltin  Brown. 

John  E.  Weltin,  the  youngest  .son  of  Michael  and  Katherine  (Mil- 
ler) Weltin,  was  bom  December  20,  1847,  on  the  Weltin  farm,  and 
lattr  came  to  the  city,  where  he  for  a  number  of  years  was  employed 
by  the  Palmer  Bakery.  Then  he  entered  the  sers'ices  of  H.  A.  Pulte, 
the  drj-  goods  man ;  later  he  worked  for  Hcnrj'  Ridder,  dealer  in 
crockery  and  chinaware;  for  a  short  time  he  conducted  a  business 
of  his  own,  after  which  he  entered  the  services  of  Sohm,  Rickcr  & 
Weisenhorn,  dealers  in  crockery  and  chinaware;  and  finally  he  was 
with  the  Dick  Bros.  Quincy  Brewery.  Now  he  has  retired.  In  1870 
John  E.  Weltin  married  Mary  Elizabeth  Groeninger.  of  St.  Louis. 
They  have  seven  children :  Matt  Weltin,  traveling  ,solicitor,  residing 


292  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

in  Carthage,  Missouri;  Antou  "Weltin  of  the  Weltiu  Shoe  Co.,  in 
Quincy;  J.  E.  Weltin,  a  printer;  Edith  Weltin;  Mrs.  G.  Bunte; 
Mi-s.  J.  W.  Herbst,  and  Mrs.  Clay  Stivei's. 

Henry  ilaus.  born  1792  in  Gross-Biberau,  Grandduehy  of  Hessen, 
with  his  wife,  JIargaret,  nee  Storck,  in  183-4  left  the  fatherland  for 
America.  They  came  via  Baltimore,  finally  locating  in  Quincy,  six 
months  after  they  had  left  the  home  of  their  childhood.  With  them 
came  their  daughter,  Katherine,  who  in  1850  was  married  to  Jacob 
Hirth,  one  of  the  pioueei's  of  this  city.  Six  months  after  their  arrival 
in  Quincy  Henry  ]\Iaus  and  family  moved  to  the  country,  locating  on 
a  farm  six  miles  east  of  town,  where  he  went  to  farming.  His  first 
wagon  was  a  rather  primitive  vehicle,  the  wheels  being  sawed  from 
the  trunk  of  a  might.y  sycamore.  Kegarding  the  experience  of  Henry 
Mans  as  a  farmer,  the  following  incident  is  interesting :  A  trilie  of 
Indians,  that  came  along  one  day,  stole  a  lot  of  farm  products  from 
his  field.  Henrj^  Maus  became  angry  and  complained  to  the  chief  of 
the  ti'ibe,  who  said:  "That  my  people  steal  cannot  be  justified;  I 
am  sorry  to  say,  we  have  no  money  to  make  good  the  damage  done  to 
you,  but  (pointing  to  a  white  mule,  belonging  to  the  tribe),  I  will 
give  you  the  mule  to  indemnify  you."  Henry  Maus  accepted  the 
apologj'  and  the  offer ;  ' '  and  that  mule, ' '  as  the  story  runs,  ' '  lived  for 
twenty-five  years  afterward,  and  was  for  many  years  the  only  one 
of  his  kind  in  this  count.y."  The  wife  of  Henry  ilaus  died  in  1845, 
while  he  lived  until  1859,  having  retired  from  active  life,  spending 
his  declining  years  in  the  city.  George  Petrie,  born  April  25,  1815, 
in  Gross-Biberau,  was  a  stepson  of  Henry  Mans  and  came  with  the 
latter  in  1834,  settling  do^vn  in  this  county,  where  he  followed  farm- 
ing for  many  years,  finally  retiring,  becoming  disabled  by  the  loss  of 
a  leg.    He  has  since  died. 

Anton  Konantz  was  born  in  the  Principality  of  Hohenzollern  in 
1808,  came  to  America  in  1834  and  located  in  Quincy.  Here  he  mar- 
ried Henrietta  Schepperle ;  she  was  born  in  the  Grandduehy  of  Baden 
in  1815  and  came  here  with  the  early  pioneers.  Anton  Konantz  was 
a  shoemaker  by  trade,  following  this  calling  for  many  years  until  his 
death  in  1860,  his  wife  dying  later.  William  Konantz,  the  oldest  son, 
born  in  1841,  was  engaged  in  different  business  enterprises  until  his 
death  some  years  ago.  Henry  Konantz,  another  son,  was  in  the  grocery 
business  for  many  years,  he  died  several  years  ago. 

Anton  Guth  was  born  in  Herboldsheim,  Baden,  in  1795,  and  with 
his  wife,  Katherine.  liee  Oertle,  came  to  Quincy  in  1834.  Together 
with  the  old  pioneers  Paul  Konantz  and  Christian  G.  Dickhut  he  was 
engaged  grading  Maine  and  Hampshire  streets  from  Third  Street 
through  the  high  bluff  to  the  river  front.  Later  he  moved  to  the 
country,  where  he  followed  farming  for  many  years.  He  died  in 
1866,  survived  bv  his  wife,  who  died  later.     The  oldest  son.  Charles 


(^UIXCY  AND  ADAMS  (OrXTV  293 

Guth,  born  in  Herboldsheim  October  28,  1828,  came  with  his  parents 
and  grew  up  in  Quiney.  When  sixteen  years  of  age,  in  1844,  lie 
accompanied  his  father,  Anton  Guth,  as  a  member  of  the  (Quiney 
Guards,  a  German  military  company  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
John  Bernhard  Sehwindcler  in  tlic  Mormon  war.  Charles  Guth 
became  a  marble  cutter,  which  occupation  he  followed  for  many  years. 
lie  also  was  a  musician,  and  served  in  a  militarj'  band  during  the 
Civil  war.  He  died  in  California  several  years  ago.  Henry  Guth, 
born  in  Quiney  in  1845,  also  was  a  son  of  Anton  and  Katherine 
(Oertle)  Guth,  was  in  the  grocerj'  business  for  a  number  of  years  and 
is  still  among  the  living.  Joseph  Guth.  the  youngest  son,  born  in 
1847,  was  assistant  chief  of  the  fire  department  for  some  years,  and  is 
living  here  at  present. 

iliehael  Peter,  born  in  Riegel,  Grandduchy  of  Baden,  in  1800, 
with  his  wife,  Theresia,  nee  Schneider,  bom  in  Oberbergen,  Baden, 
in  1802.  came  to  America  in  1833,  where  they  located  in  Ohio,  but 
moved  to  Quiney  in  1834.  Shortly  afterward  they  settled  down  on 
a  farm  in  Melrose  Township,  where  Michael  Peter  followed  farming 
until  his  death,  September  17,  1873,  his  wife  preceding  him  in  death, 
!March  6,  1868.  Agathe,  the  oldest  daughter  of  Jlichael  and  Theresia 
(Schneider)  Peter,  was  born  in  Germany  February  27,  1829,  was 
married  in  Quiney  to  Nicholas  Kohl,  the  wholesale  grocer,  and  died  a 
number  of  years  ago;  Theresia,  another  daughter,  also  born  in  Ger- 
many, became  the  wife  of  Martin  Kaltenbach,  a  cooper,  her  husband 
preceded  her  in  death  many  years  ago,  while  she  died  later.  The  sons 
of  Michael  and  Theresia  (Schneider)  Peter  were:  Joseph,  born  in 
Germany ;  Jacob,  born  in  Ohio ;  William  and  Charles,  born  in  Mel- 
rose Township,  where  all  grew  up  to  manhood.  Charles  Peter  years 
ago  was  a  member  of  the  finu  of  Peter  &  Xoth,  hatters  in  Quiney. 

William  Peter,  born  in  Melrose  March  6,  1840,  married  Emily 
Kaltenbach,  born  in  Quiney  October  7,  1842.  Edward  W.  Peter,  son 
of  William  and  Emily  (Kaltenbach)  Peter,  was  lx)rn  March  9,  1865, 
attended  Payson  High  School,  and  was  a  graduate  of  the  Gem  City 
Business  College  in  1888.  For  twenty  years  he  taught  school  in  Fall 
Creek,  Payson  and  Burton  townships,  and  in  1914  was  elected  county 
treasurer  of  Adams  County,  a  position  which  he  holds  at  present. 

William  Andrew  Ilerlemann,  with  his  wife  and  two  sons,  Jacob 
and  Nicholas,  and  four  daughters,  landed  in  America  in  1832.  The 
family  came  from  Gross-Biberau,  Grandduchy  of  Hcssen,  and  located 
in  Chambersburg.  Pennsylvania,  later  they  went  to  Pittsburgh,  and 
finally  came  to  Quiney  in  the  sjjring  of  1834.  They  soon  .settled  down 
near  ^lill  Creek  in  Melro.se  Township,  where  they  went  to  farming. 
In  1851  William  Andrew  Ilerlemann  died  of  the  cholera,  and  later  his 
wife  followed  him  in  death.  Nicholas  Ilerlemann,  one  of  the  sons, 
born  April  25,  1811,  in  Gross-Biberau,  on  August  7,  1834,  married 
Katherine  Sommermann.  born  Ai)ril  17.  1811,  in  Rheinheim,  Grand- 


294  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

duchy  of  Hessen.  who  came  from  the  fatherland  with  the  Herlemann 
family.  Nicholas  Herlemann  for  many  years  followed  farming  in 
Melrose  Township,  and  later  moved  to  the  city,  where  he  died  August 
15,  1872,  while  his  wife  lived  until  June  1,  1897,  when  she  departed 
this  life.  Children  living  are :  ilrs.  Elizabeth  JIarsh,  Mrs.  Josephine 
Wessels  and  William  N.  Herlemann  in  this  city,  and  ^Mrs.  Katherine 
Pfanschmidt  in  Chicago. 

Adolph  Kaeltz  was  born  in  "Warsaw,  the  capital  of  Poland,  April 
19.  1S09.  His  parents  being  implicated  in  the  revolution  of  1830, 
lost  all  their  possessions.  And  so  Adolph  Kaeltz  in  1832  was  induced 
to  emigrate  to  America,  where  he  landed  in  Baltimore :  from  there  he 
proceeded  to  York  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  183-1  came  to  Quiney. 
Here  he  married  JuUane  Delabar.  September  17,  1840,  the  first  child 
of  German  parents  that  came  to  Quiney  from  the  fatherland.  Adolph 
Kaeltz  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  for  many  years  was  engaged  in 
this  calling.  He  also  took  part  in  the  Mormon  war  of  1844,  as  lieu- 
tenant of  a  German  military  company,  the  Quiney  Guards.  In  later 
years  he  was  engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  and  represented  the 
Third  Ward  in  the  city  council.  Adolph  Kaeltz  died  September  18, 
1895,  aged  eighty-six  years,  while  his  wife  preceded  him  in  death 
July  18,  1895.  she  being  born  May  21.  1822,  was  aged  seventy -three 
years  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Children  living  are  Andrew  Kaeltz  in 
Los  Angeles.  Cal.,  and  ilrs.  Julia  Vanden  Boom  in  Quiney. 

Paul  Specht,  born  in  Forehheim.  Baden,  in  1792,  married  Theresia 
Mast,  also  of  Forehheim,  where  she  was  bom  in  1796.  being  a  sister  of 
]!ilichael  ilast.  the  first  German  who  located  in  Quiney  in  1829.  In 
1834  they  came  to  Quiney  with  one  daughter.  Eosina,  born  in 
Forehheim,  June  6,  1825.  Paul  Specht  died  in  Quiney  in  1853,  while 
his  wife  lived  here  until  1864.  when  she  departed  this  life.  The 
daughter.  Rosina.  in  1840  was  married  to  Pantaleon  Sohm,  one  of  the 
old  pioneers,  who  came  to  Quiney  in  1839.  Paul  Specht  was  a  weaver 
by  trade,  but  did  not  follow  this  after  his  arrival  in  Quiney,  having 
brought  some  money  from  Germany,  which  kept  him  and  his  wife 
in  comfortable  circumstances  during  life. 

John  Stoeekle.  born  May  20,  1798,  in  Herboldsheim.  Baden,  and 
his  wife  Elizabeth,  nee  Riesterer,  also  born  in  Herboldsheim  in  1795, 
came  to  Quiney  in  1834,  but  soon  settled  down  near  Mill  Creek  south 
of  the  city,  where  they  lived  on  a  farm  until  1850.  Returning  to  the 
city,  John  Stoeekle  entered  the  employment  of  John  Wood,  the  founder 
of  Quiney,  in  whose  service  he  remained  for  many  years,  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Riesterer)  Stoeekle  had  two  daughters,  both  born  in  the 
old  fatherland,  namely:  Elizabeth,  who  later  became  the  wife  of  the 
old  pioneer  John  Conrad  Bangert  and  Antonie,  who  was  married  to 
the  pioneer  Gustav  Meyer.  Mi-s.  John  Stoeekle.  nee  Riesterer.  died 
in  1870,  while  her  husband  lived  to  the  high  old  age  of  eighty -nine 
years,  departing  this  life  in  1887. 


QUIXCY  AXD  ADA3I.S  COl'XTY  295 

Simon  Glass  was  bom  October  5.  1S12,  in  Diedesfeld,  Bhenisfa 
Bavaria.  In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1S32  he  married  ^largaret 
Liebig  in  Gross-Biberaa.  Granddaehy  of  Hessen,  she  being  a  cousin 
of  Prof.  Justus  Liebig,  the  great  Grrman  chemist.  In  the  latter  part 
of  the  year  1S34  Simon  and  ilargaret  Liebig,  Glass,  with  their  little 
daughter,  Marj-  Magdalen,  bom  in  Gross-Biberau,  December  — •  ls33, 
emigrated  to  America,  leaving  via  Havre  on  the  sailing  vessel  Leontine 
for  New  Orleans,  where  they  went  aboard  of  a  steamboat  and  arrived 
at  St.  Louis  in  December.  There  they  were  greeted  by  Jean  Philip 
Bert,  a  brother-in-law.  who  had  located  in  St.  Louis  the  previous  year, 
and  then  accompanied  them. 

Continuing  the  trip  up  the  river,  their  boat  was  caught  in  an  ice 
drift  about  thirty  miles  from  St.  Louis,  The  two  brother-in-law^ 
Bert  and  Glass,  then  left  the  boat  and  walked  to  Quiney.  Later  the 
boat  was  rescued  from  its  dangerous  positioo  in  the  ice  drift  and 
was  able  to  continue  its  trip  to  Quiney.  April  IS.  1835.  another 
daughter  was  bom  to  Simon  and  Margaret  Liebig  Glass,  being  named 
Clara  Elizabeth :  she  later  became  the  wife  of  John  Hermann  Dnker. 
In  1838  the  wife  of  Simon  Glass  died.  Later  he  married  Caroline 
Borstadt,  and  a  daughter  being  bom  to  them,  was  named  Julia,  who 
later  became  the  wife  of  Lambert  Hoffmann.  He  died  years  ago 
and  the  widow  at  this  writing  lives  at  St.  Vincent's  Home.  A  son. 
William  Glass,  grew  up  to  manhood,  but  died  in  the  *70s  before  his 
father.  Caroline  Glass,  the  yotingest  daughter,  bom  seventy-three 
years  ago.  is  a  member  of  the  School  Sisters  of  Xotre  Dame  and  has 
her  home  in  the  mother  house  at  Milwatikee.  where  she  ee"  "  '  her 
golden  jubilee  as  a  member  of  that  order  some  time  ago.    >  -ass 

was  quite  a  genius  as  musician,  smith,  plasterer,  etc.    He  died  Jolv 
24,  1879. 

John  Biickhan  was  bom  April  1,  1600.  in  Spitdialtheim.  Grand- 
duchy  of  Hessen.  He  married  Maria  Anna  Rupp  in  1526.  she  l>eing 
bom  in  Wuertiemberg  in  ISIO.  Their  first  son.  George,  was  bom 
in  1827.  In  1S30  they  came  to  America,  locating  at  Pittsburgh,  Penn- 
sylvania, where  their  second  son,  John,  was  bom  March  2.  1S31.  The 
family  came  to  Quiney  in  1S34,  and  soon  afterward  settled  down 
near  Mill  Creek,  where  John  Biickhan,  who  had  been  a  linen  weaver 
in  the  fatheriand.  went  to  farming.  When  the  Quiney  House,  the  first 
hotel  in  this  city,  was  built  in  1S3S.  John  Biickhan  came  to  town  and 
worked  as  hod  carrier  on  the  building.  On  Saturday  evenines  he 
would  carry  his  week's  wages  home  in  the  shape  of  n-^^  '  e. 

money  being  a  very  scarce  commodity  in  those  days.  ..iit-r- 

ent  occasions  John  Blickham  with  his  team  drove  to  St.  Louis  in  winter 
time  for  groceries,  as  the  supply  of  the  dealers  in  ' ;  -x- 

hausted.     In  those  days  the  pioneers — ^men.  women,  u, .;.„, — 

wore  home-spun  clothing,  woolen  goods  made  by  themselves,  they 
shearing  the  sheep,  spinning  the  yam  and  weaving  *  John 

Biickhan  died  in  1659,  while  his  wife  survived  him  ii., .^is,  her 


296  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

death  oeeurring  in  1897.  George  Bliekhan,  the  son  born  in  Germany, 
in  later  years  moved  to  Beardstown,  Illinois,  where  he  died.  John 
Bliekhan,  Jr.,  who  grew  up  on  the  farm  in  this  county,  gave  the 
writer  of  this  history  much  interesting  information  about  pioneer  life. 
In  his  school  days  he  had  to  walk  seven  miles  to  attend  school.  Wagons 
were  scarce  in  those  days,  and  of  a  very  primitive  construction,  the 
wheels  being  sawed  from  the  trunks  of  mighty  sycamores.  Owing 
to  the  scarcity  of  wagons,  sleighs  were  frecjuently  used  for  hauling  in 
the  summer  time.  John  Bliekhan,  Jr.,  married  Emma  Louisa  Lambur, 
born  in  Alsace  in  1838,  who  came  to  Quincy  when  a  young  girl.  For 
a  number  of  years  John  Bliekhan  lived  in  the  city,  where  he  proved 
himself  quite  a  genius  at  different  trades,  as  painter,  smith,  machinist, 
carpenter,  plasterer,  etc.,  building  houses  and  doing  all  the  work  him- 
self. He  also  built  a  boat,  propelled  by  an  engine,  using  naphtha  as 
motive  power.    At  one  time  he  conducted  a  carriage  factory. 

John  and  Louisa  (Lambur)  Bliekhan  had  quite  a  family  of  chil- 
dren, the  following  still  among  the  living  at  this  writing:  Julius 
Bliekhan  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  was  in  the  dry  goods  business,  and 
has  retired.  Edward  Bliekhan  is  in  the  installment  business  in 
Kansas  City,  Missouri.  Dr.  Alois  Bliekhan,  born  in  Quincy  June  25, 
1866,  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  this  city  and  later  attended  the 
Gem  City  Business  College,  where  he  completed  a  course.  He  also 
learned  the  printer's  trade  in  the  office  of  a  job  printing  company,  and 
later  worked  in  several  states.  "While  working  at  his  trade  in  St. 
Joseph,  ^lissouri,  about  1887,  he  became  interested  in  some  medical 
works  and  while  reading  these,  formed  the  determination  to  become  a 
member  of  the  medical  fraternity.  Accordingly  he  went  to  Chicago 
and  matriculated  in  the  Ru.sh  Medical  College,  working  in  a  printing 
office  in  order  to  pay  his  expenses  there  for  two  years.  In  1890  he 
entered  the  Keokuk  Medical  College  at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  was  grad- 
uated from  the  latter  institution  in  the  spring  of  1891.  Prior  to  going 
to  Keokuk,  he  was  clerk  in  Hotel  Duncan,  Burlington,  Iowa,  and 
thus  as  a  printer  and  hotel  clerk  he  earned  the  funds  necessary  to 
meet  the  expenses  of  his  college  course.  He  now  is  established  as  a 
practicing  physician  in  Quincy.  October  3,  1900,  he  married  Miss 
Antonine  Duker,  a  daughter  of  John  Hermann  and  Clara  Elizabeth 
(Glass)  Dnker.  They  have  two  sons,  Norbert  and  Arthur.  The  other 
children  of  John  and  Louisa  (Lambur)  Bliekhan  were :  Albert  Bliek- 
han, blacksmith,  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri ;  Otto  Bliekhan,  upholsterer, 
in  Kansas  City,  Missouri ;  Oscar,  lecturer  in  medical  colleges,  St.  Louis, 
Missouri ;  Raymond,  in  a  notion  business.  New  York  City.  And  two 
daughters:  Mrs.  A.  B.  Wells  in  New  York  City;  and  Miss  Mathilda 
Bliekhan,  in  Atlantic  City,  New  Jersey. 

Jean  Philip  Bert,  born  in  Haan,  near  Darmstadt,  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen,  December  28,  1804,  was  among  the  early  pioneers  who  came 
to  Quincy  in  1834.     He  was  a  descendant  of  the  Huguenots,  who. 


(,triN"(V   AXI)   ADA.MS  COUNTY  297 

being  persecuted  in  Franec,  I'oiuul  refuge  ami  new  lionies  in  different 
parts  of  Germany,  where  they  founded  settlements  and  lived  accord- 
ing to  their  tenets.  These  settlements  proved  beneficial  to  Germany, 
as  new  industries  were  brought  to  that  country  by  the  French  refugees, 
who  had  been  persecuted  in  their  own  country.  Jean  Philip  Bert's 
parents  were  Jean  Louis  and  Katherine  (Bermond)  Bert  of  Kohrbach, 
Germany,  who  in  the  course  of  time  moved  to  Ilaan,  where  their  son 
was  boru,  as  stated  above.  Ilaan,  Rohrbach  and  Wenbach  were  three 
suburban  towns  of  Darmstadt,  the  capital  of  the  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen. 

In  182^  Jean  Philip  Bert  married  Elizabeth  Barbara  Liebig,  born 
in  Gross-Bilierau,  in  1808,  and  a  cousin  of  the  great  German  chemist, 
Prof.  Justus  Liebig.  In  1832  they  crossed  the  Atlantic,  and  landed 
at  Baltimore,  from  where  they  proceeded  to  Hagerstown,  ^laryland, 
and  in  1833  moved  westward,  part  of  the  way  overland,  part  of  the 
way  by  river,  coming  dovm  the  Ohio  and  then  up  the  Mississippi  to 
St.  Louis,  where  they  remained  until  the  next  year,  when  Simon 
Glass,  a  brother-in-law,  with  his  wife  and  little  daughter  arrived 
by  boat,  and  were  greeted  by  Jean  Philip  Bert,  who  accompanied  them 
up  stream,  intending  to  locate  in  Quiney.  Thirty  miles  north  of  St. 
Louis  the  boat  was  caught  in  a  drift  of  ice  and  could  not  go  any 
farther.  Jean  Philip  Bert  and  Simon  Glass  then  left  the  boat,  declar- 
ing that  they  would  make  their  way  to  Quiney  afoot.  "When  they  got 
to  the  place  known  as  Marion  City,  where  they  had  intended  to  stop 
over  night,  and  Bert  learned  that  it  was  a  slave-mart,  where  human 
beings  were  bought  and  sold,  he  declared  he  would  not  tarry  in  such 
a  town,  and  so  they  walked  over  the  ice  of  the  Mississippi  and  made 
their  way  to  Quiney,  where  they  remained.  Later  the  boat  with  the 
family  of  Simon  Glass  on  board  was  rescued  from  its  dangerous  posi- 
tion in  the  ice  drift  and  came  to  Quiney.  Jean  Philip  Bert,  who  in  the 
meantime  had  decided  to  locate  here,  purchased  a  lot  on  Fourth  Street, 
between  Elaine  and  Jersey  streets,  where  he  had  a  four-room  house 
erected.  Being  a  tailor  by  trade  he  opened  a  merchant  tailoring 
establishment.  Beside  this  there  were  three  other  tailor  shops  in 
Quiney  in  1835,  one  of  them  conducted  by  Louis  Cosson,  probably  of 
ancient  Celtic  extraction,  who  had  bought  out  Jlichad  Mast,  another 
by  H.  B.  Swartz  (Schwartz),  and  one  by  S.  Leaehman.  Jean  Philip 
Bert  died  in  1860  and  his  wife  in  1875. 

J.  Philip  Bert,  the  oldest  son  of  Jean  Philip  and  Elizabeth  Bar- 
bara (Liebig)  Bert,  was  bom  in  Gross-Biberau.  December  28,  1829, 
came  to  Quiney  with  his  parents,  grew  up  in  this  city,  was  educated 
in  the  schools  of  the  town  and  learned  the  tailor's  trade  from  his 
father.  In  the  course  of  time  he  married  Fannie  S.  Brown.  After 
the  death  of  his  father  he  continued  the  tailoring  business  until  1900, 
when  he  retired  from  Inisiness.  Some  years  ago  lie  died,  while  his 
wife  is  still  among  the  living. 

Jean  Philip  and  Elizabeth  Barbara  (  Liebig  i  Mcrt  had  a  daughter 
born  to  them  in  N'lpvcinbcr.  18:53.  while  ihcv  were  still  at  sea  on  board 


298  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  the  sailing  vessel  Leontine.  This  daughter  was  named  Leontine 
after  the  vessel  on  board  of  which  they  spent  eleven  weeks  crossing 
the  Atlantic,  reaching  Baltimore  in  December.  Leontine  grew  to 
womanhood  in  Quiney  and  in  the  course  of  time  became  the  wife 
of  Frederick  J.  Reinecker,  for  many  years  prominent  as  contractor  and 
builder. 

John  L.  Bert,  the  second  son  of  Jean  Philip  and  Elizabeth  Bar- 
bara (Liebig)  Bert,  was  born  in  St.  Louis  April  7,  1835,  and  was 
brought  to  Quiney  by  his  mother  when  three  months  old,  on  July 
4th  of  said  j-ear.  He  grew  up  iu  Quiney,  acquired  his  education  in 
public  and  private  schools,  and  when  fourteen  years  of  age  entered 
night  school  to  prepare  himself  for  the  business  world  by  learning 
bookkeeping.  He  then  accepted  a  position  as  clerk  in  a  dry  goods 
store.  Later  entering  the  employ  of  Henry  Root,  he  remained  with 
him  until  1865,  wlien  the  latter  sold  his  business  to  the  newly  organ- 
ized firm  of  Shinn,  Bert  &  Hill ;  still  later,  after  the  death  of  ;\Ir.  Shinn 
the  firm  continued  as  Bert  &  Hill,  until  in  1871  Mr.  Bert  bought 
Mr.  Hill's  interest,  conducting  the  carpet  business  for  years  until 
he  finally  retired.  In  1860  John  L.  Bert  married  Mary  E.  Fox,  a 
daughter  of  Oliver  H.  Fox,  a  farmer  who  came  to  Adams  County 
from  j\Iassaehusetts  in  1838.  One  son,  Harry  Leon,  was  liorn  to 
them  June  9,  1863 ;  he  in  the  course  of  time  married  Nannie  Wil- 
liams, who  died  March,  1903,  leaving  three  children:  Mary,  now 
Mrs.  Neal  Monroe,  Elizabeth  and  Archie.  John  L.  Bert  died  Jan- 
uary 21,  1918. 

Other  children  of  Jean  Philip  and  Elizabeth  Barbara  (Liebig) 
Bert  were:  Emilie,  who  was  married  to  William  Abel,  March  27, 
186-1,  and  died  five  years  ago.  George  Oswald  Bert,  who  became  a 
machinist,  served  in  the  Tenth  Illinois  Infantry  during  the  Civil 
war,  and  later  married  Caroline  Tribbe;  his  wife  died  many  years 
ago,  while  he  is  still  among  the  living,  also  a  daughter,  Lillian,  the 
wife  of  Edward  Donahue,  in  Quiney.  Christian  Bert,  who  served 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry  during  the 
Civil  war,  is  a  music  teacher,  and  married  Sophronia  Worth ;  he,  with 
his  wife,  resides  in  Parkinson,  Indiana.  Daniel  Bert,  the  youngest  son 
of  Jean  Philip  and  Elizabeth  Barbara  (Liebig)  Bert,  for  many  years 
with  his  brother,  John  L.  Bert,  is  at  present  living  in  Quiney,  re- 
maining single. 

Adam  Schmitt  was  born  Septeml)er  25,  1805,  in  Georgheim  on  the 
Bergstrasse,  Grandduehy  of  Hessen,  and  came  to  America  in  1831, 
landing  at  Baltimore.  From  there  he  went  to  Chambersburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  followed  his  trade  as  a  cabinetmaker  at  $1  per 
day.  In  the  year  following  he  married  Marie  Margai'et  Herlemann, 
born  in  Gross-Biberau,  Grandduehy  of  Hessen,  August  12,  1808,  who 
had  come  to  America  with  her  parents,  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  William  Andrew 
Herlemann,  in  1832.  Later  the  family  moved  to  Pittsburgh,  Penn- 
sylvania, where  Adam   Schmitt   erected  a   furniture  factory,  which 


QCIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUXTY  299 

was  destroyed  hy  fire.  Having  lost  almost  everytliiiig,  Adam  Se-hmitt 
and  the  Herlemann  family  decided  to  go  west.  The  party,  consisting 
of  fifteen  persons,  came  down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  ilississippi  River 
by  boat,  landing  at  St.  Louis,  from  where  they  went  overland  to 
Belleville,  Illinois,  where  relatives  of  the  Herlemann  family  lived. 
Then  Adam  Sehmitt  and  William  Diekhut,  who  had  accompanied  the 
party  from  Pittsburgh,  started  out  afoot  looking  for  a  suitable  place 
to  settle  down.  They  came  to  what  now  is  St.  Charles,  Jlissouri,  but 
did  not  like  the  surroundings.  Wandering  to  the  shore  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, they  hailed  a  boat  northward  bound  and  came  to  Quiney,  at 
that  time  a  town  of  several  hundred  inhabitants.  Adam  Sehmitt 
rented  a  loghouse  at  Third  and  Hampshire  streets,  with  one  room 
on  the  ground  floor  and  one  room  above  under  the  roof,  to  which 
the  denizens  had  to  ascend  by  means  of  a  ladder.  Returning  to  St. 
Louis  with  the  next  boat,  Adam  Sehmitt  went  to  Belleville  and  lirought 
the  party,  consisting  of  fifteen  persons,  to  Quiney,  where  all  had  to 
accommodate  themselves  to  that  loghouse  with  the  two  apartments. 
This  was  in  April,  1834.  William  Andrew  Herlemann,  the  father-in- 
law  of  Adam  Sehmitt,  soon  afterward  took  his  family  to  the  country, 
where  they  settled  down  near  Mill  Creek  in  Melrose. 

Adam  Sehmitt  soon  acquired  a  piece  of  ground  at  Tenth  and 
Broadway,  where  he  erected  a  dwelling  and  a  workshop,  and  began 
to  make  furniture.  In  this  workshop  the  first  mass  was  read  in 
Quiney  by  a  Catholic  missionary,  Adam  Sehmitt  at  that  time  being 
Catholic,  while  his  wife  and  her  family  were  Lutherans.  Later  he 
erected  a  brick  building  on  Fourth  Street,  between  Maine  and  Jersey 
streets.  Finally  he  located  on  Hampshire,  between  Fourth  and  Fifth 
Streets,  where  he  conducted  a  furniture  store  until  he  retired  from 
business.  Adam  Sehmitt  died  in  1885,  while  his  wife  departed  this 
life  in  1889. 

Adam  and  Marie  Margaret  (Herlemann)  Sehmitt  had  three  sons, 
who  became  prominent,  especially  during  the  Civil  war.  John  Adam 
Sehmitt,  born  in  Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania,  in  1833,  assisted  his 
father  in  business  until  the  Civil  war  broke  out.  when  he  enlisted  in 
Company  A,  Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry,  being  elected  as  sec- 
ond lieutenant,  and  serving  nearly  three  veal's,  when  he  was  severely 
wounded  at  the  Battle  of  Missionary  Ridge  and  received  an  honorable 
discharge  as  first  lieutenant.  Later  he  went  west,  locating  at  Helena, 
Montana,  where  he  still  lives. 

GeX.   WiLLLMI    A.    SCHMITT 

William  A.  Sehmitt,  born  in  Quiney,  June  30,  1839,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Civil  war  rallied  to  the  first  call  of  President  Lincoln, 
serving  three  months  as  first  sergeant  of  Company  E,  Tenth  Illinois 
Infantry.  Then  he  came  home  and  recruited  Company  A,  a  German 
company,  of  the  Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry,  being  elected  as 
captain  of  the  company,  serving  through  the  whole  war,  and  taking 


300  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

part  in  all  the  engagements  of  the  regiment.  At  the  Battle  of  ]Mur- 
freesboro,  Tennessee,  the  Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry  suffered 
heavy  losses.  Roberts,  the  commander  of  the  brigade,  fell,  also  Colonel 
Harrington,  commander  of  the  Twenty-seventh,  consequently  William 
A.  Sehmitt,  who  then  was  major  of  the  regiment,  had  to  assume  com- 
mand. He  soon  saw  that  in  following  the  retreating  enemy,  the 
troops  under  his  command  had  gotten  into  ambush.  To  save  his  men, 
he  gave  orders  to  retreat,  which  was  carried  out  successfully.  When 
they  reached  the  headquarters  of  General  Rosecrans  at  the  Murfrees- 
boro  and  Nashville  Pike,  their  ammunition  was  exhausted.  To  save  ^ 
the  headquarters,  a  bayonet  charge  was  ordered,  the  enemy  repulsed 
and  thus  the  day  saved  for  the  Union  army.  General  Rosecrans  issued 
a  general  order  the  next  day,  especially  thanking  those  men  for  their 
bravery.  At  the  close  of  the  war  William  A.  Sehmitt  received  an 
honorable  discharge  as  brevet  brigadier  general.  After  the  war 
Gen.  William  A.  Sehmitt  held  a  position  in  the  postal  department  in 
Quincy  for  a  number  of  years,  and  later  moved  to  Chicago,  where  he 
held  a  similar  position  until  his  death  fourteen  years  ago. 

Philip  Leonard  Sehmitt,  the  youngest  son  of  Adam  and  Marie 
Margaret  (Herlemann)  Sehmitt,  born  in  Quincy  in  1845,  also  served 
in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  war,  enlisting  in  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Thirty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry,  which,  pursuant  to  a  call 
of  President  Lincoln,  was  organized  and  mustered  into  service  June 
5,  1864,  to  serve  for  100  days.  Ex-Governor  John  Wood,  the  founder 
of  Quincy,  was  colonel  of  the  regiment.  Philip  Leonard  Sehmitt  was 
selected  as  corporal  of  Company  A.  After  the  war  he  removed  west 
and  died  in  Denver,  Colorado,  four  years  ago.  One  daughter  of 
Adam  and  Marie  Margaret  (Herlemann)  Sehmitt  is  living  in  Quincy, 
Mrs.  Mary  L.  Miller,  wife  of  George  F.  Miller,  for  many  years  in 
business,  now  retired. 

The  Pfanschmidt  family  was  among  the  early  pioneers  of  this 
county,  and  their  historj'  is  very  interesting,  as  the  established  records 
of  the  family  date  back  to  the  Thirty  Years'  war.  In  January,  1901, 
the  writer  of  this  narrative  called  on  Mrs.  Johanna  M.  Jansen,  widow 
of  the  early  pioneer  Frederick  William  Jansen,  for  information  about 
the  Pfanschmidt  family,  she  being  one  of  the  descendants.  Mrs. 
Jansen  had  in  her  possession  some  of  the  old  pewter  ware,  made  by 
her  ancestors  in  former  centuries.  The  name  originally  was  written 
Pfannenschmidt,  designating  the  trade  they  followed,  namely,  making 
pans,  plates,  cups,  pitchers,  teapots,  etc.,  out  of  pewter  and  other 
metal.  Mrs.  Jansen  also  had  a  book,  published  in  Berlin  in  1896, 
by  some  members  of  the  family  in  that  city,  giving  a  complete  history 
of  the  family.    From  this  book  the  writer  gleaned  the  following  data : 

Andreas  Pfannenschmidt  lived  during  the  Thirty  Years'  war  in 
Eickendorf  near  Kalbe  on  the  River  Saale.  He  was  a  judge  of  the 
court  and  also  a  farmer.  His  son  bore  the  same  name  as  the  father, 
was  a  master  of  his  trade  and  as  such  became  a  citizen  of  Kalbe.    The 


(^riXrV  ANO  ADA.M.S  CorXTV  :^0l 

graiulsoii  (pf  tlie  first  ineiitioiioil  Andreas  Pfaiiiioiiscluniclt  was  Ixn-ii 
in  Kallie  April  Vi,  1759,  received  tiie  name  Cliristian  Frederick,  and 
changed  his  family  name  to  Pfannschmidt.  Later  he  moved  to  Erfurt, 
where  he  married  Carolina  Rosina  Reinliardt,  the  daughter  of  a 
master  coppersmith.  On  February  21,  1791,  a  sou  was  boru  to  them, 
who  was  named  Ciiristiau  Henry  Philip.  Christian  Frederick  Pfann- 
sehmidt  transferred  liis  business  to  ^Muehlhausen,  Thuringia.  Here 
the  name  was  changed  to  Pfansehmidt. 

Gottfried  Sebastian  Pfansehmidt,  born  October  26,  1792,  in  Muchl- 
Imusen,  was  a  tanner  by  trade.  For  three  years  he  served  in  Gen- 
eral Blueeher's  army,  and  fought  in  the  battles  of  Leipzig  and  Water- 
loo. He  married  Eva  Elizabeth  Klcinschmidt,  born  in  iluehlhausen, 
February  22,  1794.  In  183-1  the  family  came  to  America,  landing  at 
Baltimore.  From  there  they  traveled  overland  by  wagon,  crossing 
the  Allegheny  ^lountains.  In  Pittsburgh  they  were  detained  for 
thirteen  weeks,  until  the  Ohio  River  was  open  to  navigation  in  the 
spring.  They  then  traveled  by  boat  down  the  Oliio  and  up  the  Mis- 
sissippi to  St.  Louis,  where  the  children  remained  until  the  parents 
found  a  suitable  place  to  locate.  Arriving  in  Quiney  December  1, 
1834,  the  place  made  a  favorable  impression  on  ilrs.  Pfansehmidt. 
and  .so  they  .settled  here.  The  children  were  sent  for  and  by  Christmas 
all  the  members  of  the  famil.y  were  in  Quiney,  where  they  remained 
during  the  winter,  which  was  a  very  severe  one,  making  their  home 
in  an  old  frame  house  on  the  bluff,  west  of  Third  Street.  In  the  fol- 
lowing spring  Gottfried  Sebastian  Pfansehmidt  acquired  160  acres  of 
land  from  the  Government  seven  miles  east  of  the  city  near  Jlill 
Creek,  in  Ellington  Towniship,  where  he  settled  down  and  went  to 
farming,  ploughing  the  land  with  oxen.  In  the  course  of  time  he 
became  very  successful  as  farmer.  Gottfried  Sebastian  Pfansehmidt 
died  in  Quiney,  April  8,  1847.  while  his  wife  lived  thirty  years  longer, 
her  death  occurring  June  2,  1877. 

The  children  of  Gottfried  Sebastian  and  Eva  Elizabeth  (Klcin- 
schmidt) Pfansehmidt  were:  ^larie  Elconore,  born  in  ^luelilliausen, 
Januarj'  12,  1819,  died  in  Quiney  September  25,  1835;  Emilie  Pauline, 
the  first  wife  of  the  pioneer  Frederick  "William  Jansen.  died  in  Quiney 
July  10,  1851;  Herman  Christian,  born  in  iruelilhausen  March  8, 
1825.  followed  farming,  residing  on  the  home  farm  until  1884,  when 
he  retired,  moving  to  Quiney  in  1884.  His  wife  was  Charlotte,  nee 
Meise,  born  in  Germany  ilareh  19,  1826,  and  came  to  Adams  County 
with  her  parents,  who  were  among  the  early  pioneers;  December  10, 
1847.  .she  was  married  to  Herman  Christian  Pfansehmidt.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Edward,  merchant  in  Chicago;  William,  who  witii  bis 
brother  George  remained  on  the  home  farm ;  Pauline,  the  wife  of  J. 
Louis  Pfau  of  Chicago:  Laura:  Mrs.  Williain  Hirtb;  and  Ottilia,  who 
died  in  her  infancy.  Herman  Christian  Pfansehmidt  died  in  Quiney 
April  18,  1899,  his  wife  died  in  Chicago  October  21,  1898. 

Johanna  Mathilde  Pfansehmidt,  born  in  Jfuehlhausen  Sejitember 
25,  1829,  came  to  Quiney  in  1834  with  her  parents,  and  in  the  course 


302  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  time  was  married  to  Frederick  William  Jansen,  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  Qnincy,  who  preceded  her  in  death  in  1871.  She  died  about  ten 
years  ago. 

Charles  Christopher  Pfanschmidt,  born  in  Muehlhausen,  January 
31,  1831,  the  youngest  son  of  Gottfried  Sebastian  and  Eva  Elizabeth 
(Kleinschmidt)  Pfanschmidt,  grew  up  on  the  home  farm.  When 
twenty  years  of  age  he  came  in  possession  of  eighty  acres  of  his 
father's  farm,  and  later  acquired  more  land,  being  very  successful  as 
farmer.  He  married  Mary  Limb,  born  in  England  in  1833,  daughter 
of  James  and  Anna  (Todd)  Limb,  who  came  to  this  county  in  1839, 
locating  on  a  farm  in  Ellington.  Charles  Christopher  and  Anna 
(Limb)  Pfanschmidt,  who  both  have  departed  this  life,  had  ten 
children :  Henry,  Charles  A.  and  Fred  Pfanschmidt,  sons,  and  Mrs. 
Louisa  Knollenberg,  Mrs.  Hannah  Niekamp,  Mrs.  Clara  Ebert,  ]\Irs. 
Mary  Geisel,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Petrie,  Mrs.  Ida  Cook  and  Minnie  Pfan- 
schmidt, daughters. 

John  Philip  Schanz,  born  in  the  year  1800  in  Lichtenberg,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Hessen,  and  his  wife,  Dorothea,  nee  Merker,  born  in  Gross- 
Biberau,  Grandduehy  of  Hessen,  emigrated  to  America  in  1830,  locat- 
ing in  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania.  In  1834  they  came  to  Quincy  and 
soon  settled  near  Mill  Creek,  where  they  went  to  farming.  John 
Philip  Schanz  was  a  powerful  man,  of  extraordinary  strength,  as  the 
writer  of  this  narrative  was  repeatedly  assured  years  ago  by  persons 
who  were  neighbors  of  the  man,  having  knowni  him  for  years,  and 
thus  had  an  opportunity  to  form  his  intimate  acquaintance.  Accord- 
ing to  the  statements  of  eye  witnesses,  John  Philip  Schanz  could  lift 
up  a  barrel  of  cider,  drink  out  of  the  bunghole,  and  then  place  the 
barrel  in  a  wagon,  the  endgate  having  been  taken  out.  One  day  Henry 
Sehuchmann,  a  farmer  living  near  Mill  Creek,  was  hauling  a  load 
of  wood  to  town,  his  wagon  was  mired  in  the  road,  when  John  Philip 
Schanz  came  along,  put  his  shoulder  under  the  rear  axle  and  raised 
the  wagon  with  the  wood  up  out  of  the  rut,  so  that  Sehuchmann  could 
proceed  with  his  team.  One  evening  at  dusk,  while  John  Philip 
Schanz  was  walking  along  the  bottom  road  south  of  Quincy,  he  was 
met  by  a  bear,  that  came  from  the  jungle.  Bruin  rising  up  on  his  hind 
feet,  while  Schanz  retreated  behind  a  tree  to  escape  the  embrace  of  the 
beast;  the  bear  at  the  same  time  with  his  paws  reached  around  the 
tree,  not  much  more  than  a  sapling,  when  Schanz,  under  the  spur  of 
the  moment,  grabbed  the  bear's  paws,  holding  them  with  his  vise-like 
grip ;  several  friends,  who  happened  to  come  along  the  road  about  at 
that  time,  came  to  the  resciie  of  Schanz,  and  found  that  both  paws  of 
the  bear  were  broken.  A  very  severe  storm  passed  over  the  Mill  Creek 
region  one  da.y,  raising  the  roof  off  the  log  cabin  of  George  Philip 
Beilstein,  who  lived  near  the  creek,  the  roof  being  shoved  out  of  place. 
Beilstein  appealed  to  his  neighbors  for  help,  to  put  the  roof  back  into 
its  former  position ;  among  the  eight  men  that  came  was  John  Philip 
Schanz,  and  while  seven  men  lifted  one  end  of  the  roof,  Schanz  alone 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  303 

raised  the  other  end.  The  foregoing  arc  only  a  few  of  the  instances 
as  they  were  related  many  years  ago,  proving  the  herculean  strength 
of  the  man. 

The  wife  of  John  Philip  Schanz  having  died  in  1845,  he  in  1848 
married  the  widow  Henrietta  Ilellerinann,  nee  Letz,  of  Muehlhausen, 
Thuringia.  He  died  in  1854,  and  his  second  wife  talso  died  many 
years  ago. 

Henry  Schanz,  the  eldest  son  of  John  Philip  and  Dorothea  (ilerker) 
Schanz,  was  born  in  1844,  and  grew  up  on  the  home  place  near  Mill 
Creek.  When  the  Civil  war  broke  out,  he  enlisted  in  Company  A, 
the  German  company  of  tiie  Twenty-.seventh  Illinois  Infantry,  in 
which  he  served  for  three  years,  taking  part  in  the  many  battles,  in 
which  his  regiment  was  engaged.  At  the  Battle  of  Stone  River  he  was 
struck  on  the  head  liy  the  fragment  of  a  shell  and  left  for  dead  on  the 
battlefield,  but  later  regaining  consciousness,  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy;  being  paroled,  he  soon  was  exchanged,  returned  to  his 
regiment  and  served  until  his  term  of  enlistment  expired,  when  he 
was  elected  as  first  lieutenant  of  Company  H,  Forty-third  Illinois 
Infantry,  an  entirely  German  regiment.  After  the  war  Henry  Schanz 
married  Anna  Jansen,  daughter  of  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Adams 
County.  They  live  on  their  farm  near  Mill  Creek  at  present.  Wil- 
liam Schanz.  the  youngest  son  of  John  Philip  Schanz,  lives  in  Quincy, 
he  being  a  cigarmakcr  by  occupation.  Two  daughters  of  John  Philip 
and  Dorothea  (Merker)  Schanz,  who  were  bom  in  this  county,  were 
married  to  pioneers,  the  eldest  to  Frederick  Pfciffer,  a  farmer  near 
ilill  Creek,  the  other  to  Arnold  Michels,  a  contractor  and  builder  in 
Quincy. 

Philip  Amen,  born  1809  in  the  Grandduchy  of  Ilessen,  and  his 
wife,  Magdalen,  nee  Hagen,  also  born  in  the  Grandduchy  of  Hessen, 
1817,  came  to  Adams  County  in  1834,  where  they  went  to  farming  in 
JIcKee  Township,  living  on  the  farm  for  forty  years,  until  the  death 
of  Mrs.  Amen  in  1885,  her  husband  departing  this  life  in  1886.  Frank 
Amen,  a  son  of  Philip  and  Magdalen  (Ilagen)  Amen,  was  horn 
March  10,  1843,  in  McKee  Township.  He  married  Marie  Gruber, 
born  in  1850  in  the  principality  of  Kurhessen,  who  came  to  this  county 
with  her  parents  in  1852,  her  mother  dying  in  1875.  her  father  in 
1883.  Lawrence  Amen,  a  .son  of  Frank  and  Magdalen  (Hagen)  Amen, 
is  at  present  coroner  of  Adams  County. 

John  Frederick  Steinbeck,  born  March  28,  1811,  in  Osnatmieck, 
Hanover,  was  a  cooper  by  trade  and  came  to  this  country  in  1831, 
where  he  married  Louisa  Barbara  Roff,  born  in  "V\'uerttcml)erp,  Ger- 
many, October  20,  1815.  In  1834  they  came  to  I'rsa  Township  in 
this  county,  where  they  at  first  lived  on  Lemuel  Frazier's  farm.  2iA 
miles  southeast  of  the  Village  of  Ursa.  Later  Mr.  .Steinbeck  bought  a 
farm  at  Ursa,  containing  about  250  acres,  which  he  cultivated.  He  also 
conducted  a  cooper  shop,  and  employed  as  many  as  sixteen  men  at  a 


304  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

time,  making  pork  barrels  for  C.  M.  Pomeroy,  the  pork  packer  in 
Quiney.  In  the  fall  of  1862  John  Frederick  Steinbeck  packed  many 
barrels  of  apples,  and  also  prepared  a  big  amount  of  applebutter, 
which  he  stored  in  C.  M.  Pomeroy 's  pork  house  during  the  winter,  to 
be  sent  south  in  the  spring  of  1863,  and  it  must  have  been  a  large 
amount,  for  the  freight  bill  was  $1,800.  Taking  everything  into  con- 
sideration, there  was  a  great  risk  connected  with  the  venture,  the 
uncertainty  of  navigation  oji  the  Mississippi,  etc.  The  shipment  was 
intended  for  Vicksburg,  where  General  Grant  at  that  time  had  an 
army  of  71,000  men ;  the  actual  siege  of  the  city  began  May  18,  1863, 
and  on  July  4th  the  place  surrendered.  "When  Steinbeck's  shipment 
finally  arrived  at  its  destination,  Grant's  army  had  left  for  other 
fields,  and  the  goods  spoiled  on  account  of  the  hot  weather,  causing  a 
great  loss.  John  Frederick  Steinbeck  died  March  14,  1878,  and  his 
wife  followed  him  in  death,  April  12,  1902. 

The  children  of  John  Frederick  and  Louisa  Barbara  (Roff) 
Steinbeck  were:  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Montgomery,  who  died  several  years 
ago  near  Joplin,  Missouri ;  Joseph  Ludwig  Steinbeck,  in  Mendon, 
Missouri;  James  Steinbeck,  who  served  in  the  Sixteenth  Illinois  In- 
fantry during  the  Civil  war,  after  which  he  settled  down  in  Missouri, 
and  in  1876  was  killed  by  a  man  by  the  name  of  Winton;  Louisa, 
wife  of  Joseph  Ralph,  Mendon,  I\Iissouri ;  Frederick  William  Stein- 
beck, who  from  1897  until  1903  was  postmaster  at  LTrsa,  and  at 
present  resides  in  Quiney;  Christiane  Adelheid,  wife  of  William 
Hendry,  Mai-yville,  Mi.ssouri ;  Alexander  David  Steinbeck,  proprietor 
of  a  sheep  ranch  at  Burdette,  Colorado ;  Mary  Catherine,  wife  of 
Rev.  William  Blancke,  Lutheran  minister  in  Davenport,  Iowa ;  and 
John  Frederick  Steinbeck,  in  Le  Grande,  Oregon. 

Damian  Hauser,  born  September  27,  1803,  in  Constance,  or  Kost- 
nitz.  City  of  Baden,  on  the  Lake  of  Constance,  came  to  America  in 
1833,  landing  at  New  Orleans,  locating  in  Quiney  in  1834.  His  first 
wife,  Katherine  Groninger,  was  boim  in  Amoltern,  Baden,  and  died 
after  a  number  of  years  of  wedded  life.  Later  he  married  Juliane 
Steinagel,  born  in  the  Grandduchy  of  Hessen,  who  came  to  Quiney  in 
the  early  '40s.  Damian  Haaser  in  the  course  of  time  became  prom- 
inent in  public  life;  he  served  as  registrar  and  receiver  of  the  United 
States  landoffice  in  Quiney,  and  was  repeatedly  elected  as  harbor- 
master, during  a  period  when  trafSe  on  the  upper  Mississippi  was 
very  lively  and  the  office  of  great  importance.  In  the  Mormon  war  he 
served  as  lieutenant.  Damian  Hauser  was  an  intimate  friend  of 
Stephen  A.  Douglas,  who  often  was  a  guest  at  his  home.  For  many 
years  he  conducted  a  store  at  Front  and  Maine  streets,  and  furnished 
all  kinds  of  supplies  for  steamboats.  In  1874  he  moved  to  Denver, 
Colorado,  where  he  died  June  24,  1895,  while  his  wife  followed  him  in 
death  June  12,  1901.  Two  sons,  Damian  and  John,  moved  to  Chicago, 
while  another  son,  George,  located  in  Silver  City,  New  Mexico.    Three 


Ql'IXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  305 

dauglitei-s,  Mrs.  J.  Q.  Xavlor,  ilrs.  A.  tJ.  Ilood  and  Miss  Julia  Ilauscr, 
all  made  their  home  in  Denver,  Colorado. 

Christian  Ruoff.  horn  in  Stuttgart,  Wuerttemborg,  a  descendant  of 
Huguenots,  wlio  were  persecuted  in  France  and  found  refuge  in 
Germany,  came  to  this  country  in  1834.  On  the  sailing  vessel  which 
brought  him  to  this  country,  he  became  acquainted  with  Franciska 
Mast,  born  in  Forchheim,  Baden,  and  later  married  her  in  Quincy. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  was  in  business  in  this  city,  and  in  1844 
took  part  in  the  Mormon  war.  During  the  "gold  fever"  of  1849 
Christian  Ruoti'  went  overland  to  California,  where  he  located,  and  his 
family  followed  him  in  1852.  He  conducted  a  sawmill  in  California, 
and,  while  swimming  across  the  American  River  on  horseback,  con- 
tracted a  cold,  causing  an  ailment  which  terminated  in  death  the  latter 
part  of  the  '50s.  The  family  lived  in  Petaluma  and  Stockton,  Cali- 
fornia. Mrs.  Ruoflf  died  eighteen  years  ago.  One  son,  John  Ruoff, 
conducted  a  general  store  at  Fort  Ross  on  the  Pacific,  where  two 
daughters,  Marie  and  Franciska,  also  made  their  home. 

Settlers  of  1835 

Among  the  early  German  pioneers  of  Quiney  was  John  Hobrecker, 
for  many  years  an  inhabitant  of  this  city.  The  history  of  his  family 
reads  like  a  romance.  His  father,  John  Casper  Hobrecker,  born  in  the 
year  1772  in  Hamm.  Westphalia,  was  a  machinist  by  trade  and  came 
to  America  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  century.  Landing  in  New 
York,  he  soon  made  the  acquaintance  of  Robert  Fulton,  the  builder 
of  the  first  serviceable  steamboat,  the  Clermont,  and  the  two  men 
became  intimate  friends,  which  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that 
John  Casper  Hobrecker  was  an  expert  mechanic  and  machinist.  When 
Fulton  in  1807  made  the  first  really  successful  long  voyage  by  steam 
up  the  Hudson,  he  asked  Hobrecker  to  accompany  him.  John  Casper 
Hobrecker  served  in  the  War  of  1812  against  the  British.  After  that 
war  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Westphalia,  where  he  in  1816  met 
Mary  Ann  Stephenson  and  married  her.  She  was  born  in  Sunderland, 
County  of  Durham,  England,  and  was  a  niece  of  George  Stephenson 
of  Newcastle,  the  builder  of  the  first  railroad  in  England. 

John  Hobrecker  and  Chief  Keokuk 

John  Hobrecker,  the  son,  who  gave  the  facts  related  here  to  the 
writer  of  this  narrative,  was  born  in  Hamm,  Westphalia,  in  1817. 
In  1833  John  Casper  Hobrecker  decided  to  come  to  America  for  the 
second  time,  accompanied  by  his  son  John,  landing  at  Baltimore  in 
Jul}-,  where  they  saw  President  Andrew  Jackson  riding  along  the 
street  on  horseback.  Leaving  Baltimore,  they  cro.ssed  the  Alleghenies 
by  wagon  to  Pittsburgh,  where  they  boarded  a  steamboat,  going  down 
the  Ohio,  up  the  Mississippi  and  the  Illinois  rivers  to  Beardstown, 

V.M.  I— 20 


306  QrXSTY  AXD  Al»A3IS  COrXTY 

at  tiat  lime  a  prceperoTis  piae^,  o-sring  to  the  lixelv  rirer  trame  pre- 
Tailing  in  liiose  dajs.  Then  Ther  went  oTcrland  to  Hancock  County, 
Illinois.  Tria-e  tier  located  at  Dallas,  settling  down  on  eigitv  acres 
of  land,  irideh  John  Casper  Hohreeker  had  aeqnired.  There  it  was 
where  jher  first  eame  in  e-cmta':-!  with  Indians,  abont  which  John 
Hohreeker  naade  the  following  interesring  statement:  "At  Dallas  I 
had  the  hcaior  to  make  the  aeqnaintanee  of  Ke-Dkuk.  the  famons  chief 
i»x  The  Sae  and  Fox  Indians,  who  with  his  four  wit^,  his  danghter 
Sus-Ka-Zee,  and  twenty  Draxes.  had  started  on  a  jonmey  to  Tisit  the 
GreaT  "Whit-r  Father  in  "Washingron.  The  partj  had  gone  into  eamp 
at  Dallas  for  a  short  time,  and  father  and  I  were  allowed  to  sleep 
in  the  wigwam  of  Chief  Keoknk  for  a  week,  while  we  were  building 
onr  lc«  eaMn.  The  Tndians  earried  many  sc-alj^  attached  to  their 
b'dts.  beddes  other  trciphies.  Being  vonng  and  of  a  romantic  disposi- 
tion. I  t-ook  a  greaT  interest  in  those  Indians.  esp>eeiallTr  in  Sns-Ka-Zee. 
the  diief's  dan^ter.  a  beaatinil  girl  of  eighteen  sammeis.  confessed 
my  lore  to  her  and  asked  her  to  -marry  me  She  referred  z:r  ::  her 
faiher,  the  ehie£ 

"It  was  on  a  Stmday  moming.  when  the  chief  and  his  braves  were 
oigaged  in  play.  A  ninnber  of  marbles  were  rolled  in  a  hollow 
pagqAin  and  then  thrown  out  on  a  c-arpet  spread  on  the  ground, 
CTWilar  to  throwing  dice,  eonsiderable  Mlarity  prevailing  during  the 
gaioe.  Thai  I  annmiHied  up  sameieit  courage  to  ask  Chief  Keokuk 
f»  his  dxa^sbET.  He  looked  at  the  matter  from  a  business  stand- 
point, asking  how  many  farms,  horses  and  oxen  I  possessed.  I 
pointed  to  the  highly  acres  of  land  my  father  owned.  But  this  did 
not  SBEsa.  to  appeal  to  tlie  chief,  for  he  demanded  eight  hinidred  dollars 
in  ea^  and  as  tiie  idMde  amount  of  my  eash  consisted  <hi1t  of  a  Mexi- 
can quarts'.  I  did  not  get  the  girL" 

The  writer  of  tbi^  story,  inqniring  about  the  character  of  the 
TTMJiaTws  in  those  days.  John  Hobreeker  continued:  "I  being  pro- 
^aent  as  a  mpphanifian  having  learned  the  trade  in  the  fatherland, 
an  Indian  eame  to  me  one  day  with  the  requ^t  to  repair  the  broken 
main-^ring  of  Ms  lifle.  I  replaced  the  spring  by  a  new  one.  asking 
50e  for  my  serviees.  But  the  redskin  shrugged  his  shoulders,  giving 
me  to  understand  that  he  didn't  have  a  red  cent.  What  should  I  do? 
I  eooldn't  sealp  hrm.  and  so  I  had  to  let  him  go.  Yet,  there  was  an 
himest  heart  beating  in  the  bosom  of  that  red  man.  for  three  months 
later  he  again  appeared  with  a  fine  turkey,  which  he  gave  to  me  for 
my  work.  Only  once  I  had  oeeasitm  to  shoot  at  an  Indian,  the  eir- 
eomstances  bang  as  f<dlo^»:  "We  lived  near  the  lianks  of  the  ilis- 
sissippi.  and  I  had  set  a  T^shing  net  in  the  river.  The  next  morning 
eariy  I  asked  my  father  to  look  after  the  net.  Shortly  after  father 
had  gone,  I  heard  bim  loudly  call  for  help.  Grabbing  a  shotgnn, 
which  hung  on  the  waD.  I  rjished  out  and  saw  father  wrestling  with 
a  big  TrtfiiaTi  Vho  was  trying  to  snatch  the  silver-rimmed  spectacle 
that  falier  used.  I  raised  my  shotgun,  lookrnp  for  an  opportunity  to 
SI  the  Indian's  hide  with  a  load  of  shot  without  injuring  father. 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY  307 

Suddenly  the  Indian  got  a  glimpse  of  me  and  the  gun.  and  loosening 
his  hold  on  father,  with  one  great  leap  disappeared  in  the  water,  div- 
ing under  like  a  duck  at  the  moment  when  I  fired,  missing  him.  Some 
distance  from  shore  he  appeared  on  the  surface,  giving  me  the  laugh 
as  he  swam  away.  And — I  can  say — I  was  glad  that  I  had  missed 
him." 

John  Casper  Hobrecker  died  at  Dallas  in  1834,  aged  sirty-two 
years,  and  his  son  John,  in  company  with  his  mother,  who  hatl  joined 
her  husband  and  son  after  they  had  located  in  Hancock  County,  came 
to  Qnincy  in  1835,  making  their  home  here.  John  Hobrecker  was 
quite  a  genius  in  his  days  in  different  callings  as  an  engraver,  marble 
cutter,  manufacturer  of  iron  railings  and  fences.  Later  he  studied 
chemistrj-,  producing  aluminum,  but  failed  to  get  a  patent-right  in 
time  to  secure  his  invention.  He  also  gave  considerable  attention  to 
the  study  of  geology,  making  good  use  of  his  knowledge  in  this  branch 
in  western  mines  for  a  period  of  ten  years,  being  very  successful. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  "50s  John  Hobrecker  edited  the 
Illinois  Courier,  a  German  j)olitieal  paper  published  in  Quincy.  This 
was  in  the  campaign  when  Isaac  X.  Morris  and  Jackson  Grimshaw 
were  rival  candidates  for  Congress. 

John  Hobrecker  married  Marie  Schrader.  bom  in  Elberfeld.  Prus- 
sia. She  died  in  1890.  Her  husband  followed  her  in  death  in  1912. 
One  son.  John  Hobrecker.  Jr..  for  years  has  been  engaged  as  a  jobber 
in  stoves,  in  which  business  he  has  made  a  fortune,  being  one  of  the 
most  successful  dealers  in  this  country.  He  at  present  resides  in 
Alhambra,  California. 

Conrad  Henrv-  Waldhaus  was  bom  in  Klein-Biberau,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Hessen.  December  26.  1790.  On  June  15.  1S15.  he  married 
Elizabeth  Dorothea  GoebeL  bom  March  21.  17SS.  The  couple  left 
the  fatherland  May  1.  1831.  for  America,  landing  at  Baltimore,  pro- 
ceeding to  Chambersburg.  Pennsylvania,  where  they  resided  for  two 
years;  coming  west,  they  located  in  St.  Louis,  and  in  1S35  came  to 
Quincy.  Later  they  settled  down  near  Mill  Creek,  following  farming. 
Mrs.  TValdhans  died  October  30.  1S41.  while  her  husband.  Conrad  H. 
AValdhaus.  lived  for  many  years,  his  death  occurring  March  19.  1S75. 
Marie  Magdalene,  a  daughter  of  Conrad  H.  and  Elizabeth  Dorothea 
(Goebeli  Waldhaus.  bora  June  1.  1S27.  was  married  to  Jlichael  Loos, 
one  of  the  pioneers  near  Mill  Creek. 

Among  the  early  German  pioneers  was  Frederick  'William  Jansen, 
born  July  19.  1815.  in  Leichlingen.  Prussia,  Germany.  His  parents 
followed  farming  in  the  fatherland,  where  they  spent  their  entire 
lives.  Frederick  William  Jansen  attended  the  schools  of  his  native 
countrj-  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age.  when  he  began  learning 
the  cabinet-maker's  trade,  which  he  followed  for  about  six  years, 
becoming  a  master  workman  in  his  chosen  calling.  Then  he  came  to 
America,  where  he  was  a  resident  of  St.  Louis  for  a  short  period. 


308  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

after  wliich  he  came  to  Quiney  in  1835,  intending  to  make  this  his 
home  for  life.  In  the  winter  of  1835  he  went  to  Natchez,  Mississippi, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  until  the  following  spring,  when  he 
returned  to  Quiuey  and  secured  a  position  with  George  Wood,  pro- 
prietor of  a  furniture  business.  After  working  several  years  as 
journeyman,  he  in  1838  opened  a  furniture  factory  of  his  own  on 
Maine,  between  Sixth  and  Seventh  streets,  using  horse  power  to  run 
the  machinery  for  wood  turning.  Ten  years  later,  in  18-18,  he  moved 
his  factory  to  ilaine,  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets,  using  steam 
as  motive  power.  In  1850  he  again  moved  his  furniture  works  to 
Jersey,  between  Sixth  and  Seventh  streets,  which  he  conducted  with 
great  success  until  his  death,  January  29,  1871.  In  the  course  of  time 
Frederick  William  Jansen  became  prominent  in  public  life,  represent- 
ing the  Second  Ward  in  the  city  council  in  1840,  in  1858  and  in  1859. 
He  was  twice  married,  his  tirst  wife  being  Emily  Pauline  Pfanschmidt, 
born  November  2,  1820,  daughter  of  the  early  pioneer,  Gottfried 
Sebastian  Pfanschmidt,  and  she  died  July  10,  1851 ;  later  he  married 
Johanna  Mathilde  Pfanschmidt,  born  September  25,  1829,  she  being 
a  sister  of  his  first  wife,  her  death  occurring  ten  years  ago.  Children 
of  Frederick  William  Jansen  were :  Frederick  G.,  born  November  11, 
1839,  who  married  Amanda  K.  Elliott,  and  after  the  death  of  his 
father  became  president  of  the  F.  W.  Jansen  Furniture  Company; 
he  died  eight  years  ago  and  his  wife  with  her  son  and  daughter  live  in 
Deming,  New  Mexico.  Charles  C.  Jansen,  born  September  11,  1841, 
also  was  in  the  furniture  business;  he  married  Mary  Livingston,  and 
they  reside  in  Quiney.  Albert  W.  Jansen,  born  in  1848,  was  in  the 
furniture  business,  and  married  Mary  Murphy  of  Dallas,  Texas ;  they 
later  located  in  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  where  Albert  Jansen  died  about 
nine  years  ago,  while  his  widow  still  resides  there.  Two  daughters  of 
Frederick  William  Jansen  are  still  among  the  living:  namely,  Amelia 
E.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Christian  Schultheis,  a  druggist,  who  died 
December  29,  1916,  having  retired  from  active  business,  the  widow  at 
present  residing  in  Quiney.  Madora  T.,  the  youngest  daughter,  was 
married  to  George  Postel,  proprietor  of  a  large  mill  in  Mascoutah, 
Illinois.  Mr.  Postel  died  several  years  ago,  the  widow  with  two  sons 
surviving,  Philip,  the  eldest,  together  with  his  uuele,  conducting  the 
milling  business,  while  the  other,  F.  William  Postel,  is  connected 
with  a  bond  investment  company  in  St.  Louis. 

Joseph  ]\Iast,  Sr.,  and  his  wife  Helen,  nee  Fendrich,  both  Ijorn 
in  Forehheim,  Baden,  came  to  Quiney  in  1835,  accompanied  by  their 
sons  John  and  Casper  Mast.  They  also  were  the  parents  of  Joseph 
Mast,  who,  as  mentioned  before  in  this  history,  had  come  to  Quiney 
in  1834,  and  not  being  pleased  with  conditions  as  he  found  them 
here,  wrote  a  long  letter  to  his  parents,  advising  them  to  stay  in  their 
old  home  in  Germany.  But  as  the  parents  had  sold  their  possessions 
in  Forehheim,  they  decided  to  come  and  take  things  as  they  were  in 


Ql'INCY  AND  ADAMS  COINTV  :}0M 

the  new  world  at  that  time.  Joseph  ilast,  Sr.,  died  in  1858,  his  wife 
having  prceeded  him  in  death  in  1851. 

Casper  Mast,  born  July  6,  1816,  in  Forchheim,  Baden,  left  the 
fatherland  September  29,  1834,  aecompanying  his  parents,  Joseph  and 
Helen  (Fendrieh)  Mast.  The  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  must  have 
been  tedious,  for  they  did  not  reach  Quincy  until  March  13,  1835. 
February  22,  18-11,  Casper  Mast  married  Rosina  Dold,  who  was  born 
in  Schelingen.  Baden,  in  1818,  and  came  to  Quincy  with  her  parents, 
Aloys  Dold  and  wife,  in  1839.  For  twenty-five  years  Casper  Mast  lived 
on  a  farm  in  Melrose  Township,  until  1860,  when  he  retired  from 
active  life,  his  son.  Christian  Frederick  Mast,  remaining  on  the  farm, 
where  he  was  born  January  15,  1850.  In  February,  1870,  he  married 
Mary  E.  Freese,  daughter  of  William  Frcese  of  Quincy.  She  died 
a  number  of  years  ago.  Christian  Frederick  JIa.st  is  still  anumg  the 
living,  with  the  following  children :  William,  ice  cream  manufacturer 
in  Quincy;  Benjamin,  Ca.sper,  Lawrence,  Christian  and  Clarence  Mast, 
all  farmers ;  and  one  daughter,  who  is  married  and  lives  in  Fort  Madi- 
son, Iowa. 

Casper  and  Rosina  (Dold)  Mast  had  two  daughters,  Anna,  who 
was  born  August  4.  1843,  and  was  married  to  Joseph  Heckle  in  1860; 
Victoria,  born  in  1854,  and  in  1871  became  the  wife  of  Benjamin 
Heckle.  The  wife  of  Casper  Mast  died  October  22,  1878,  and  he  later 
married  the  widow,  ^larie  Fackler.  In  August,  1889,  Casper  Mast 
departed  this  life,  and  the  widow  later  became  the  wife  of  flavor  John 
A.  Steinbach. 

Henry  Grimm,  born  October  3,  1803,  in  Weiler,  Alsace,  married 
Rosina  Ruff,  who  also  was  born  in  Weiler,  Alsaee,  in  1808.  They 
emigrated  to  America  in  1834.  landing  in  New  York  City,  where  they 
remained  one  year,  when  they  left  for  the  west,  traveling  up  the 
Hudson  River,  then  by  way  of  the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo,  New  York, 
from  where  they  crossed  Lake  Erie  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  then  again 
by  way  of  the  Ohio  Canal  to  the  Ohio  River,  where  they  took  passage 
on  a  boat  down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mississippi  rivers  to  Quincy, 
landing  here  in  1835,  making  this  city  their  home.  Henry  (irinnn 
was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  was  engaged  as  contractor  and  l)uilder 
for  many  years.  Together  with  the  old  pioneer,  Anton  Delabar.  he 
built  and  conducted  the  first  sawmill  in  Quincy  at  the  creek  on  Dela- 
ware near  Third  Street.  He  also  took  i)art  in  the  Mormon  war  as  a 
member  of  the  Quincy  Guards,  a  German  military  com[)any.  Henry 
Grimm  died  September  3.  1893.  his  wife  having  jireeeded  him  in 
death  several  years  before.  Henry  Grimm,  Jr.,  born  in  Quincy  April 
19,  1836,  the  first  son  of  Henr>'  and  Rosina  (Ruff)  Grimm,  learned 
the  boiler  maker's  trade  and  for  many  years  conducted  a  boiler  works 
in  this  city,  which  after  his  death  was  conducted  by  his  sons.  Henry 
J..  William  T.  and  Louis  Grimm.  Other  children  of  Henry  and 
Rosina  (Ruff)  Grimm  were:  Charles  and  Casper,  sons,  and  Rosina  and 
Lucy,  daughters. 


310  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

John  Schell,  born  in  Erbweiler,  Rhenish  Bavaria,  1787,  learned 
the  blacksmith's  trade.  Then  he  served  under  Napoleon  the  First 
for  eleven  years.  During  the  latter 's  campaign  in  Spain  John  Schell 
was  taken  prisoner  by  the  enemy.  The  Spaniards  treated  him  in  a 
brutal  manner,  only  releasing  him  under  the  condition  that  he  enlist 
in  the  British  army.  Although  this  went  against  the  grain  with 
John  Schell,  he  complied  with  the  conditions,  and  the  British  sent 
him  to  Canada,  where  he  served  three  years.  Being  released,  he 
returned  to  his  home  in  Bavaria.  In  1817  John  Schell  married  Bar- 
bara Zwick,  who  was  born  in  Bruchweiler,  Rhenish  Bavaria,  April 
4,  1799.  A  daughter  being  born  to  them,  May  2,  1819,  she  was  named 
Appolonia,  and  in  1838  became  the  wife  of  John  A.  Roth  in  Quincy. 
One  son,  John,  was  born  to  John  and  Barbara  (Zwick)  Schell,  June 
25,  1821,  in  Dann,  Rhenish  Bavaria.  Later  John  Schell,  Sr.,  went  to 
Havre,  France,  where  he  resided  for  seven  years,  as  overseer  and 
superintending  the  transfer  of  freight  to  and  from  the  ships.  During 
that  period,  in  the  year  1830,  a  son  was  born  to  them  who  was  named 
Peter.  In  Havre  it  was  where  John  Schell,  Sr.,  became  acquainted 
with  the  great  American  author,  Washington  Irving.  The  latter  took 
a  fancy  to  the  little  son,  John,  whom  he  took  along  to  New  York, 
the  father  consenting.  But  the  boy's  mother  became  uneasy  about 
her  son  and  so  John  Schell,  Sr.,  had  to  take  a  special  trip  to  New 
York,  to  bring  the  boy  back.  In  those  daj's  trips  aci'oss  the  ocean 
required  many  weeks,  and  when  John  Schell  arrived  in  New  York, 
he  learned  that  Washington  Irving  was  on  his  return  trip  to  Havre 
with  the  boy.  John  Schell,  Sr.,  and  family  came  to  America  in  1831, 
locating  in  New  York  City.  There  a  daughter  was  born  to  them 
November  25,  1833 ;  she  was  named  Philippine,  and  later  was  married 
to  John  Schwietring,  a  molder,  in  Quincy;  her  husband  died  many 
years  ago,  while  she  is  still  living,  with  the  following  sons :  John, 
Edward,  George,  Rome  and  Frederick  Sweetring,  the  name  having 
been  changed  some  to  conform  with  the  English  pronunciation;  and 
two  daughters,  Cecelia,  wife  of  John  Worth,  and  Edith,  widow  of 
Charles  Foster,  live  in  this  city. 

In  1835  John  Schell  and  family  left  New  York  for  the  west,  coming 
by  way  of  Buffalo,  New  York,  then  across  Lake  Erie  to  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  thence  by  canal  to  the  Ohio  River,  by  boat  down  this  river  and  up 
the  Mississippi  to  Quiney.  Here  another  daughter  was  born  to  John 
and  Barbara  (Zwick)  Schell,  Marie  Anna,  who  in  the  course  of  time 
became  the  wife  of  Casper  Jenner,  a  stonecutter.  And  another  son, 
George,  was  born  in  Quiney  in  1839.  John  Schell,  Sr.,  together  with 
Simon  Glass,  conducted  a  smith-shop  at  Sixth  and  Kentucky  streets. 
In  later  years  he  became  city  weigh-master,  and  had  charge  of  the  city 
scales  at  the  old  market  house.  Third  and  Hampshire  streets.  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1864,  John  Schell  died,  aged  seventy-seven  years,  while  his 
widow  lived  for  many  years,  departing  this  life  in  1891,  at  the  high  old 
age  of  ninety-two  years. 

John  Schell,  Jr.,  the  eldest  son  of  John  and  Barbara    (Zwick) 


QUIN'CY  AXU  AUAMS  COUNTY  311 

St'hell,  born  Jum'  2.').  1S21,  became  prominent  iu  public  life  in  Quincy. 
Ue  served  in  the  German  Guards  during  the  Mormon  war,  repre- 
sented the  Sixth  Ward  iu  the  city  council  for  three  years  iu  succession, 
1857,  1858  and  1859,  also  served  as  justice  of  the  i)eacc.  For  many 
years  lie  was  prominent  in  business,  conducting  a  distillery  north  of 
the  city.  His  wife  was  Cecelia  Suppiger.  born  May  2,  1822,  in  Sursee, 
Canton  Luzerne,  Switzerland.  John  Schell,  Jr.,  died  December  25, 
1875,  and  his  wife  lived  until  August  2,  1897,  when  she  departed  this 
life.  Two  daughters  survive.  Miss  Cecelia  Schell,  for  many  years  a 
music  teacher,  at  pz'csent  in  the  Anna  Brown  Home,  and  Miss  Emilie 
Schell,  for  a  number  of  years  teacher  iu  the  public  schools;  also  three 
sons,  Edward  Schell,  Los  Angeles,  California,  Irving  Schell,  Chicago, 
Illinois,  anil  William  Schell,  St.  Louis,  ilissouri. 

Peter  Schell,  born  in  Havre,  France,  came  to  Quincy  with  his 
parents.  Here  he  married  Sophia  Sanders,  who  was  born  iu  Germany 
eighty-two  years  ago,  and  came  to  this  city  with  her  sister,  ilrs.  Joseph 
Aschcmann,  early  in  life.  Peter  Schell  died  fifty-nine  years  ago. 
The  widow  is  still  among  the  living,  and  one  son,  Peter  Schell,  member 
of  the  firm  of  Schell  &  Kroner,  tinners  and  sheet  metal  workers. 

George  Schell,  born  in  Quincy  in  1839,  grew  up  in  this  city,  where 
he  for  years  conducted  teaming,  became  prominent  in  public  life 
and  was  elected  as  street  commissioner.  In  1860  he  married  Anna 
Marie  Ertel,  who  was  born  in  Xeuburg  on  the  Rhine  in  1839,  and 
had  come  to  Quincy  with  her  parents.  George  and  Elizabeth  (Zoller) 
Ertel,  in  1849,  when  she  was  ten  j-ears  of  age.  George  Schell  died 
about  thirty-eight  years  ago,  his  widow  surviving  him.  Besides  Mrs. 
Schell  the  following  children  arc  among  the  living:  George,  in  Kansas 
City,  ilissouri ;  Frank,  employed  in  the  gas  works ;  Edward,  in  the 
fire  department ;  William,  teamster,  and  Anna  Schell,  all  iu  Quincy. 

William  Diekhut,  born  April  10.  1809,  in  Muehlhausen,  Thuringia, 
emigrated  in  1832,  coming  to  America,  where  he  located  in  Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania.  In  1834  he  came  west  with  the  Pfaiisehmidt  family, 
looking  for  a  place  to  settle  down,  accompanying  them  to  Quincj'. 
Returning  to  Pittsl)urgh,  he  there  married  Catherine  M.  Wcngert,  who 
was  born  in  Sperlbach,  near  Landau,  Bavaria,  Jlay  27,  1814.  Soon 
after  their  marriage  in  1835  the  couple  came  to  Quincy,  settling  down 
here  for  life.  William  Diekhut  was  a  glazier  by  trade,  and  established 
the  first  factory  for  the  maiiui'ac-ture  of  sash,  doors  and  blinds  in  this 
town;  he  also  opened  the  first  lumber  yard  in  Quincy.  In  later  years 
he  was  one  of  the  foundei*s  and  main  stockholder  of  a  large  saw- 
mill on  the  bay  north  of  the  city.  September  8,  1892,  William  Dick- 
hut  died,  and  his  wife  followed  him  in  death  July  21,  1893.  The 
children  of  William  and  Catherine  (Weiigert)  Diekhut  were:  Henry 
E.  Diekhut,  who  was  associated  in  business  with  his  father  and  now 
lives  in  Chicago;  Edward  C.  Diekhut,  was  manager  of  the  Quincy 
Lumber  Co.,  and  died  throe  years  ago;  Philip  L.  Diekhut,  who  is  in 
the  real  estate  business  in  Quincy.     Daughtei-s  were:  Anna,  wife  of 


312  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Frederick  Wilms,  for  many  years  president  of  the  Wabash  Coal  Co. ; 
they  now  reside  in  Los  Angeles,  California ;  and  ^liss  Caroline  Dickhut 
in  Quiney. 

• 

John  Kinkel,  born  June  7,  1796,  in  Dodenau,  Grandduchy  of  Hes- 
sen,  married  Louisa  Feisel,  born  in  the  same  town  in  1802.  In  March, 
1835,  they  left  their  old  home  and  came  to  America,  arriving  in  Quiney 
August  26th  of  the  same  year.  Like  many  immigrants  in  those  days, 
John  Kinkel.  and  family  settled  near  Mill  Creek,  following  farming 
until  1860,  in  which  year  he  died,  his  wife  departing  this  life  in  1875. 
John  Kinkel,  Jr.,  the  oldest  son  of  John  and  Louisa  (Feisel)  Kinkel, 
was  born  in  the  fatherland  in  1824,  and  came  to  Quiney  with  the 
family  in  1835.  He  grew  up  on  the  farm  and  later  came  to  town, 
where  he  married  Mary  Christine  Stork,  born  June  18,  1831,  in  the 
Grandduchy  of  Hessen,  who  came  to  America  in  early  days,  locating 
near  Belleville,  St.  Clair  County,  Illinois.  In  1849  she  came  to  Quiney, 
where  she  met  John  Kinkel,  Jr.,  and  was  married  to  him.  John 
Kinkel,  Jr.,  for  many  years  was  in  business  in  Quiney  at  Fourth 
and  Broadway,  where  he  conducted  a  grocery,  a  tavern  and  wagon- 
yard.  He  died  in  1895,  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  in  1900.  One 
daughter  and  one  son  survive.  The  daughter  is  Mrs.  Emilia  Stewart, 
wife  of  Nathaniel  Stewart,  switchman  of  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  Railroad; 
the  son  is  Charles  Alfred  Kinkel,  also  a  switchman  of  the  C,  B.  &  Q. 
Railroad.  William  Kinkel,  also  a  son  of  John  and  Louisa  (Feisel) 
Kinkel,  grew  up  on  the  farm  and  later  came  to  Quiney,  where  he 
was  active  in  the  sewing  machine  business.  He  married  Elizabeth 
Goebel  of  this  county,  her  parents  being  among  the  early  pioneers 
who  came  to  America  from  the  Grandduchy  of  Hessen.  William 
Kinkel  afterward  moved  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  was  engaged  in  business 
until  his  death  about  twelve  years  ago;  his  wife  also  departed  this 
life  many  years  ago.  Caroline  Kinkel,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Louisa 
(Feisel)  Kinkel,  became  the  wife  of  J.  Henry  Fisher,  and  died  in 
1915.  Sophia  Kinkel,  another  daughter,  was  married  to  George 
Hoefiin,  with  whom  she  went  to  Kansas,  where  both  died  years  ago. 

George  ]Merker,  born  in  1808,  in  Gross-Biberau,  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen,  learned  to  be  a  tailor  in  his  home  town,  where  he  married 
Barbara  Wendel,  also  born  in  Gross-Biberau  in  1809.  The  couple 
emigrated  in  1830,  coming  to  America,  locating  in  Charabersburg, 
Pennsylvania,  where  George  Merker  conducted  a  tailor  shop,  em- 
ploying seven  journeymen  tailors.  In  1835  George  and  Barbara 
(Wendel)  ilerker  came  west  with  two  children,  John  and  Elizabeth, 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  located  in  Quiney.  Owing  to  impaired 
health,  George  Merker  gave  up  tailoring  and  went  to  farming,  settling 
near  Mill  Creek.  In  1867  he  departed  this  life,  and  his  wife  followed 
him  in  death  in  1868.  Four  children  were  born  to  George  and  Bar- 
bara (Wendel)  Merker  in  this  county,  Catharine,  Philip,  Nicholas, 
and  Anna.     John  Merker  married  Henrietta  Wagner,  a  daughter  of 


gi'lXCV  AND  ADA.MS  (OfNTY  3l:J 

Christian  Wagner,  one  of  the  pioneers,  who  eanie  from  the  Principal- 
ity of  Waldeck,  Uerniany,  and  was  among  the  early  residents  of  Adams 
County.  John  Merker  followed  fanning  in  Melrose  Township  until 
his  death  early  in  the  '70s.  George  J.  Merker,  a  son  of  John  and 
Henrietta  (Wagner)  Merker,  was  horn  in  Melrose,  February  5,  1855. 
He  grew  up  on  the  farm,  helped  his  father,  and  later  married  Anna 
O.  Spitze,  born  in  Warsaw,  Illinois.  The  family  resides  on  the  farm, 
in  close  proximity  to  the  city,  and  has  prospered,  raising  fruits  and 
vegetables. 

Philip  and  Nicholas  Merker,  sons  of  George  and  Barbara  ( Wendcl) 
ilerker,  both  followed  fanning  in  Melrose  Township,  but  only  Nicholas 
is  among  the  living,  Philip  having  died  many  years  ago.  Nicholas 
ilerker  was  born  March  27,  1842,  grew  up  to  manhood,  and  in  1865 
married  Elizabeth  Voth.  a  native  of  Gennany.  She  died  years  ago. 
Two  sons,  Fred  and  Harvey  Merker,  conduct  a  general  store  at  See- 
horn,  and  one  daughter  was  married  to  Henry  Griep,  a  farmer  mar 
Taylor,  Jlissouri.  where  Nicholas  Merker  makes  his  home. 

Sebastian  Oesterle  was  born  in  1808  in  Wintersdorf,  Baden,  where 
he  learned  the  tailor's  trade.  In  1829  he  left  his  home  town  as  a 
journeyman,  working  at  his  trade  in  a  number  of  places.  Finally 
he  came  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  met  Justine  Brodbeck,  born  in 
1814  in  Kretzingen,  Baden.  In  1835  they  came  to  Quincy,  wliere 
they  were  married  in  1836.  Sebastian  Oesterle  died  in  1860,  while 
his  widow  lived  for  many  more  years,  departing  this  life  in  1889. 
Joseph,  the  oldest  son  of  Sebastian  and  Justine  (Brodbeck)  Oesterle, 
born  January  6,  1837,  grew  up  in  this  city  and  for  many  years  was 
chief  of  the  fire  department.  He  died  in  1891,  the  name  having  been 
changed  to  Esterly.  Peter  Esterly,  the  second  son,  also  grew  up  to 
manhood,  and  during  the  Civil  war  served  as  musician  in  the  Tenth 
Illinois  Infantry.  John  Esterly,  another  son,  grew  up  in  Quincy  and 
served  as  musician  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Illinois 
Infantry  during  the  Civil  war. 

George  Schultheis.  born  October  6,  1811,  in  JIarjoss.  Principality 
of  Hessen,  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade  and  left  his  home  town 
April  18,  1833,  emigrating  to  America,  where  he  landed  at  Baltimore 
July  2d  of  the  same  year.  September  14,  1835,  he  came  to  Quincy, 
where  he  later  met  and  married  Magdalena  Wcngert ;  she  was  born 
in  Sperlbach,  Bavaria,  November  23,  1816,  came  to  America  in  1833, 
and  located  in  Quincy  April  14,  1837.  George  Schultheis  for  nuiny 
j'ears  followed  his  trade  and  finally  conducted  a  shoe  store  in  Quincy. 
He  departed  this  life  August  17,  1893,  his  wife  preceding  him  in 
death  February  11,  1883.  Children  of  George  and  Magdalena  (Wcn- 
gert) Schultheis  were:  George,  wlio  died  about  ten  years  ago;  Chris- 
tian, who  became  a  druggist,  in  which  business  he  was  active  for  a 
number  of  years,  he  died  December  29,  1916,  the  widow,  Amelia,  nee 
Jansen.  r-'vid.",:  in  Quincy;  Henry  lives  in  Los  Angeles,  Cfilit'nrnia  : 


314  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Hattie  and  Helen  Schultheis,  and  Edward  Schultheis,  the  latter  a 
printer,  live  in  Quiney.  Albert  Schultheis,  the  youngest  son  of 
George  and  Magdalena  (Wengert)  Schultheis,  left  Quiucy  many' 
years  ago,  when  only  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  located  in  Independ- 
ence, Kansas,  where  he  secured  a  position  as  eiTand  boy  in  a  bank; 
by  diligence  and  strict  attention  to  his  duties  he  soon  gained  the 
confidence  and  good  will  of  his  employers,  was  advanced  and  pro- 
moted from  one  position  to  the  other,  until  today  he  is  president  of 
that  bank.  Emma  Schultheis  became  the  wife  of  Johu  Notter;  they 
moved  to  Chicago  many  years  ago. 

George  W.  Rust  was  born  in  Germany  January  29,  1792,  and  came 
to  America  early  in  life,  for  he  served  in  the  War  of  1812  against 
the  British.  After  that  war  he  located  in  Ohio.  By  his  fii'st  marriage 
he  had  five  children:  Michael,  George,  Dorothy,  the  wife  of  ilr.  Tix- 
ford;  Margaret  and  Elizabeth.  The  second  wife  of  George  W.  Bust 
was  Maiy  McChesney,  and  they  had  two  children:  Charles  "W.,  born 
January  30, 1833,  in  Clermont  County,  Ohio,  and  Samuel,  born  Decem- 
ber 31,  1835,  in  Adams  County,  Illinois,  his  parents  coming  to  this 
couutj'  in  that  year  and  locating  in  Keene  Township.  After  the 
death  of  his  second  wife  George  W.  Eust  married  Mrs.  WiUiam  Forum, 
a  widow  who  by  her  first  marriage  had  five  children.  Charles  W. 
Rust,  born  in  Ohio,  grew  up  in  Adams  County,  learned  blacksmithing 
with  his  father  and  conducted  a  smith  shop  in  Loraine.  There  were 
only  four  houses  in  Keene  Township  when  George  W.  Rust  and  family 
settled  there.  Charles  W.  Rust  married  Eliza  A.  Benson,  born  in 
Indiana,  January  28,  1832,  her  parents  being  among  the  early  settlers 
of  Adams  County.  Five  children  were  born  to  Charles  W.  and  Eliza 
(Benson)  Rust,  three  sons,  Johu,  George,  and  Charles,  and  two 
daughters,  Sarah  E.,  wife  of  Thomas  Hudson,  Oklahoma,  and 
Josephine,  wife  of  Elmer  Smith,  Tacoma,  "Washington.  During  the 
Civil  war  Charles  W.  Rust  served  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth 
Illinois  Infantry;  he  died  ilarch  31,  1905,  while  his  wife  died  one 
week  prior,  March  24,  1905. 

John  Nelseh,  born  January  3,  1813,  in  Goeppingen,  Wuerttemberg, 
where  he  learned  the  baker's  trade,  came  to  America  in  1835,  locating 
in  Quiney.  Here  he  married  Leonore  Clara  Kraus,  born  in  Forchheim, 
Baden,  who  came  to  this  city  in  1835.  They  moved  to  Jacksonville, 
Illinois,  where  John  Nelseh  established  a  bakery;  he  also  conducted 
bakeries  in  Beardstown  and  Virginia,  Cass  County,  Illinois.  In  1842 
the  family  returned  to  Quiney,  where  John  Nelseh  for  many  years 
was  active  in  his  business  as  baker.  For  a  number  of  years  he  con- 
ducted a  brewery  and  a  summer  garden.  In  the  early  '50s  his  wife 
died,  and  in  1855  he  married  for  the  second  time,  his  wife  being 
Marie  Mesel,  born  in  Sankt  Johann,  Saarbruecken,  Prussia.  She 
came  to  this  country  in  1849  with  her  parents,  and  located  in  St. 
Louis,  where  her  parents  died,  and  she  later  came  to  Quiney.    John 


QUIXCV  AND  ADA.M.S  CULXTY  315 

Xclsi'h  died  Xovcinlfcr  23,  lSf)3.  his  wife  is  still  among  the  living,  eon- 
ducting  the  bakery  established  by  her  husband  many  years  ago. 
Three  sons  of  John  Xelsch  live  in  Quiuey :  John  Xelsch,  Jr.,  who 
served  in  the  Tenth  Illinois  Infantry  during  the  Civil  war;  Louis 
Nelsch,  a  cooper,  who  still  follows  his  trade;  and  Albert  Xelsch,  the 
youngest  son,  proprietor  of  a  large  bakery. 

Sebastian  Gerber,  bom  1806  in  Forehheim,  Baden,  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1835,  landing  at  Baltimore.  From  there  he  went  to  Pittsburgh, 
where  he  boarded  a  steamboat,  coming  downi  the  Ohio  River  and  up 
the  Jlississippi  to  Quincy.  It  was  in  December  when  the  boat  arrived 
here,  but  there  was  so  much  ice  before  the  city  that  the  boat  had  to 
land  at  West  Quincy,  from  where  the  passengers  were  brought  to 
Quincy  the  next  day  in  skiffs.  In  1840  Sebastian  Gerber  married 
Creszcntia  Herr.  she  being  born  1819  in  Fischbaeh  in  the  Black  Forest 
of  Baden.  In  May,  1865,  ;\Irs.  Gerber  died  and  her  husband  departed 
this  life  in  July,  1875.  Joseph  Gerber,  a  son  of  Sebastian  and  Cres- 
zentia  (Herr)  Gerber,  born  in  Quincy,  October  2,  1846,  learned  the 
machinist  trade,  at  which  he  worked  for  forty-six  years,  and  then 
retired.  He  married  Caroline  Schauf,  a  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer, 
Henry  Schauf,  who  located  here  in  1836.  One  daughter.  Miss  Anna 
Gerber,  is  engaged  as  stenographer  in  the  Rieker  Xational  Bank ;  the 
other  daughter,  known  as  Sister  Cecelia,  is  a  member  of  the  Order 
of  ]\Iaria  de  Ripan. 

Settlers  of  1836 

John  Bernhard  Schwindeler  was  born  in  1805  in  Herzlage,  Hann- 
over, where  he  grew  up  to  manhood  and  learned  the  carpenter's  trade, 
also  serving  in  the  Hanoverian  army.  In  the  fatherland  he  married 
Gertrude  Wellmann,  born  in  Ankum,  Hanover.  In  1833  they  emi- 
grated, coming  to  America,  where  they  located  in  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky. In  the  spring  of  1836  the  family  came  to  Quincy,  where  he 
worked  at  his  trade  as  a  carpenter.  When  the  Mormon  troubles  be- 
gan, John  Bernhard  Schwindeler  was  elected  as  captain  of  the  Ger- 
man Guard,  who  participated  in  the  Mormon  war,  the  company 
marching  from  Quincy  to  Nauvoo  overland.  Later  he  was  elected  to 
the  oflSce  of  tax  collector  of  Quincy,  and  also  served  as  constable. 
John  Bernhard  Schwindeler  died  in  1847,  his  wife  followed  him  in 
death  in  1849,  as  a  victim  of  cholera. 

Charles  Ferdinand  Scliwindeler,  horn  September  7.  1834,  in  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  a  son  of  John  Bernhard  and  Gertrude  (Wellniann) 
Schwindeler,  came  with  his  parents  to  Quincy,  where  the  family  made 
their  home  in  a  log  cabin.  When  thirteen  yeai-s  of  age  he  was 
apprenticed  to  his  uncle,  Frederick  Wellmann,  learning  the  painter's 
trade,  which  occupation  he  followed  for  many  years.  In  1855  he 
married  Marie  Faerber.  For  a  numl)er  of  years  he  served  in  the 
volunteer  fire  department  as  foreman  of  Lilierty  Xo.  3,  and  later  of 


316  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Water  Witch  No.  2.  In  1883  Charles  Ferdinand  Sehwindeler  was 
elected  as  city  treasurer  for  four  years,  and  in  1891  he  was  again 
elected  to  the  same  office,  serving  the  city  for  eight  years  as  treasurer 
and  ex-officio  tax  collector.  October  19,  1891,  his  wife  died,  and 
Charles  F.  Sehwindeler  departed  this  life  March  23,  1909.  Children 
living  are:  Charles  J.  Sehwindeler,  painter,  in  Quincy;  Frank  John 
Sehwindeler,  electrician,  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri;  Miss  Frances 
Sehwindeler,  and  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Joseph  Rummenie,  both  in 
Quincy. 

Dr.  Michael  Doway,  born  1803  in  Sursee,  Canton  Luzerne,  Switzer- 
land, studied  medicine,  and  in  1826  married  Nannette  Suppiger,  born 
in  Sursee  in  1807.  In  1835  they  emigrated  to  America,  locating  at 
Highland,  Illinois,  a  Swiss  colony  founded  by  Dr.  Casper  Koepfli  and 
John  Suppiger.  In  1836  the  family  came  to  Quincy,  where  Doctor 
Doway,  in  connection  with  John  Guggenbuehler,  conducted  a  brewery 
at  Seventh  and  York  streets.  Later  Guggenbuehler  returned  to  High- 
land, and  Doctor  Doway  bought  a  piece  of  ground  from  Governor 
Thomas  Carlin,  on  Hampshire  near  Fifth  Street,  where  he  erected  a 
building  and  conducted  a  drug  store  for  many  years,  at  the  same 
time  practicing  medicine.  Emilie,  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Michael  and 
Nannette  (Suppiger)  Doway,  was  married  to  Charles  Seeger,  for 
many  years  engaged  in  business  in  Quincy  as  insurance  agent.  Dr. 
Michael  Doway  died  January  10,  1891,  his  wife  followed  him  in 
death  November  7,  1897.  Charles  Seeger  and  wife  also  departed  this 
life  years  ago. 

Ignatz  Bross  and  family  came  to  Ajnerica  in  the  early  '30s  of  last 
century.  Both  were  born  in  Elgesweier,  Baden.  His  wife  was  Bar- 
bara, nee  Regelsberger.  They  located  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  but 
in  1836  he  decided  to  come  to  Quincy,  making  the  trip  overland  by 
prairie  schooner,  drawn  by  a  fine  team  of  horses.  When  they  arrived 
here,  there  was  no  house  vacant  and  so  they  camped  under  the  shelter- 
ing shade  of  a  big  tree  near  what  now  is  Twelfth  Street,  until  a  dwell- 
ing could  be  secured.  Ignatz  Bross  departed  this  life  in  1842,  his  wife 
following  him  in  death  in  1846.  Benjamin  Bross,  a  son  of  Ignatz 
and  Barbara  (Eegelsberger)  Bross,  in  1856  moved  to  Carthage, 
Illinois,  where  he  died  some  years  ago  at  a  high  old  age.  Christine, 
a  daughter  of  Ignatz  and  Barbara  (Regelsberger)  Bross,  became  the 
wife  of  Daniel  Kaiser,  one  of  Quincy 's  pioneers,  who  conducted  a 
soda  water  factory  in  this  city  and  also  made  hubs  for  wagon  wheels ; 
the  other  daughter,  Marie,  was  married  to  Joseph  Mast,  the  early 
pioneer.     All  have  long  since  died. 

.  Henry  Edward  Barth  was  bom  October  28,  1805,  in  Dresden, 
Saxony,  where  he  grew  up  to  manhood  and  learned  the  butcher's 
trade.  In  the  beginning  of  1836  he  emigrated,  landing  in  New  York 
July  26th.     Continuing  his   journey   to    Cincinnati,    Ohio,   he  there 


C^LIMV  AM)  ADAMS  COINTY  .117 

hoarded  a  steanilioat,  (•(nuing  down  tlie  Ohio  River  and  up  liu'  .Mis- 
sissippi to  (^uiney,  where  lie  settled  for  lii'e.  ilareh  1,  183!),  he  married 
Christine  Brcitwieser,  who  was  born  April  12,  1810,  in  Kleestadt, 
Granddueliy  of  Hessen,  and  eanio  to  Quimy  in  1838.  For  many  years 
Henry  Edwanl  Barth  eonducted  a  meat  market  in  this  city,  and  later 
was  proprietor  of  a  hotel,  known  as  "Gasthof  zur  Stadt  Dresden." 
July  17,  1875,  he  died,  his  wife  preceding  him  in  deatli  January  24, 
1872.  Henry  Edward  and  Christine  (Breitwieser)  Barth  had  two 
sons,  John  and  Henry  Barth,  who  grew  up  in  this  city,  where  both 
married  and  were  active  in  their  chosen  calling,  conducting  meat 
markets;  both  have  long  ago  departed  this  life.  One  daughter  of 
Henry  Edward  and  Christine  (Breitwieser)  Barth  still  lives  in  Quincy, 
Mrs.  Eva  JIarie  Hug,  born  March  24,  1846,  the  widow  of  Frederick 
Hug,  who  for  many  .years  conducted  a  barber  shop  in  Quincy. 

Andrew  Keller,  born  April  27,  1816,  in  Gross-Biberau,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Hessen,  grew  up  to  manhood  in  his  native  town,  where  he 
learned  the  tailor's  trade.  In  1836  he  came  to  America,  locating  in 
Quincy,  where  he  settled  for  life.  July  19,  1840,  he  married  Julia 
Wild,  horn  April  3,  1817,  in  Gruenstadt,  Bavaria.  For  many  years 
Andrew  Keller  was  engaged  in  business  in  this  city,  in  the  beginning 
following  his  trade  as  a  tailor,  and  later  in  the  mercantile  business, 
conducting  a  dry  goods  and  grocery  store.  In  1857  he  represented 
the  Fourth  Ward  in  the  city  council.  Andrew  Keller  died  August 
11.  1864,  while  his  wife  lived  until  December  11,  1892.  George 
Keller,  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Julia  (Wild)  Keller,  grew  up  in  Quincy 
and  learned  blacksmithing  and  wagon  making,  l)eing  a  member  of  the 
firm  Wenzel  &  Keller.  During  the  Civil  war  he  served  in  the  Union 
army  as  waggoner  of  Company  D.  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth 
Illinois  Infantry.  Later  lie  married  Josephine  Bregger,  daughter 
of  Thomas  Bregger.  For  a  number  of  years  he  has  been  in  the  agri- 
cultural implement  business  with  his  sons,  George.  Oscar  and  Arthur, 
under  the  firm  name  George  Keller  &  Sons.  Andrew  and  Julia  (  Wild) 
Keller  had  three  daughters,  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Peter  Beamer 
(Boehmer),  she  at  present  residing  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri;  Mary, 
the  wife  of  Philip  Sehanz,  she  died  several  years  ago;  ani]  Ennna. 
the  wife  of  Herman  PI.  Westerbeek  in  Kansas  City,  Jlissouri. 

Sebastian  Dingeldein,  born  in  1810  in  Gross-Biberan,  Grand- 
duehy  of  Hessen,  came  to  America  early  in  the  '30s  of  last  century, 
locating  in  Pittsburgli,  Pennsylvania.  His  wife  was  Catherine,  nee 
Klingler,  born  in  1810  in  Rcichelsheim,  Granddueliy  of  Hessen.  In 
1836  they  came  to  Quincy.  where  Sebastian  Dingeldein  conducted  a 
bakery  on  Hampshire  l)etween  Third  and  Fourth  streets.  Later  he 
aciiuired  a  farm  si.\  miles  east  of  the  city  near  Mill  Creek,  where  he 
followed  farming  for  many  years.  In  1S48,  his  wife  died,  while  Se- 
ba.stian  Dingeldein  in  later  years  came  to  the  city,  where  he  died  in 
1891.    George  Dingeldein,  the  son  of  Sebastian  and  Catherine  (Kliiig- 


318  QUINCY  AND  ADAilS  COUNTY 

ler)  Dingeldein,  was  active  as  a  farmer  for  some  time,  but  later 
moved  to  the  city,  where  he  went  into  business  as  manufacturer  of 
extracts,  until  his  death  about  a  year  ago.  Sebastian  and  Catherine 
(Klinger)  Dingeldein  had  two  daughters,  Catherine,  who  became 
the  wife  of  tlie  farmer,  George  Dickhnt,  and  died  many  years  ago; 
and  Caroline,  who  became  the  wife  of  George  Schaller,  proprietor  of 
a  tinshop  and  dealer  in  stoves;  she  also  departed  this  life  a  number 
of  years  ago. 

John  A.  Eoth,  born  April  11,  1814,  in  Meykammer,  Bavaria,  came 
to  America  in  1836,  locating  in  Quincy,  where  he  went  to  work  at  his 
trade  as  cabinet  maker.  August  13,  1838,  he  married  Appolonia 
Schell,  daughter  of  John  and  Barbara  (Zwick)  Sehell,  born  in  Bavaria 
May  2,  1819,  who  came  to  Quincy  with  her  parents  in  1836.  In  1849 
John  A.  Roth  crossed  the  plains,  going  to  the  gold  mines  of  California, 
from  where  he  returned  in  18.52 ;  in  1854  he  went  to  California  again, 
returning  in  1856.  Then  he  located  in  Camp  Point,  this  county,  where 
he  went  into  business,  dealing  in  furniture,  stoves  and  tinware,  manu- 
facturing the  latter.  For  many  years  he  occupied  a  prominent  posi- 
tion in  business  circles  of  that  town,  until  his  death,  October  1,  1875, 
his  wife  also  departing  this  life  many  years  ago.  John  W.  Roth,  a 
son  of  John  A.  and  Appolonia  (Schell)  Roth,  was  born  in  Camp 
Point  September  23,  1858.  After  acquiring  a  good  common  school 
education,  he  worked  in  his  father's  store  for  a  time,  but  concluded 
to  try  railroading,  and  was  employed  in  the  Wabash  and  Union  Pacific 
service  for  some  time.  In  1884  he  bought  out  a  general  store  in  Kings- 
ton, Adams  County,  which  he  conducted  for  six  years.  Being  ap- 
pointed deputy  sheriff,  while  in  Kingston,  he  held  that  position  con- 
tinuou.sly  until  he  was  elected  sheriff  in  1898.  After  the  expiration 
of  his  term,  John  W.  Roth  went  West,  where  he  located. 

Among  the  German  pioneers  who  settled  in  Quincy  in  1836  was 
George  P.  Heller.  Born  May  16,  1811,  in  Oberau,  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen.  He  came  to  America  in  1828  and  located  in  St.  Louis.  In 
1835  he  came  to  Quincy  and  worked  here  at  his  trade  as  carpenter 
during  the  summer,  but  in  the  fall  left  this  town,  he  and  another 
man,  who  also  was  a  carpenter,  walking  from  Quincy  to  St.  Louis, 
where  there  was  more  opportunity  for  work  in  the  winter.  In  the 
spring  of  1836  George  P.  Heller  again  came  to  Quincy  to  settle  here 
for  life.  In  1842  he  married  Elizabeth  D.  Waldhaus,  a  daughter  of 
Henrj^  Waldhaus,  who  with  his  wife  had  located  in  Chambersburg, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1831.  The  family  came  from  Oberau,  Grandduchy 
of  Hessen,  where  the  daughter,  Elizabeth,  was  born  in  1822.  About 
the  year  1833  Henry  Waldhaus,  who  was  a  carpet  weaver,  with  his 
family  located  in  Belleville,  Illinois,  and  in  1835  came  to  Quincy, 
later  settling  on  a  farm  near  Mill  Creek  in  Melrose  Township.  George 
P.  Heller  worked  at  his  trade  as  carpenter  and  builder  for  many 
years,  and,  among  many  others,  had  the  contract  to  construct  the 


QULVCY  AND  ADAMS  COINTV  319 

first  building  erected  by  the  late  Henry  F.  J.  Kieker  on  Hampshire 
Street.  In  1851  he  lost  his  life  by  falling  from  the  roof  of  a  house, 
leaving  his  family,  consisting  of  wife,  two  sons,  John  A.  and  (Jeorge, 
and  three  daughters.  Sophia,  ilathilde  and  Emma,  in  straitened  cir- 
cumstanees.  John  A.  Heller,  the  eldest  son  of  George  P.  and  Eliza- 
beth D.  (Waldhaus)  Heller,  was  born  Februan-  1,  1844,  in  a  log 
house  near  the  northwest  corner  of  Seventh  and  Jersey  streets  in 
Quiney.  AVhen  six  years  of  age  he  had  to  stay  at  home  and  take 
care  of  the  younger  children,  while  the  mother  attended  to  her  work, 
taking  in  sewing,  often  working  until  midnight.  Later  she  did 
washing  and  ironing,  being  thus  engaged  every  day  of  the  week,  all  of 
this  being  necessary  to  support  herself  and  children.  In  June,  1854, 
John  A.  Heller,  then  ten  years  of  age,  went  to  work  for  David  W. 
Miller,  proprietor  of  the  Quiney  House,  his  first  occupation  being  that 
of  a  knife  shiner.  AVhen  the  Gather  House  (later  the  Trcmont  Hotel) 
had  been  built,  he  was  the  first  employe  hired  by  Zachariah  Gather, 
the  proprietor,  and  began  by  cleaning  windows,  before  the  house  was 
furnished.  Two  years  later  he  returned  to  the  Quiney  House,  learning 
to  cook.  In  the  course  of  time  he  worked  in  different  hotels,  the 
Quiney,  the  Tremont,  and  the  Pacific,  in  this  city,  and  also  in  the 
Commercial  Hotel,  ^Icmphis,  Tennessee.  In  1859  and  1860  he  was 
cook  on  packets  that  plied  between  St.  Louis  and  Memphis.  Then 
he  went  to  sea  as  cook,  first  on  the  James  Bryant,  of  Beverly,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  then  on  the  Bosporous,  of  Bangor,  Maine,  visiting  every 
continent  with  the  exception  of  Australia.  After  four  years  of  life 
at  sea,  he  returned  to  his  old  home,  the  Quiney  House.  In  1872  he, 
with  the  late  Mayor  Frederick  Rearick,  organized  the  Eagle  Packing 
Company,  preserving  canned  goods,  but  they  lost  everything  in  the 
panic  of  1873,  caused  by  the  financial  crash  of  that  year.  January 
1,  1874,  he,  in  partnership  with  Herman  Moecker,  Sr.,  opened  the 
then  new  Pacific  Hotel.  In  1879  he  left  the  hotel  business  and  in  the 
spring  of  1880  began  raising  early  vegetables  and  chickens.  Finally 
he  started  in  the  florist  business,  securing  an  excellent  patronage, 
retiring  from  active  busine.ss  in  the  fall  of  1899.  John  A.  Heller  also 
has  been  busy  in  the  literary  field.  In  1878  he  wrote  a  work  entitled 
"A  Teleologieal  View  of  Nature,"  in  1910  "A  Constructive  Treatise  of 
the  Evolution  Theorj',"  and  in  1916  "A  Diminution  of  a  Literary 
Kaleidoscope";  besides  the  above  mentioned  he  has  written  160  poems, 
among  them  one  entitled  "My  Travels  Over  the  Globe."  John  A. 
Heller  was  especially  active  in  securing  a  Chamber  of  Commerce 
Building  for  Quiney,  towards  which  he  in  1912  subscribed  $1,000, 
this  sum  being  placed  in  bank  for  more  than  three  years,  nothing 
being  added  but  the  interest.  Finally  he  gave  them  the  choice  among 
several  sites,  he  agreeing  to  buy  the  ground  thus  selected.  A  com- 
mittee, entrusted  with  the  selection,  chose  Fifth  and  Jersey  streets, 
where  the  building  then  was  erected.  John  A.  Heller  certainly  made 
his  mark  in  the  history  of  Quiney.  July  24,  1868,  John  A.  Heller 
married  Martha  J.  Weidenhammer,  the  latter  born  in  Pennsylvania, 


820  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

as  the  name  plainly  indicates,  also  of  German  descent.     She  died  in 
October,  1910. 

Adam  Keller  was  born  May  21,  1787,  in  Ostheim,  Granddnchy  of 
Hesseu,  and  married  Marie  Dorothea  Pfeiffer,  born  in  Gross  Biberau. 
They  came  to  Quincy  in  1836  and  located  near  Mill  Creek,  where  they 
went  to  farming.  While  Mrs.  Keller  died  early  in  the  '50s,  her  hus- 
band lived  until  March  25,  1872,  when  he  departed  this  life.-  ilatthew 
Keller,  the  oldest  son  of  Adam  and  Marie  D.  (Pfeitifer)  Keller,  married 
Marie  Herlemann,  born  in  Wersau,  Grandduchy  of  Hesseu.  Their 
sons  were:  George  Keller,  who  married  Hannah  Miller,  and  later 
moved  to  the  city,  where  he  conducted  teaming  until  his  death;  An- 
drew Keller,  born  November  13,  1845,  served  in  the  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-Eighth  Illinois  Infantry  during  the  Civil  war,  and  later  con- 
ducted a  grocery  and  notion  store  in  Quincy ;  he  married  Dora 
Schnellbecher,  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer,  Wendel  Schnellbecher, 
she  surviving,  while  he  died  a  number  of  yeai-s  ago.  William  Keller, 
twin  brother  of  the  before  mentioned  Andrew  Keller,  married  Mary 
Ruff,  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer,  Jacob  Ruff,  and  conducted  a  grocery 
store  in  this  city  for  many  years,  finally  moving  to  La  Plata,  Mis- 
souri, where  they  reside  on  a  farm.  IMatthew  Keller,  the  youngest  son 
of  Matthew  and  Marie  (Herlemann)  Keller,  who  lived  ou  the  farm 
in  Melrose,  departed  this  life  many  years  ago. 

Paul  Konantz  was  bom  in  Hohenzollern,  August  16,  1811.  In 
1836  he  came  to  Quincy,  where  he  married  Wilhelmina  Schultheis 
May  9,  1843,  she  being  a  native  of  Marjoss,  Principality  of  Hessen,  and 
had  come  to  Quincy  in  1835.  Paul  Konantz  was  active  in  business 
circles  for  many  years,  conducting  a  grocery  and  also  a  wood  yard.  He 
died  in  1877,  and  his  wife  in  1897.  William  H.  Konantz,  the  oldest 
son  of  Paul  and  Wilhelmina  (Schultheis)  Konantz,  was  born  in  Quincy 
April  9,  1846.  After  finishing  his  education  he  served  an  apprentice- 
ship with  Bernard  &  Lockwood,  learning  saddlery  and  harness  mak- 
ing, and  then  spent  two  years  in  Chicago,  learning  the  finest  grades 
of  work.  In  March,  1876,  with  a  few  hundred  dollars  capital,  he 
opened  a  shop  of  his  own,  and  being  an  expert  workman,  his  busi- 
ness prospered  so  that  within  five  years  he  not  only  enjoyed  a  hand- 
some local  patronage,  but  was  shipping  to  other  cities  as  far  west  as 
the  Pacific  Coast.  A  number  of  years  ago  he  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness life,  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest.  The  other  children  of  Paul 
and  Wilhelmina  (Schultheis)  Konantz  were:  Dr.  Charles  F.  Konantz, 
for  a  number  of  years  a  practicing  physician  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota ; 
John  P.  Konantz,  a  baker  in  Ithaca,  New  York ;  Edward  and  Adolph 
Konantz,  in  a  saddlery  and  harness  business  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota ; 
]\Irs.  Wilhelmina  Smith,  in  Chicago;  Mrs.  Henrietta  Ripley,  in  Oak 
Park,  Cook  County,  Illinois;  and  Mrs.  Anna  Lindley,  whose  luisband 
years  ago  was  postmaster  in  Urbana,  Illinois. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COINTY  321 

Sixteen  years  ago  Frederick  Gustave  Ertel,  at  that  time  superin- 
tendent of  public  schools  in  Quincy,  related  the  following  to  the 
writer  of  this  history:  "I'lrich  I^\iginl)uehl.  my  maternal  grandfa- 
ther, was  lioru  in  1784  in  Herno.  Switzerland,  and  his  wife,  ilaria 
Anna,  nee  Stucke,  was  also  born  in  Berne  in  1789.  They  were  mar- 
ried in  the  Reformed  eluin-h  in  Berne,  where  my  mother  was  born 
in  1823,  she  being  named  al'ter  her  motlier,  Maria  Anna.  Early  in 
1825  my  grandparents,  in  company  with  many  others,  decided  to  emi- 
grate to  America.  There  were  one  huiulred  and  twenty  persons  in 
the  party,  which  traveled  overland  from  Berne  to  Havre,  all  bound 
for  this  promised  land,  America.  It  certainly  would  have  made  a 
splendid  subject  for  an  artist,  to  immortalize  the  picture  of  that  party 
on  canvass,  as  they  journeyed  overland,  like  the  children  of  Israel. 
Some  of  the  families  had  their  household  goods  transported  on  wagons, 
drawn  by  horses,  while  others  had  them  carried  on  the  backs  of 
burros,  and  othei-s  still,  not  so  fortuimte,  placed  their  scanty  pos- 
sessions on  handcarts,  which  they  shoved  before  them.  By  far  the 
greatest  iinml)er  of  those  emigrants  had  to  travel  afoot,  and  these,  as 
well  as  tlie  people  who  shoved  handcarts,  and  the  leaders  of  the  pack- 
mules,  had  to  start  earlier  in  the  morning  than  the  others  who  were 
so  fortunate  as  to  possess  wagons  and  horses;  and  in  the  evening  it 
would  invariably  take  several  hours  before  the  whole  party  was  gath- 
ered at  the  agreed  camping  grounds. 

"In  Havre  each  family  purchased  the  necessary  means  of  existence 
for  the  long  and  tedious  voyage  across  the  Atlantic.  Leaving  Havre 
on  the  sailing  vessel  Romulus,  the  party  encountered  severe  storms, 
and  the  voyage  to  New  York  took  one  hundred  days.  For  the  last 
three  weeks  the  members  of  that  party  were  cut  down  to  half  rations, 
and  water  was  dispensed  only  once  each  day  in  small  quantity.  There 
were  four  births  and  four  deaths  on  that  voyage,  one  boy  was  among 
the  newborn  and  he  was  christened  by  the  captain  of  the  ship,  receiv- 
ing the  name  Romulus. 

"In  July,  1825,  the  emigrants  arrived  in  New  York.  I'lrich 
I-uginbuehl,  who  was  a  tailor,  immediately  got  work  at  his  trade  and 
remained  in  that  city  for  ten  years  with  his  family.  New  York  l)eing 
visited  by  a  great  conflagration  in  December,  1835,  Ulrich  Luginl)uehl 
and  family  in  the  spring  of  1836  left  for  the  west,  going  up  the  Hud- 
son River  to  All)any,  then  by  means  of  the  fh'ie  Canal  to  Buffalo 
and  then  to  I'ittsburgh,  where  they  boarded  a  steaiid)oat,  coming  down 
the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mississi|)pi  to  Quincy,  the  tri])  from  .\'ew  York  to 
tliis  city  re<|uirinu:  tlirec  and  one-half  months.  It  was  ten  o'clock  at 
night  when  the  boat  landed  here,  and  a  very  dark  night  at  that.  A 
man  with  an  old  tin  lantern,  in  which  a  tallow  candle  diffused  a  dim 
light,  acted  as  guide.  Suddenly  a  gust  of  wind  l)lew  out  the 
light,  and  then  they  had  to  grope  in  the  dark  until  they  found  a  place 
of  shelter  for  the  night.  I'lrich  Luginbnelil  for  many  years  followed 
his  trade  as  a  tailor,  until  he  i)ecame  disabled  by  an  accident  with  a 
flat  iron,  causing  a  lame  hand,  and  had  to  give  up  his  calling.     He 

Vol.  1— II 


322  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

died  in  1854,  while  his  wife  lived  twenty  years  longer,  her  death 
occurring  1874.  A  son  of  the  couple,  John  Luckenbill,  having  changed 
his  original  name,  died  in  1881,  aged  52  years." 

Life  and  Work  of  Charles  A.  Maertz 

Charles  Augustus  Maertz  was  born  in  Berlin,  the  capital  of  the 
German  Empire,  May  31,  1811,  being  the  youngest  son  of  Charles 
Ehrhard  Maertz,  who  was  born  in  1763  in  Dantzie,  son  of  a  wealthy 
brewer  in  that  important  town  of  Prussia.  Choosing  the  art  of 
portrait  painting  as  his  profession,  Charles  Ehrhard  Maertz  went  to 
seek  his  fortune  in  Petersburg,  the  capital  of  Russia,  where  Catherine 
II  patronized  art  and  learning  with  a  munificent  hand.  Later  he 
settled  in  Berlin  to  prosecute  his  profession,  and  in  1793  married 
Christiane  Marin,  the  twenty-year-old  daughter  of  a  small  farmer  in 
a  neighboring  village,  who  proved  herself  a  devoted  wife  and  mother, 
remarkable  for  energy,  decision  of  character,  high  principle  and  stern 
sense  of  duty.  Charles  Ehrhard  ]\Iaertz  died  in  1816,  when  his  young- 
est son,  Charles  Augustus,  was  but  five  years  of  age.  The  widow,  being 
left  with  very  slender  resources,  upon  the  advice  of  her  friends,  pur- 
chased an  outfit  for  crimping  and  fluting  laces  and  muslins,  and  then 
opened  a  laundry  exclusively  for  doing  such  work,  employing  several 
girls.  When  Charles  Augustus  Maertz  arrived  at  the  age  of  thirteen, 
having  attended  a  school  for  seven  years,  his  mother's  limited  means 
obliged  her  to  apprentice  him  to  a  bookbinder.  But  the  air  of  the 
bindery  proving  extremely  detrimental  to  him,  after  six  months  the 
boy  was  removed  from  it  and  placed  with  a  coppersmith.  In  those 
days  it  had  long  been  very  difficult  to  secure  apprenticeship  at  trades, 
and  a  premium  of  50  thalers  (-HO)  had  to  be  paid  to  the  master  by 
the  mother  of  the  boy  for  the  privilege  of  equipping  her  son  with  a 
trade.  After  having  completed  his  apprenticeship,  he  produced  a 
masterpiece  and  secured  his  papers,  which  declared  him  a  master  of  his 
trade  and  permitted  him  to  practice  it.  Then  he  started  on  his  journey, 
visiting  a  number  of  cities  in  continental  Europe,  and  in  1831  went 
to  London,  England,  where  he  remained  two  years,  working  at  his 
trade. 

Having  heard  much  of  America,  he  determined  to  visit  this  country, 
and  in  1833  crossed  the  ocean,  coming  to  New  York,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade  for  a  while.  Business  being  dull,  he  left  New  York  and 
sailed  for  New  Orleans,  where  times  were  brisker  and  pay  better. 
But  he  soon  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  secured  a  position  and  found 
stanch  friends.  There  he  met  Miss  Ottilia  Obert,  daughter  of  Peter 
and  Mary  Obert,  born  Jlay  16,  1811,  in  Barliach,  Baden,  she  having 
come  to  America  in  1829,  accompanied  by  her  brother,  Mathias  Obert. 
After  a  short  engagement  Charles  Augustus  INIaertz  and  Ottilia  Obert 
were  married  October  27,  1834,  Dr.  William  Potts  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  performing  the  ceremony.  A  few  months  after  mar- 
riage Charles  Augustus  Maertz  started  a  business  of  his  own,  trans- 


l^riXCY  AND  ADAMS  (dl  NTV  323 

forming  himself  from  an  artitieer  in  nol)le  metals  into  a  tinsiiiitli  and 
sheet  iron  worker,  making  eook  and  heating  stoves  out  of  the  latter 
material.  In  April,  1836,  two  years  after  his  arrival  in  St.  Louis, 
he  took  a  trip  by  steamboat  up  the  river  to  Quincy,  whieh  he  had 
heard  of  as  a  growing  town.  On  arrival  he  heard  that  one  tinsmith 
was  already  settled  here  and  two  others  were  expected.  Being  advised 
to  try  Warsaw,  Ilaneoek  County,  Illinois,  he  resolved  to  investigate 
what  indueemeuts  it  might  offer.  Learning  that  the  next  steamboat 
for  the  Upper  Mississippi  would  not  be  due  before  three  weeks,  he 
set  out  and  made  on  foot  the  distance  of  forty  miles  between  the  two 
villages.  In  AVarsaw  he  met  an  old  acquaintance  acting  as  United 
States  land  agent,  and  was  persuaded  to  purchase  a  house  and  lot, 
giving  .tlOO  cash  down  on  first  payment. 

Returning  to  St.  Louis,  he  made  preparations  to  transfer  his  little 
family  to  their  prospective  home  in  Warsaw.  A  trifle  changed  all 
their  plans.  When  the  boat  reached  Quincy  May  19,  1836,  Mr. 
^lacrtz  stopped  off  to  get  his  heavy  cloak  which  he  had  left  in  care 
of  Anton  Konantz,  when  he  started  afoot  for  Warsaw.  Meeting  sev- 
eral acf|uaintances.  he  was  informed  that  the  tinners  had  left  and  he 
was  greatly  needed.  The  superior  advantages  of  Quincy  over  War- 
saw were  so  urgently  set  forth,  that  he  was  persuaded  to  stop  and 
locate  here.  In  the  meantime  Mrs.  Maertz  with  her  little  daughter, 
()ttilia,  was  on  the  lx)at  waiting  for  the  return  of  her  husband.  The 
bell  rang  for  pushing  off — Mrs.  ]\laertz  appealed  to  the  captain,  beg- 
ging him  to  wait  for  her  husliand ;  the  captain  assured  her  that  he 
would  be  in  time  to  jump  on,  for  he  saw  him  running  down  hill. 
She  looked  and  saw  three  men  racing  single  file  down  the  cow  path 
that  led  up  to  the  village  between  a  thicket  of  blacklierry  and  hazelnut 
bushes  and  scrub  oaks.  They  dashed  on  board  and  one  of  the  men 
then  shouted:  "Captain,  hold  mi,  jiut  out  the  bridge,  tlicse  jjcople 
are  going  to  stop  in  Quincy  I  Let  everyliody  lend  a  hand  to  unload 
these  goods."  The  deckhands  hustled  about  and  passengers  helped 
with  lusty  good  will  to  carry  the  goods  a-shore.  As  the  boat  pushed 
off  the  family  found  itself  suddenly  stranded  in  Quincy,  forty  miles 
from  its  prospective  home  in  Warsaw,  Illinois.  After  matters  had 
been  explained  to  Mi-s.  Maertz,  the  question  arose,  whither  should 
they  go,  where  find  shelter?  Anton  Konantz.  who  had  rented  a  large 
attic  room  for  his  family,  offered  to  shelter  them  until  a  vacant  house 
could  be  found.  A  partition  was  improvised  by  stretching  a  drugget 
carpet  across  one  end.  The  second  Monday  following  there  was  a 
house  of  three  rooms  to  let.  one  below  and  two  above,  for  $18.50 
per  month.  But  Mr.  Maertz  began  to  build  as  soon  as  he  had  secured 
a  lot :  in  three  months  the  house  was  ready  for  occu])ancy  and  in 
August  of  the  same  year  the  family  settled  down  in  their  own  home. 

The  year  1837  was  a  sad  one  for  Charles  Augustus  Maertz.  In 
August  of  that  year,  while  hammering  on  a  stovepipe,  a  scale  of  iron 
struck  his  left  eye.  lodging  in  the  pupil.  There  being  no  jihysicians 
here  suflSeiently  skilful  to  extract  the  scale,  Mr.  JIaertz  suffered  in- 


324  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

tensel}',  and  for  six  months  was  entirely  disqualified  for  business  of 
any  sort.  After  he  again  was  able  to  work  he  took  up  his  business 
with  his  wonted  energy  and  renewed  vigor.  In  1841,  business  being 
very  dull,  Mr.  ^laertz  went  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  worked  at  his 
trade  until  February  of  the  next  year,  when  he  returned  to  his  family 
in  Quiney.  Here  he  followed  his  business  until  1850,  when  he  sold 
out  and  took  a  trip  across  the  ocean,  sailing  from  New  York  in  June 
of  that  year  for  a  visit  with  his  mother  and  sister,  and  also  with  the 
father,  brother  and  sister  of  Mrs.  Maertz.  Returning  by  sailing  vessel 
via  New  Orleans  he  arrived  in  Quiney  December  12,  1850,  after  an 
absence  of  about  six  months.  In  1867  Mr.  Maertz  took  a  second  trip 
to  the  fatherland,  accompanied  by  his  daughters.  It  was  on  this  oc- 
casion that  he  was  induced  by  his  daughter.  Miss  Louisa,  to  resume 
pencil  sketching  from  nature  (an  accomplishment  acquired  in  boy- 
hood before  his  apprenticeship).  He  at  that  time  made  two  sketches, 
ojie  of  the  ancient  walled  City  of  Oflfenburg,  situated  on  a  gentle 
eminence  between  the  River  Kinzig  on  one  side  and  some  bold  spurs 
of  the  Black  Forest  on  the  other;  the  other  sketch  being  a  romantic 
Castle  Ortenberg,  perched  upon  the  steepest  spur  of  the  lower  range 
of  mountains,  overlooking  the  plain  in  which  the  city  is  built.  His 
interest  developing  from  success,  he  went  on  and  colored  both.  This 
diversion  taken  up  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven  became  a  delightful  pastime 
with  him  until  within  two  years  of  his  death ;  today  the  result  of 
this  activity  is  seen  in  the  home  of  the  family  in  this  city,  which  is 
adorned  by  sixty  paintings,  all  the  result  of  his  genius,  an  achieve- 
ment one  seldom  sees,  when  considering  the  difficulties  under  which  he 
labored,  owing  to  the  loss  of  one  eye — only  a  person  of  an  iron  will, 
accompanied  by  an  untiring  patience,  could  accomplish  what  he  did. 

During  his  business  career  in  Quiney  Charles  Augustus  Maertz 
built  and  owned  twenty-two  houses,  adding  that  much  to  the  develop- 
ment and  growth  of  the  city.  Besides  his  activity  in  business,  he  also 
took  a  great  interest  in  public  matters,  writing  for  the  daily  papers, 
English  and  German,  and  repeatedly  speaking  at  public  meetings, 
when  he  deemed  it  proper  in  the  interest  of  the  welfare  of  the  com- 
munity. 

The  writer  of  this  narrative  having  gone  somewhat  extensively  into 
the  description  of  the  life  and  work  of  Charles  Augustus  Maertz,  had 
only  one  object  in  view;  namely,  to  impress  upon  the  present,  and  on 
coming  generations,  what  can  be  accomplished  by  honesty  of  purpose 
and  by  untiring  will  power.  Charles  Augustus  Maertz  departed  this 
life  January  7,  1890,  while  his  wife  followed  him  in  death  August 
18.  1903.  Two  daughters  are  living  in  this  city:  ]Mrs.  Emma  Cyrus, 
the  widow  of  Capt.  John  M.  Cyrus,  who  served  in  the  Civil  war ;  and 
Mrs.  Dora  R.  JI.  Lockwood.  Ottilia,  the  eldest  daughter,  was  married 
to  Dr.  Joseph  F.  Durant,  January  10,  1856,  and  both  died  some  years 
ago. 

Louisa  ^laertz,  second  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Augustus 
Maertz,  was  suddenly  called  from  her  earthly  career  February  4,  1918. 


C^UINCY  AND  ADAMS  COLNTY  325 

She  was  horn  in  Cjuiiicy  about  eighty  years  ago,  was  a  great  reader 
and  student,  and  one  of  the  best  informed  women  in  Quiney,  having 
traveled  extensively  in  Germany,  Italy  and  other  countries  in  Europe, 
also  in  ^lexieo.  During  the  Civil  war  she  was  one  of  the  first  of  the 
group  of  women  to  oflfer  their  services  to  the  Union,  and  for  almost  the 
entire  duration  of  the  war  she  was  a  nurse  in  the  army  hospitals. 
She  also  was  an  active  member  of  the  Humane  Society  and  of  the 
Historical  Society  of  Quincy. 

Settlers  of  1837 

In  the  year  1837  the  influx  of  Gennan  immigrants  was  especially 
large,  and  that  year  marked  the  organization  of  two  German  con- 
gregations in  this  city,  the  one  Catholic,  the  other  Protestant,  both 
congregations  building  their  churches  on  Seventh  Street,  between 
York  and  Kentucky  streets,  the  Protestant  Church  on  the  east  side, 
the  Catholic  Church  on  the  west  side  of  the  street,  just  opposite. 

In  the  person  of  Father  Augustus  Brickwedde  the  Catholics  of 
Quincy  greeted  their  first  resident  German  priest  in  1837.  Augustus 
Florentius  Brickwedde  was  born  June  24,  1805,  in  Fuerstenau.  Han- 
over. He  was  the  son  of  John  Nepomuck  Bernhard  Joseph  Brick- 
wedde. an  attorney  and  judge  in  Bersenbrueck,  who  had  married 
-Maria  Anna  Alexnor  Lotteii.  The  son  was  ordained  to  the  priest- 
hood by  the  Bishop  of  Hildesheim,  Hanover,  September  20,  1830,  and 
served  as  vicar  in  Fuerstenau  from  1831  up  to  the  beginning  of  1837. 
Having  received  a  permit  from  the  vicar  general  of  the  Diocese  of 
Osnabrucck,  he  on  April  12,  1837,  left  for  America,  arriving  in  Quincy 
August  loth  of  the  same  year.  Father  Brickwedde  organized  the 
first  German  Catholic  congregation  in  this  city  in  1837,  and  built  the 
first  church  on  an  eminence  on  the  west  side  of  Seventh  Street,  be- 
tween York  and  Kentucky  streets,  which  was  named  Ascension  Church ; 
later  he  built  a  church  on  Seventh  and  Maine  streets,  which  was  named 
St.  Boniface  Church.  In  1849,  after  having  labored  here  for  twelve 
years.  Father  Brickwedde  left  Quincy.  assuming  charge  of  a  con- 
gregation at  St.  Libory,  St.  Clair  County,  Illinois,  where  he  latwred 
for  more  than  fifteen  years,  departing  this  life  November  21,  1865. 

Among  the  immigrants  arriving  here  in  1837  were  .John  Christopher 
Meyer,  born  January  3,  1803,  in  Hagen,  near  Osnabrueck.  Hanover, 
Germany.  On  the  same  ship  that  brought  him  across  the  ocean  came 
Anna  -Maria  Angela  Borstadt,  a  daughter  of  Christian  and  Gertrude 
(Tippel)  Borstadt,  born  in  Fuerstenau,  near  Osnabrueck,  Hanover, 
January  9,  1813.  They,  with  many  others,  left  on  board  tlie  sailing 
vessel  ilaria  Brandt,  owned  by  the  King  of  Hanover,  March  l.^j,  1837, 
and  reached  New  York  July  4th  of  the  same  year,  the  voyage  requiring 
110  (lays.  -After  a  short  stop  in  New  York  the  |)arty  left  for  the  West, 
following  the  usual  rout«  by  canal  and  river,  the  trip  requiring 
about  ten  weeks  until  they  reached  St.  Louis,  where  John  Christopher 


326  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTl 

Meyer  and  Anna  Maria  Angela  Borstadt  were  married  in  the  old  St. 
Louis  Cathedral  by  Rev.  Father  Fi.SL'her,  September  5,  1837.  The 
latter  part  of  that  month  they  came  to  Quincy,  where  they  settled 
for  life.  In  the  spring  of  1902  the  writer  of  this  narrative  called 
on  the  widow,  Angela  Meyer,  at  that  time  in  the  eighty-ninth  year  of 
her  life,  for  information  about  their  trip  to  this  country,  and  found 
her  very  bright  in  spite  of  her  high  old  age,  she  relating  among  other 
things  the  following :  "While  we  were  coming  up  the  Mississippi,  near 
the  Ohio  River,  my  oldest  sister,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Gerhard  Naber, 
was  pushed  off  the  boat  by  a  brutal  man  and  was  drowned.  Arriving 
in  St.  Louis,  we  remained  there  for  a  while  and  then  came  to  Quincy, 
where  there  were  comparatively  few  houses.  L.  F.  W.  Butze,  brother- 
in-law  of  Paul  Konantz,  conducted  a  small  store.  0.  H.  Browning's 
log  cabin  was  still  in  existence,  although  he  had  built  a  frame  house. 
In  1838  the  first  fine  hotel,  the  Quincy  House,  was  built,  and  my 
husband,  who  was  a  plasterer,  worked  on  that  building.  One  even- 
ing, after  I  had  prepared  supper,  I  went  out  to  look  whether  my 
husband  was  coming  home.  A  large  animal  came  along  the  road, 
panting  and  growling.  It  was  getting  dusk,  and  not  being  able  to 
distinguish  the  animal,  I  hurried  into  the  house,  being  much  fright- 
ened. Shortly  afterward  I  heard  several  shots  fired,  and  soon  there- 
after my  husband  came  in,  saying:  'Angela,  do  you  wish  any  bear's 
meat?    A  bear  has  just  been  killed.' 

"In  the  spring  of  1838  about  500  Indians  came  through  Quincy 
and  continued  their  march  eastward ;  they  were  headed  by  their  chief 
and  conducted  themselves  properly.  While  the  first  brick  church  of 
St.  Boniface  congregation  was  in  the  course  of  construction,  at  Seventh 
and  IMaine  Streets,  another  contingent  of  Indians,  about  300,  came 
from  the  west  and  attended  services  in  the  unfinished  church ;  they 
also  went  east,  and  they  were  well  behaved." 

John  Christopher  Meyer  died  August  6,  1869,  his  wife  living  for 
many  more  years,  she  departing  this  life  ^May  12,  1904:,  in  her  ninety- 
second  year.  Christian  John  ]\Ieyer,  the  oldest  son  of  the  couple,  born 
May  1,  1840,  followed  the  trade  of  plasterer;  January  29,  1867,  he 
married  Anna  Catherine  Welberg,  born  March  31,  1849 ;  he  died  June 
4,  1910. 

Other  children  of  John  Christopher  and  Anna  Maria  Angela 
(Borstadt)  Clever  were:  -Josephine,  born  January  24,  1842,  she  being 
married  to  Henry  Freiburg  January  21,  1862 ;  Gerhard  John,  born 
March  20,  1844,  married  Barbara  Mast,  November  22,  1870,  and  he 
died  May  27.  1914;  Edward  August  ]Meyer,  the  ex-alderman,  who 
represented  the  Second  Ward  in  the  city  council,  is  a  son  of  Gerhard 
and  Barbara  (Mast)  Meyer;  Emelia,  born  ^March  15,  1847,  was  mar- 
ried to  John  Mast,  November  9,  1869,  and  both  are  living;  William, 
born  January  20,  1849,  married  Crescentia  Sohn  1876,  she  was  born 
November  6,  1855,  and  died  May  8,  1891,  he  lives  in  Chicago ;  August, 
born  April  5,  1851,  married  Agnes  Hilarda  Ottmann,  she  was  born 
September  30,  1857,  he  died  October  26,  1911 ;  Frank,  born  June  12, 


C^riXCV  AND  ADAMS  COl'XTY  327 

1854,  marrii'd  Ellen  Loretta  Iliiu'licy,  she  was  born  January  2,  1865, 
he  died  May  28,  1914;  and  Rosalia,  born  July  6,  1857,  married  Charles 
Rothgeb  June  4,  1878. 

Leonard  Sehniitt.  bmii  in  1(^11  in  Georgheim,  Grandduehy  of  Hes- 
sen,  married  Margaretha  Jost,  born  January  13,  1813,  in  Erbach, 
Grandduehy  of  Ilesscn,  and  they  eaine  to  Quiney  in  1837.  Leonard 
Si'luiiitt  being  a  carpenter,  was  among  the  first  building  contractors 
of  this  city.  He  was  engaged  in  the  erection  of  the  old  (Quiney  House, 
St.  Boniface  Church,  and  a  number  of  other  public  and  private  build- 
ings. Leonard  Schiuitt  dictl  in  1898,  his  wife  having  preceded  him 
in  death  in  1896.  Margaretha  Schmitt,  the  mother  of  Leonard  Schmitt, 
came  to  Quiney  with  her  son  and  daughter-in-law  in  1837 ;  she  was 
boi'ii  in  Georgiieiiu  in  1774,  and  died  in  (Quiney  in  1852.  Leonard  ;\1. 
Schmitt,  born  iu  Quiney  March  24,  1848,  was  the  oldest  son  of 
LtH)nard  and  Margaretha  (Jost)  Schmitt,  and  wa.s  proprietor  of  a 
drug  store  in  this  city  for  a  number  of  years;  he  began  working  in 
the  drug  store  of  Doway  &  Morton,  and  remained  with  that  house 
for  three  years,  then  entering  the  house  of  Rogers  &  Malone.  where 
he  remained  for  twenty  years.  In  1882  he  went  to  Chicago,  where  he 
became  a  partner  in  the  Hurlbut  Drug  Company.  In  1887  he  with- 
drew from  the  firm  and  returned  to  Quiney,  where  he  went  into  the 
retail  drug  trade  for  himself,  conducting  the  business  until  his  death 
in  July.  1915.  In  1882  he  married  Frances  Koenig,  a  daughter  of 
August  Koenig.  grocer  in  Jacksonville,  Illinois.  The  widow,  besides 
one  son,  Raymond,  and  two  daughters,  Gussie  and  Nora,  are  still 
among  the  living.  Nicholas  Schmitt,  a  brother  of  Leonard  M.  Schmitt, 
is  with  a  wholesale  drug  house  in  St.  Louis.  Other  children  of  Leonard 
and  Margaret  (Jo.st)  Schmitt  are:  Elizabeth,  widow  of  Severin 
Dehner;  Anna  Catherine,  wife  of  Joseph  Jacoby,  proprietor  of  a  cigar 
factory ;  Sister  Hyacinth.  Order  of  Notre  Dame.  Covington,  Ken- 
tucky ;  and  Mary,  wife  of  Gerhard  Jansen. 

"William  Oasser  and  his  wife,  Catherine,  nee  Koch,  both  l)orn  in 
Bahlingen,  Baden,  about  the  year  1800,  came  to  Quiney  in  1837.  Wil- 
liam Gasser  was  a  brewer,  and  conducted  the  first  brewery  in  the  city 
in  connection  with  Anton  Delabar,  the  pioneer  in  the  brewing  in- 
dustry of  Quiney.  Later  he,  in  company  with  Casper  Ruft",  conducted 
a  brewery  at  Sixth  and  State  streets.  Finally,  in  1841,  William  Gasser 
died,  while  his  wife  lived  to  the  high  age  of  ninety-four  years,  depart- 
ing this  life  in  1894.  Elizabeth,  who  married  George  Ernst  in  this 
city,  was  a  daughter  of  William  and  Catherine  (Koch)  Gasser,  and 
Caroline,  another  daughter,  who  married  Leonard  Ilocring,  many 
years  ago  moved  to  The  Dalles,  Oregon,  where  she  still  lives,  her  hus- 
band having  died  a  number  of  years  ago. 

Christian  Abel.  l)orn  August  23,  1812,  in  Eschbach,  Grandduehy  of 
Hessen,  came  to  Quiney  in  1837,  and  in  1839  married  Charlotte  Wedig, 


328  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

who  was  born  November  22,  1818,  in  Gruenstadt,  Bavaria,  and  also 
came  to  Quiney  in  1837.  In  1842  they  located  in  Melrose  Township, 
where  Christian  Abel  followed  farming  for  many  years,  during  which 
time  he  held  the  offices  of  school  director  and  commissioner  of  high- 
ways consecutively  for  years.  Both  departed  this  life  many  years 
ago.  Two  sons  are  among  the  living,  both  having  retired  from  active 
life,  namelj' :  William  Abel,  born  in  Quiney  December  17,  1841 ;  he 
grew  up  to  manhood,  and  on  March  27,  1864,  married  Emilie  Bert, 
daughter  of  Jean  Philip  and  Elizabeth  (Liebig)  Bert;  she  died  four 
years  ago.  George  Abel,  born  in  1843,  after  attaining  maturity, 
married  Alice  Blivens,  daughter  of  Samuel  Blivens,  and  born  in  Bur- 
ton Township. 

John  Bernhard  Koch,  born  in  Allendorf,  Westphalia,  December  3, 
1799,  learned  the  trade  of  saddler  and  harness  maker  in  his  home 
town,  and  then  ti'aveled  as  a  journeyman  all  over  Europe.  Later  he 
married  Anna  Maria  Koenig,  also  born  in  Allendorf  in  1808.  In  1837 
John  Bernhard  Koch  came  to  America,  locating  in  Quiney,  whei-e  he 
established  himself  in  business,  and  in  1840  returned  to  his  old  home 
to  bring  his  family,  consisting  of  his  wife  and  two  children,  to  Quiney, 
the  children  being  John  Liborius  Koch,  born  July  28,  1832,  and  Maria 
Anna,  born  1835,  the  latter  at  present  still  residing  in  Quiney,  the 
widow  Mary  A.  Cramer.  John  Liborius  Koch,  the  oldest  son  of 
John  Bernhard  and  Anna  M.  (Koenig)  Koch,  learned  the  trade  with 
his  father,  and  after  the  latter 's  death,  which  occurred  June  27,  1880, 
continued  the  business.  John  Liborius  Koch  in  1863  married  Anna 
L.  Albrecht,  and  was  in  business  until  June  11,  1889,  when  he  departed 
this  life,  while  his  wife  lived  until  ilarch  25,  1913,  when  she  died. 
The  saddlery  and  harness  business,  established  eighty  j-ears  ago,  is  at 
present  conducted  by  Philip  B.  Koch,  the  oldest  son  of  John  Liborius 
and  Anna  L.  (Albrecht)  Koch.  IMax  Koch,  the  next  son,  studied  for 
the  priesthood,  and  being  ordained  as  priest,  became  assistant  at  the 
cathedral  in  Belleville,  Illinois ;  being  afflicted  with  an  affection  of  the 
lungs,  he  went  to  the  Adirondack  ^Mountains  to  seek  relief,  where  he 
died  December  20,  1901.  Bernhard  Koch,  another  son,  entered  the 
postal  service  of  the  government,  and  has  held  a  position  in  the  Chicago 
post  office  for  many  years. 

Dr.  John  A.  Koch,  also  a  son  of  John  Liborius  and  Anna  L. 
(Albrecht)  Koch,  born  in  Quiney,  May  17,  1874,  received  his  early 
education  in  the  grammar  schools  of  Quiney,  and  later  attended  St. 
Francis  College.  In  1890  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Miller  &  Arthur 
Drug  Company  in  Quiney,  serving  as  clerk  for  some  time.  After 
working  for  the  Morrison-Plummer  Company  in  Chicago  for  a  while, 
he  removed  to  Washington,  D.  C,  where  he  was  appointed  pharmacist 
of  the  Garfield  ilemorial  Hospital,  and  was  graduated  in  pharmacy 
at  the  National  College  of  Pharmacy  with  the  class  of  1894.  While 
filling  the  position  of  pharmacist  he  took  up  the  study  of  medicine 
and  eventually  entered  the  medical  department  of  Columbia  L'niver- 


C^riNCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  329 

sity,  from  wliit-h  he  graduated  with  the  class  of  1897.  Immediately 
afterward  he  was  appointed  resident  physician  of  the  Garfield  .Memo- 
rial Hospital,  but  in  a  short  time  resigned  that  position  and  went  to 
Europe,  pursuing  post-graduate  work  in  Berlin  University,  and  also 
in  Vienna.  He  thus  thoroughly  equipped  himself  for  his  chosen  life 
work,  and  upon  his  return  to  the  United  States  in  the  fall  of  1898, 
he  again  came  to  l^uiney,  where  he  since  has  been  established  in  his 
profession.  He  is  a  member  of  the  County,  State,  and  National  Medi- 
cal Associations.  In  October.  1916.  at  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania, 
the  Fellowship  in  the  American  College  of  Surgeons  was  conferred 
upon  him.  October  4,  1898,  Dr.  John  A.  Koch  married  Louisa  Irvin 
of  AVatsontown,  Pennsylvania. 

Adolph  Koch,  the  youngest  son  of  John  Liborius  and  Anna  L. 
(Albreeht)  Koch,  went  to  Washington,  D.  C,  where  he  studied  law. 
He  now  is  established  at  Fresno,  California,  in  the  real  estate  and  first 
mortgage  business. 

Daughters  of  John  Liborius  and  Anna  L.  (Albreeht)  Koch  were: 
Francisca.  who  became  the  wife  of  Peter  J.  Rupp.  he  being  established 
in  business  in  Chillicothe.  Missouri,  where  he  died  years  ago ;  the  widow 
still  residing  there.  The  next  daughter  joined  the  Order  of  School 
Sisters  of  Notre  Dame  and  is  at  present  superioress  of  the  order  in 
New  Orleans,  Louisiana.  The  youngest  daughter,  Miss  Ida  Kocli,  died 
in  1904. 

Martin  Grimm,  born  in  Wcilcr,  near  AVeissenburg,  Alsace,  in  1792, 
with  his  wife  Adelhcid,  nee  Lang,  and  four  children,  Adelheid,  Martin, 
George  and  Margaret,  emigrated  in  1837.  With  them  came  Luiiwig 
Ruff  and  wife,  Casper  Ruff  and  wife,  Daniel  Ertel  and  sister  Elizabeth 
Ertcl,  the  latter  later  becoming  the  wife  of  Martin  Grimm,  Jr.  The 
voyage  across  the  ocean  to  New  York  required  fifty-one  days.  From 
there  they  came  west,  part  of  the  way  by  means  of  the  Erie  Canal, 
the  canal  boat  being  drawn  by  mules.  One  may  form  an  idea  of  the 
slowness  of  tliis  mode  of  transportation,  when  it  is  stated  that  the 
wife  of  Ludwig  Ruff  left  the  canal  boat  while  they  were  enroute,  going 
to  a  farmhouse  near  the  canal  to  get  milk,  while  the  boat  kept  on  going, 
.she  being  able  to  overtake  the  boat  after  she  had  secured  the  milk. 
When  the  party  reached  Quincy,  they  found  only  log  cabins  and  frame 
houses  here,  a  fact  which  seemed  astonishing  to  Ludwig  Ruff,  the 
houses  in  his  home  town  in  the  fatherland  all  being  built  of  stone. 
There  were  no  streets,  only  footpaths.  Some  of  the  Lidians  they  met 
here  spoke  French,  a  language  they  had  learned  from  Catholic 
Mi.ssionaries. 

Martin  Grimm  settled  near  Mill  Creek,  where  he  built  a  .sawmill 
and  gristmill,  being  a  iiiilhvright.  The  mill-dam  being  destroyed  by  a 
severe  flood,  caused  by  a  heavy  rain,  Martin  Grimm  dismantled  the 
mill,  lirought  the  material  to  town  and  rebuilt  the  mill  at  the  creek 
near  Fourth  and  Delaware  streets.  Later  he  left  for  the  fatherland 
to  settle  up  some  matters  concerning  an  estate,  but  the  shij)  was  lost 


330  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

at  sea.  Martin  Grimm,  Jr.,  born  1820,  who  later  married  Elizabeth 
Ertel,  also  was  a  millwright,  and  for  many  years  conducted  a  flour  mill 
on  Fifth  Street,  between  State  and  Ohio.  In  1861  and  1862  he  repre- 
sented the  Third  AVard  in  the  city  council.  Children  of  Martin  and 
Elizabeth  (Ertel)  Grimm,  living  today,  are:  Joseph  and  Martin 
Grimm,  ^Irs.  Adelheid  Reuser  and  ^Irs.  Wilhelmina  Mueller.  Joseph 
Grimm  served  as  musician  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-Eighth  Illi- 
nois Infantry  during  the  Civil  war. 

George  Grimm,  born  1824,  for  many  j'ears  was  a  member  of  the 
Menke-Grimm  Planing  Mill  Company.  He  was  married  twice,  his 
first  wife  was  Barbara  Hoeflin,  his  second  wife,  Wilhelmina  JIueller. 
Children  living  are :  George  L.  Grimm  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri ; 
Frederick  Grimm  in  Petosa,  Wisconsin ;  Emma,  wife  of  August  Weh- 
meyer,  in  Quincy ;  Caroline,  wife  of  Henry  A.  Brinkmann,  in  Warsaw, 
Illinois ;  Laura,  wife  of  Philip  Steinbach,  in  Quincy ;  Bertha,  wife  of 
Robert  Reitz,  in  New  Mexico. 

Daniel  Ertel,  born  January  7,  1813,  in  Weiler,  near  Weissenburg, 
Alsace,  came  to  Quincy  with  the  Ruff  and  Grimm  families  in  1837. 
He  was  a  millwright,  and  in  company  with  Martin  Grimm  conducted 
a  carpenter  shop.  Later,  after  settling  down  in  Quincy,  Daniel  Ertel 
married  Maria  Anna  Luginbuehl,  born  in  1823  in  Berne,  Switzerland. 
In  1861  he  traded  his  property  in  Quincy  for  a  farm  near  Camp  Point, 
where  he  lived  for  many  years,  and  his  wife  died  in  1879.  In  1898 
he  returned  to  the  city,  where  he  died  in  1899.  Among  the  twelve 
children  of  Daniel  and  ;\Iaria  Anna  (Luginbuehl)  Ertel  were  the 
following :  Frederick  G.  Ertel,  born  in  Quincy  in  1849,  chose  the  calling 
of  a  teacher,  being  active  for  twenty-three  years  in  the  schools  of 
Coatsburg  and  Mendon,  then  for  ten  years  in  Quincy.  During  Presi- 
dent Cleveland's  second  term  lie  was  assistant  postmaster  in  Quincy 
for  nearly  four  years.  Later  he  was  superintendent  of  public  schools 
in  Quincy  for  several  terms;  and  still  later  he  was  engaged  as  book- 
keeper.   He  departed  this  life  some  years  ago. 

Other  children  of  Daniel  and  Maria  Anna  (Luginbuehl)  Ertel 
were:  John  Ertel,  farmer  near  Shelbina,  Mi.ssouri ;  George  Ertel, 
farmer  near  Camp  Point  in  this  county;  Albert  Ertel,  mechanic  at 
Shelbina,  Missouri,  now  in  California  ;  Daniel  Ertel,  farmer  near  Camp 
Point;  Elizabeth,  who  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  John  D.  Tiekeu  at  Coats- 
burg, died  in  1879 ;  Emma  is  the  wife  of  Nicholas  Hafuer,  carpenter 
in  Quincy ;  and  Louisa  is  the  wife  of  Wilke  Bruns  near  Camj)  Point. 

Henry  Rupp,  born  in  February,  1813,  in  Unterrodaeh,  Bavaria, 
learned  the  trade  of  soapmaker  in  his  home  town.  Coming  to  America 
in  1836,  he  located  in  Quincy  in  1837,  where  he  began  business  on  a 
small  scale,  erecting  a  factory  on  the  site  where  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  pas- 
senger station  now  is  located.  Gradually  increasing  his  business  he  in 
the  course  of  time  accumulated  quite  a  fortune.  In  1850  Henry  Rupp 
married  Maria  Weisbrod.    In  1857  he  built  the  Bluff  Brewery  north 


(^riXtV  AM)  ADAMS  COrXTY  331 

of  the  city,  and  went  into  tlie  lirewiiig  husincss.  Several  years  later 
the  brewery  was  destroyed  by  fire.  With  undaunted  energy  he  had 
the  brewery  rel)uilt,  but  the  second  l)uilding  suffered  the  same  fate, 
it  also  l)urning  down.  As  there  was  no  insurance  in  either  ease,  the 
finances  of  Henry  Rupp  were  reduced  considerably  by  those  losses. 
He  died  in  1877,  while  his  wife  followed  him  in  death  in  1.S90.  Henry 
Kupi),  Jr.,  who  has  been  engaged  in  carriage  and  wagon  making  in 
this  city  for  many  years,  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Maria  (Weisbrod) 
Huj)!).  He  married  Olga  Mitchell.  daught<?r  of  Ben  .Mitchell,  the 
latter,  born  of  Gcrnuui  ])arcnts,  lives  in  Indiana.  Mrs.  Dorothea  Son- 
nenschcin,  widow  of  William  Sonnenschein,  and  Miss  Katherine  Rupp, 
daughter  of  Henry  Rupi>,  Sr.,  reside  in  Riverside  Township. 

Sales  Kaltenbach.  born  in  1796  in  Oberbergen,  Baden,  married 
Jfagdalcnc  Mcyei-.  born  in  the  same  town  in  1805.  They  emigrated  in 
1837,  coming  to  America  and  to  this  country,  where  they  located  near 
Mill  Creek  and  went  to  farming.  Sales  Kaltenbach  died  in  1872,  while 
his  wife  preceded  him  in  death  in  1865.  Descendants  of  Sales  and 
^lagdalene  (Meyer)  Kaltenbach  live  in  Adams  County.  The  oldest 
son,  Martin  Kaltenbach.  for  many  years  conducted  a  cooper  shop  in 
this  city,  employing  a  number  of  journeyman  coopers  ;  he  departed  this 
life  many  years  ago.  William  Kaltenbach,  in  Fall  Creek  Townsiiip, 
is  the  youngest  son  of  Sales  and  Magdalene  (Meyer)  Kaltenbach. 

John  Gerhard  Kurk,  born  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, in  Klostcrschale,  Prussia,  emigrated  in  1835,  accompanied  by 
his  oldest  son  John,  landing  at  Baltimore,  they  located  in  Cumberland, 
Maryland,  where  they  remained  for  some  time,  later  (in  1837)  com- 
ing West,  and  settling  in  this  county,  out  on  the  prairie,  near  the 
present  town  of  Golden.  In  1843  the  wife  of  John  Gerhard  Kurk, 
IMarie.  nee  Koper,  eanie  to  this  country  with  four  other  children,  who 
had  remained  in  the  fatherland,  when  her  husband  and  oldest  son 
emigrated,  and  they  all  settled  down  in  Northeast  Township,  being 
the  first  German  family  that  located  on  the  Golden  Prairie.  John 
Kurk,  son  of  John  Gerhard  and  ;\Iarie  (Koper)  Kurk.  was  born 
in  Klosterschalc.  June  13.  1813.  and  came  to  Quincy  after  his  parents 
had  located  in  Northeast  Township.  For  a  lunnber  of  years  he  con- 
ducted a  brickyard  in  this  city,  and  later  established  a  .saw  mill  and 
a  grist  mill  south  of  the  city  on  the  Bottom  Road.  He  was  married 
three  times,  his  first  wife  being  JIarie  Stcinagel,  the  second  wife  Marie 
E.seh,  and  the  third  wife  Catherine  Vogelreich.  John  Kurk  died 
June  12.  1866.  leaving  two  sons.  George  and  John  Kurk.  Jr..  and  one 
daughter.  Marie.  Both  sons  died  years  ago.  while  the  daughter  is  still 
among  the  living,  residing  in  this  city.  She  was  twice  married;  her 
first  husband  was  Jai-ob  Schneider,  and  he  died  many  years  ago; 
later  she  was  married  tii  Henry  ficisc,  who  died  some  years  ago. 

Michael  Steiner,  born  January  30,  isH),  in  Sachsen  Coburg,  Ger- 
many, came  to  New  York  in  1836.    Proceeding  to  Pittsburgh,  he  found 


332  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

employment  on  a  coal  boat,  going  to  Vieksburg,  Mississippi.  Coming 
to  Quiney  in  1837,  he  went  to  work  on  the  steamer  Olive  Branch, 
in  the  river  traffic,  between  St.  Louis  and  Galena,  Illinois.  Later 
he  worked  in  Whipple's  sawmill  north  of  Quiney,  and  while  there 
sawed  the  ash  flooring  for  0.  H.  Browning's  residence,  and  also  sawed 
the  first  timber  for  Timothy  Rogers'  wagon  works.  Li  1839  ]\Iichael 
Steiner  married  Anna  Catherine  Goebel,  who  was  born  February  20, 
1820,  in  the  Grandduehy  of  Hessen.  He  often  related  how  in  the 
severe  winter  of  1839-1840  the  Mississippi  froze  up  early,  and  the 
merchants  of  Quiney,  whose  stock  of  groceries  became  exhausted,  were 
compelled  to  have  goods  brought  overland  by  wagons  from  St.  Louis. 
Salt  sold  at  $4  per  bushel  at  that  time,  while  wheat  at  times  brought 
only  25  cents  per  bushel.  In  1842  the  family  located  in  Keene  Town- 
ship and  went  to  farming.  Michael  Steiner  died  in  May,  1892,  his 
wife  following  him  in  death  in  May,  1898. 

George  Steiner,  a  son  of  Michael  and  Anna  Catherine  (Goebel) 
Steiner,  was  born  in  Adams  County  June  6,  1848,  acquired  his  early 
education  in  the  public  schools,  and  being  reared  on  the  farm,  early 
became  familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors  of  the  agriculturist. 
Acquiring  considerable  land  in  Keene  Township  and  also  in  Hancock 
County,  Illinois,  he  operated  all  of  his  land  and  engaged  extensively 
in  stock  raising.  In  1904  he  assisted  in  organizing  the  Loraine  State 
Bank,  and  became  president  of  that  institution,  a  position  he  held  until 
his  death,  December  2,  1917.  George  Steiner  married  Elizabeth  Anna 
Humphrey  March  27,  1873,  who  was  born  November  22,  1854,  a 
daughter  of  David  B.  and  Sarah  (Wright)  Humphrey  in  Lewis 
County,  Missouri.  Their  children  are :  John  H.,  born  January  5, 
1874,  chose  the  calling  of  a  teacher,  became  principal  of  the  Coats- 
burg  High  School,  and  in  1910  was  elected  superintendent  of  schools 
of  Adams  County,  a  position  which  he  holds  at  present ;  Edwin  E., 
born  April  21,  1875,  at  present  is  railway  mail  clerk  between  Chicago 
and  Kansas  City,  ]Missouri ;  Michael  E.,  born  April  1,  1877,  now  is 
a  farmer  on  the  old  homestead;  Louis  L.,  born  March  4,  1879.  who 
studied  medicine  in  the  Medical  College  at  Keokuk,  now  is  established 
as  physician  in  Danville,  Illinois ;  Glenn  H.,  boni  January  9,  1881, 
resides  on  a  farm  near  the  old  home ;  Karl,  born  March  28,  1883,  also 
studied  medicine  in  the  Keokuk  Medical  College,  and  is  practicing 
physician  in  Rushville,  Illinois;  Agnes,  born  April  3,  1885,  is  the  wife 
of  J.  Frank  Adair  and  lives  in  Quiney ;  and  Bertha  the  wife  of  John 
F.  Tanner,  at  Loraine. 

Dr.  David  Steiner,  born  near  Loraine  in  1860,  a  son  of  Michael 
and  Anna  Catherine  (Goebel)  Steiner,  acquired  his  early  education 
in  the  public  schools  near  his  home,  and  later  attended  Valparaiso 
College,  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  where  he  completed  his  course  and 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1883,  receiving  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
Arts.  Desiring  to  become  a  member  of  the  medical  fraternity  he 
entered  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and 
completed  the  regular  course,  graduating  with  the  class  of  1886.    Re- 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COLXTY  333 

turning  to  his  home  town  Loraine,  lie  practiced  his  profession  there 
for  five  years,  but  wishing  a  wider  field  of  labor,  he  eaine  to  Quinuy 
in  1891,  and  has  been  actively  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine 
ever  since.  Dr.  David  D.  Stciner  in  1887  married  Emma  I.  Rus.sell, 
daughter  of  L.  D.  Russell,  Russell's  Place.  Ohio.  They  have  one  son, 
Hugh  Wynne,  who  is  in  Montana  with  a  lumber  company. 

The  other  children  of  Michael  and  Anna  Catherine  (Gocbel) 
Steiner  are:  Amelia,  wife  of  Peter  Kropp,  Mountain  Grove,  Missouri; 
Hiram,  farmer  near  Stilwell,  Hancock  County,  Illinois;  and  Xaney 
E.,  wife  of  Monroe  Hartiiian.  Loraine,  this  county. 

Henry  Schuchmann,  born  August  15,  1810,  in  Liehtcnberg,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Hessen,  came  to  America  in  1826,  landing  in  New  York, 
where  he  worked  as  stonecutter  for  six  months.  Then  he  went  afoot 
to  Buffalo,  following  his  trade  as  stonecutter  for  two  years.  He  then 
came  West,  partly  by  stage  coach  and  partly  by  river,  locating  in  St. 
Louis,  where  he  worked  as  mill-wright  for  two  years.  In  1831  he  came 
to  Quincy  for  a  short  time,  but  soon  returned  to  St.  Louis,  where  in 
1835  he  married  p]lizabeth  Margaretha  Waldhaus,  born  August  9, 
1818,  in  Klein-Hiberau.  Grandduchy  of  Ilessen.  In  1837  tlie  couple 
came  to  Quincy  with  their  little  daughter  Elizabeth.  Here  Henry 
Schuchmann  followed  his  trade  as  stone  cutter,  working  as  such  on 
the  Quincy  House  and  on  the  courthouse,  which  was  built  on  the 
cast  side  of  Washington  Square.  In  1843  the  family  moved  to  Melrose 
Township,  locating  near  Mill  Creek,  where  they  followed  farming 
for  many  years.  Henry  Schuchmann  also  was  a  musician  and  mem- 
ber of  the  first  band  organized  in  Quincy.  During  the  '50s  of  last 
century  Henry  and  Elizabeth  ^l.  (W^aldhaus)  Schuchmann  built  a 
little  church  on  their  farm,  covering  an  area  of  about  20  by  24  feet. 
This  "little  church,"  located  perhaps  a  mile  east  of  St.  Anthony's 
Church  in  ^Melrose,  was  often  used  by  students  of  Quincy  English 
and  German  College,  located  where  Jefferson  School  now  stands. 
Students,  who  were  preparing  themselves  for  the  ministry  in  the 
Methodist  Church,  occasionally  went  out  to  preach  in  "the  little 
church"  on  the  Sciiuchiiiann  farm.  Services  were  also  held  by  other 
denominations  in  that  little  church,  which  long  since  has  disappeared. 
Henry  Sclnicliiiiann  died  April  24,  1880,  his  wife  having  preceded 
him  in  death  .hine  14,  1879.  Children  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  .M. 
(Waldhaus)  Schuchmann  were:  Elizabeth,  who  became  the  wife  of 
David  Renter,  and  died  in  1892:  Mary,  was  married  to  George  Dickhut, 
and  died  years  ago;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Christian  Ilendrieker,  both 
have  died;  Hannah,  wife  of  David  King,  lives  in  Quincy;  Margaret, 
wife  of  Philip  Grucnewabl,  retired  minister,  both  live  in  Peoria; 
Henry  Schuchmann,  Jr.,  for  many  years  engaged  as  carpenter,  died 
about  si.x  years  ago;  John  P.  Schuchmann,  lives  in  Wichita,  Kansas, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business:  Charles  Schuclniiann. 
who  followed  farming  at  Woodland.  Jlissouri,  died  a  number  of 
years  ago. 


334  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Anton  Binkert,  born  in  1806  in  Amoltern,  Baden,  married  Theresa 
Troxler,  who  was  born  in  1802  in  Amoltem.  The  couple  came  to 
America,  arriving  in  Quincy  ]\Iareh  8,  1837.  At  that  time  there 
were  a  number  of  log  cabins  surrounding  what  today  is  known  as 
Washington  Park,  and  people  went  hazel-nutting  and  rabbit-hunting 
there.  When  the  family,  consisting  of  father,  mother  and  two  chil- 
dren, reached  Quincy,  their  cash  amounted  to  95  cents.  But  Anton 
Binkert  was  of  sturdy  stock  and  went  to  work  at  75  cents  per  day. 
He  was  employed  in  opening  Broadway  from  the  river.  Afterwards 
he  worked  for  Joel  Rice,  who  conducted  a  wholesale  iron  and  steel 
business,  and  a  grocery,  in  whose  employ  he  remained  for  about  twenty- 
five  3'cars.  Later  Anton  Binkert  engaged  in  business  for  himself,  con- 
ducting a  grocery  store  from  1854  up  to  1868.  Anton  Binkert  died 
in  1872,  his  wife  "followed  him  in  death  1883. 

Anton  Binkert,  Jr.,  son  of  Anton  and  Theresa  (Troxler)  Binkert, 
was  born  in  Amoltern,  Baden,  June  4,  1836,  and  came  with  his 
parents  to  Quincy  in  1837.  He  grew  up  in  this  city  and  when  old 
enough  to  work,  learned  the  trade  of  carriage  maker  in  the  shop  of 
Mr.  Weatherwax,  which  afterward  changed  and  finally  was  bought 
by  E.  M.  IVIiller,  becoming  the  foundation  for  the  present  factory. 
Anton  Binkert,  Jr.,  spent  three  years  on  the  plains  during  the  gold 
excitement  1859,  1860  and  1861,  mining  in  Colorado.  When  the 
Civil  war  broke  out  he  spent  three  years  in  the  army  in  a  civil  capa- 
city. Later  he  engaged  in  merchandising.  In  1872  he  was  elected 
as  a  member  of  the  city  council,  Init  resigned  in  the  fall  of  1873  to 
accept  the  office  of  city  collector,  a  vacancy  occurring.  Later  he  was 
elected  collector  for  a  full  term.  In  1877  he  was  elected  county 
treasurer,  and  re-elected  in  1879,  holding  over  until  1882,  on  account 
of  a  change  in  the  law  governing  that  office.  After  leaving  the  treas- 
urer's office,  the  real  estate,  loan  and  insurance  firm  of  Binkert  & 
Cruttenden  was  established,  which  continued  until  April,  1897,  when 
John  S.  Cruttenden  retired,  and  George  A.  Binkert,  the  son,  became 
associated  with  his  father  under  the  firm  name  A.  Binkert  &  Son. 
From  1897  to  1899  Aiiton  Binkert  represented  the  Fourth  Ward  in  the 
city  council.  In  1863  he  married  Ellen  Beatty,  born  in  Adams  County 
in  1838.  Anton  Binkert  having  retired  from  active  business,  the 
sons  George  A.  and  William  J.  Binkert  now  conduct  the  business. 

John  Wenzel,  born  August  9,  1816,  in  Reibig,  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen,  came  to  America  in  1832,  locating  in  Maryland,  Avhere  he 
M'orked  for  three  years  and  then  proceeded  to  St.  Louis,  where  he 
remained  for  two  yeai-s.  In  1837  he  came  to  Quincy,  and  went  to 
work  for  John  Wood.  Then  he  worked  in  a  quarry,  blasting  rock 
for  the  cellar  of  the  Quincy  House  in  1838.  Later  he  located  in  Mel- 
rose, devoting  himself  to  agriculture.  John  Wenzel  married  Eliza- 
beth Maria  Liebig,  a  cousin  of  Prof.  Justus  Liebig,  the  great  German 
chemist;  she  was  born  in  1817,  in  Gross-Biberau,  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen  and  came  to  Quincy  in  1888  with  her  parents.    John  Wenzel 


QriXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  335 

died  in  February,  1892,  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  in  August 
of  the  same  year.  The  children  of  John  and  Elizabeth  M.  (Liebig) 
Wenzel  were:  John  Wcnzel.  Jr.,  smith  and  wagon  maker  in  this 
city;  Henry  and  George  Wenzel,  farmers  in  Adams  County;  ilrs. 
Sophia  Lawber  in  this  county,  and  Mrs.  Emilie  Koehler  in  Quincy. 

Jacob  Jocst,  born  June  20,  1811,  in  Buchtlingen,  Grandduchy  of 
ITessc!!.  In  1837  he  married  Gertrude  Schmitt.  horn  in  Gcorgheim, 
Grandduchy  of  Ilt-sseu,  in  the  same  year  they  left  their  home  in 
Loehrbach,  coming  to  America,  and  located  in  Quincy.  In  1849 
the  whole  family  wore  taken  down  by  cholera,  all  of  them  dying,  with 
the  exception  of  one  daughter,  Gertrude,  who  wa.s  adopted  and  raised 
by  the  family  of  her  uncle,  Adam  Schmitt.  She  grew  up  in  Quincy 
and  heiamc  the  wife  of  Prof.  John  Iloefcr,  music  teacher  and  director 
of  singing  societies. 

John  Henry  Lock,  born  October  21,  1810,  in  Niedervorschuetz, 
Principality  of  Ilessen,  left  his  home  in  the  fatherland  March  21, 
1834,  landing  in  New  York.  Later  he  came  West,  arriving  in  Quincy 
in  1837.  Being  a  blacksmith  by  profession,  he  worked  at  his  trade 
for  some  j-ears.  and  then  became  a  contractor,  aiding  in  the  con- 
struction of  railroads,  he  doing  the  earth-work,  filling  and  grading, 
etc.  For  eight  years  he  was  street  commissioner  of  Quincy.  June  29, 
1838,  John  Henry  Lock  married  Eva  -Maria  Kirseh,  born  1806  in 
Fussgoenheim,  Bavaria ;  she  died  of  cholera  in  1849.  Later  he  married 
Eva  Maria  Breitwiescr.  born  in  Kleestadt,  Grandduchy  of  Ilessen. 
John  Henry  Lock  died  March  28,  1873,  his  wife  de])artiiig  this  life  in 
1885.  Two  sons  of  John  Henry  Lock  served  in  the  Union  army  during 
the  Civil  war,  Henry  Lock  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  and  Christian  Lock  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
eighth  Illinois  Infantry. 

Albert  Danecke,  born  February  2,  1807,  in  Bremen,  after  receiving 
the  necessary  education,  decided  to  become  a  merchant.  In  1835  he 
came  to  America,  locating  in  Baltimore,  where  he  was  in  business  for 
two  years.  At  the  solicitation  of  his  friend  L.  W.  F.  Butzc,  whose 
acfpiaintance  he  had  made  in  Bremen,  Albert  Danecke  in  1837  came 
to  Quincy,  where  he  entered  the  mercantile  field,  in  which  he  was 
engaged  for  twelve  years  until  his  death,  caused  by  cholera,  July  11, 
1849.  His  mother,  Mrs.  Margaret  E.  Danecke,  who  came  to  this 
country  with  her  son,  died  in  Quincy  August  4,  1845,  aged  si.xty-eight 
years.  Albert  Danecke 's  wife.  Sophia  Georgina,  nee  Rehlwck,  departed 
this  life  in  1857.  The  son,  Albert  Danecke,  Jr.,  died  in  St.  Louis  in 
1876.  Jlrs.  Sophia  Best,  the  wife  of  John  H.  Best,  president  of  the 
Illinois  State  Bank  in  Quincy,  is  the  only  daughter  of  Albert  Danecke, 
Sr.,  who  still  is  among  the  living. 

Jacob  Michel  and  his  wife  Katherine  nee  Schaffner,  both  born 
near  Strassburg,  Alsace,  came  to  Quincy  in  1837.    They  had  one  daugh- 


336  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ter,  Salome,  seveu  years  of  age,  who  in  1851  became  the  wife  of 
Valentine  Blank,  a  native  of  Baden,  who  came  to  Quincy  in  1848, 
and  conducted  a  brewery  at  Sixth  and  State  streets,  until  his  death 
in  1854.  The  widow  became  the  wife  of  Gustave  Thies,  a  native  of 
"Westphalia,  who  conducted  the  brewery  until  his  death  in  1868.  Mrs. 
Thies  died  in  1913.  Charles  A.  Blank,  eldest  son  of  Valentine  and 
Salome  (Michel)  Blank,  when  thirteen  years  of  age,  was  employed  in 
the  wholesale  grocery  of  George  T.  and  Frederick  W.  Meyer,  and 
remained  with  the  same  house  during  the  different  changes  of  the 
firm  to  George  T.  Meyer,  Budde  &  Meyer,  then  Warfield,  Budde  & 
Meyer,  and  finally  the  Warfield  Grocer  Company,  becoming  secretary 
and  treasurer  of  the  great  house,  which  he  had  entered  as  a  boy  of 
thirteen,  and  with  which  he  was  connected  for  thirty-five  years.  He 
at  present  is  conducting  a  laundry  in  Chicago.  Gustave  Thies,  Jr.,  a 
son  of  Gustave  and  Salome  (INIichel)  Thies,  lives  in  St.  Louis,  Arnold 
Thies,  another  son,  is  proprietor  of  a  drug  store  in  Hinsdale,  Illinois ; 
Miss  Antoinette  Thies  the  only  daughter  living,  is  established  as  a 
dressmaker  in  Quincy. 

Bernard  Henry  Starmann,  born  in  1810  in  Grossendohren,  Han- 
over, came  to  Quincy  in  1837,  accompanying  Father  August  Brick- 
wedde,  the  first  German  Catholic  priest  stationed  in  this  cit.y.  He 
worked  for  Governor  Thomas  Carlin,  and  also  for  Willard  Keyes. 
After  a  sojourn  of  five  years  in  Quincy,  Bernard  Starmann  returned 
to  the  fatherland  to  settle  an  estate,  he  being  the  eldest  son  in  the 
family.  He  there  met  and  married  Maria  Gesina  Dall.  Both  died  in 
their  native  country.  One  son,  George,  and  one  daughter,  Lizetta 
Starmann,  came  to  Quincy  in  1870.  The  latter  became  the  wife  of 
Bernard  Stroot  and  remained  in  Quincy  thirteen  years ;  after  the 
death  of  her  husband  she  returned  to  the  fatherland.  George  Star- 
mann, born  April  21,  1855,  served  an  apprenticeship  with  George 
Landwelir.  the  painter  and  paperhanger.  In  1877  he  went  into  busi- 
ness with  Ben  S.  Lock,  and  ten  years  later,  in  1887,  established  a 
business  of  his  own,  in  which  he  was  very  successful  until  1911,  when 
he  retired  from  active  business  life.  In  1882  George  Starmann  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Tenk,  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer  Henry  Tenk.  They 
have  two  sons  George  and  Rudolph  Starmann,  both  in  Chicago,  George 
being  a  chemist,  and  Rudolph  is  engaged  as  auditor  with  a  large  real 
estate  firm.  Two  brothers  of  George  Starmann,  August  and  Clemens, 
are  established  in  the  painting,  wall  papering  and  decorating  business 
in  St.  Joseph,  Missouri. 

Clark  Strickler,  born  1833,  in  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  was 
of  German  lineage.  In  1837  his  father  came  to  Adams  County  and 
located  in  Houston  Township,  following  agricultural  pursuits.  Clark 
Strickler  married  Julia  Sproat,  born  1841  in  Adams  County.  During 
the  Civil  war  he  engaged  in  merchandising  in  York  Neck.  Clark 
Strickler  died  in  1895,  his  wife  preceding  him  in  death  in  1883.    Their 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  337 

cliildreii  were:  Urville,  wlio  heeaiue  a  merchant  in  Meiidun ;  Minnie, 
wife  of  Charles  H.  Nutt,  nierehant  in  Mendon,  and  David  P.  Strickler, 
a  graduate  of  different  hififlier  schools  and  colleges,  also  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Michigan.  Septenil)er  8,  1904,  he  marriod  Edith  Sinclair  Rice, 
daughter  of  Dr.  J.  H.  and  JIary  (Sinclair)  Rice,  and  finally  located 
in  Colorado  Springs,  Colorado.  Jeremiah  Strickler,  born  1835  in 
Pennsylvania,  grew  up  on  the  farm  in  Houston  Township,  and  later 
married  Sarilda  Downing.  Will)er  Strickler,  a  son  of  Jeremiah  and 
Sarilda  (Downing)  Strickler  January  24,  1883,  married  Emma  C. 
Groves,  daughter  of  Stephen  and  JIary  Jane  (Campbell)  Groves,  her 
father  being  of  German  lineage,  whose  great-grandfather  came  from 
Germany  about  the  time  when  William  Penn  established  Pennsyl- 
vania, from  whom  he  received  a  land  grant,  and  settled  at  what  is 
known  as  Graf's  Run;  this  would  indicate  that  the  name  originally 
was  written  Graf.  He  was  a  Quaker  by  faith.  His  sons  were:  Jacob, 
a  weaver;  Joseph,  a  farmer  his  wife  lieing  Catherine  Staley,  her  ances- 
tors came  from  Pennsylvania,  of  German  extraction,  as  the  name 
indicates.  Stephen  Groves,  born  in  West  Virginia,  February  22, 
1818,  came  west  with  his  grandparents  in  1828,  in  an  old-fashioned 
prairie  schooner,  drawn  by  horses.  He  finally  engaged  in  farming  in 
Houston  Township,  and  married  Mrs.  Nancy  Strickler,  December  28, 
1846.  Her  maiden  name  was  Xaney  Witt,  of  German  lineage,  and 
her  first  husband,  Abrain  Strickler.  survived  their  marriage  only  a 
few  months.  She  died  June  26,  1850.  Stephen  Groves  later  married 
Jane  Campbell. 

The  history  of  the  Ruff  family  in  Quincy  is  very  interesting. 
Their  forefathers  were  Huguenots,  who  had  settled  at  Lake  Geneva,  in 
French  Switzerland,  and  al.so  at  La  Chaux  de  Fonds,  Switzerland. 
The  name  originally  was  written  Ruoff.  The  history  of  the  family 
can  oidy  be  traced  back  to  three  boys,  aged  13,  11,  and  9  years,  respec- 
tively, who  were  the  only  survivors  of  their  family  after  that  horrible 
massacre  of  Bartholomew's  Night,  August  24,  1572,  where  they  wit- 
nessed the  killing  of  their  ])arents  and  sister.  The  boys  escaped  onto 
a  raft,  which  during  the  night  came  down  the  River  Aar.  Although 
discovered  by  the  raft-men,  they  were  allowed  to  remain  on  the  raft, 
which  finally  reached  the  River  Rhine,  when  the  youngest  of  the  boys, 
l)cing  weak  and  of  no  special  benefit  to  the  raft-men,  was  put  off  at 
Koblenz.  The  boy  then  made  an  attempt  to  get  ijack  to  his  old  home, 
and  wandered  along  the  Moselle  in  the  direction  of  Metz.  He  rode 
on  the  wagon  of  a  charcoal  burner  to  the  border  of  Alsace,  and  finally 
was  placed  under  guardianship  at  Neu  Hornbach,  where  he  grew  up 
to  inanhood.  and  the  family  lived  for  several  centuries.  In  1793, 
Ludwig  Ruff,  born  1776  in  .\eu  Ilornliach,  moved  to  Weissenburg, 
Alsace,  and.  being  a  millwright,  entered  the  service  of  a  mill  owner 
by  the  name  of  Rreit.  Later  he  went  to  Weiler  near  Weissenburg  and 
erected  a  mill  of  his  own,  conducting  an  oil  mill  and  a  saw  mill.  In 
1802  he  married  Elizabeth  Breit,  a  daughter  of  the  miller  Breit ;  she 


338  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

was  boru  in  1778.  He  also  was  elected  as  burgomaster  of  Weiler, 
where  the  couple  remained  until  1837,  when  they  emigrated,  came  to 
America  and  located  in  Quincy,  where  Ludwig  Ruff  died  in  1846 ;  his 
wife  departing  this  life  in  1857.  Jacob  Ruff,  the  eldest  son  of  Ludwig 
and  Elizabeth  (Breit)  Ruff,  was  born  in  "Weiler,  Alsace,  in  1804, 
where  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  married  ^largaretha  Burg, 
born  in  the  same  town  in  1815.  They  emigrated  to  America  and 
located  in  Quincy  in  1838.  Jacob  Ruff  for  many  years  was  engaged 
as  carpenter  and  later  opened  a  grocery  store  at  Fifth  and  State 
streets,  which  he  conducted  for  a  number  of  years.  He  died  October 
3,  1895,  and  his  wife  followed  him  in  death  September  15,  1896.  Chil- 
dren were :  Mrs.  Rosa  Kull,  wife  of  the  saddler  John  E.  KuU,  Ottumwa, 
Iowa;  Mrs.  Caroline  Weber,  wife  of  the  druggist  Christ  Weber  in 
Quincy ;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Ureeh,  wife  of  Frederick  Urech,  near  Kirks- 
ville,  Missouri;  Mrs.  Marie  Keller,  wife  of  William  Keller,  near  La 
Plata,  ^Missouri;  and  Mrs.  Sophia  Morgan,  at  La  Plata,  Missouri. 
Caspar  Ruff,  the  second  sou  of  Ludwig  and  Elizabeth  (Breit)  Ruff 
was  born  in  Weiler,  Alsace,  in  1806.  As  soon  as  able,  he  assisted  his 
father  in  the  mill,  and  later  was  apprenticed  to  the  Genauds,  proprie- 
tors of  the  great  iron  works  in  Schoenau.  After  serving  his  appren- 
ticeship, he  returned  to  Weiler,  where  he  built  a  smithery  and  a 
forge.  He  and  his  brother,  Jacob  Ruff,  also  conducted  an  oil  mill 
and  a  saw  mill.  The  first  trip-hammer  used  in  Weiler  was  made  by 
Caspar  Ruff,  and  is  still  there,  as  a  remembrance,  a  relic  of  those 
days,  eighty  years  ago,  when  he,  in  the  prime  of  his  life,  was  a  promi- 
nent factor  in  the  industry  of  his  native  town.  When  Henry  Ruff, 
the  eldest  son  of  Caspar  Ruff,  visited  Weiler  years  ago,  he  was  shown 
the  trip-hammer  his  father  made.  In  1832  Caspar  Ruff  married 
Margaret  Salome  Bastian  in  Weiler,  and  in  1837  the  family  emigrated 
to  America.  They  came  to  Quincy,  where  they  arrived  July  9th,  of  said 
year,  locating  here  for  life.  Caspar  Ruff  began  his  activity  in  Quincy 
as  a  mill-wright,  also  conducting  a  smith  shop  at  the  southwest  corner 
of  Sixth  and  State  streets.  In  the  early  '40s  of  the  last  century  he 
erected  the  original  Washington  Brewery,  the  second  brewery  in 
Quincy,  which  he  in  company  with  William  Gasser  conducted  for  a 
time ;  he  also  served  in  the  Mormon  war.  Later  he  assumed  the 
business  and  together  with  Theodore  Brinckwirth  conducted  the 
brewery  at  Sixth  and  State  streets  for  three  years,  when  Brinckwirth 
left  for  St.  Louis,  where  he  established  a  brewery.  Finally  Caspar 
Ruff  sold  the  Washington  Brewery  to  Blank  &  Thies,  and  in  1855 
erected  a  brewery  on  South  Twelfth  Street,  which  he  conducted  until 
1863,  when  he  retired  from  active  business,  which  was  assumed  and 
continued  by  his  sons  John  and  Caspar  Ruff,  Jr.  Caspar  Ruff,  Sr., 
died  in  1873,  his  wife  living  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  after  her 
husband's  death,  she  departing  this  life  in  1899.  Heni-y  Ruff,  the 
eldest  son  of  Caspar  and  ilargaret  Salome  (Bastian)  Ruff,  was  born 
in  Quincy,  September  19,  1839,  where  he  grew  up,  assisting  his  father 
in  the  brewery  business  until  1855,  when  he  went  to  Germany  for 


griXCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY  339 

some  time,  preparing  for  the  iiicreantile  Ijii.siiie.ss.  Keturiiing  to 
(^liney,  he  opened  a  dry  goods  stor<?  under  the  firm  of  Rutf  &  Haii. 
Later  he  retired  from  tlic  dry  goods  business  and  opened  a  earpet 
store  which  he  conducted  for  many  years,  until  he  finally  retired  from 
active  business  life.  In  1861  Henry  Huff  married  Lisetta  Luther, 
horn  in  Homhurg  in  the  Palatinate.  They  have  one  daughter,  Lottie, 
who  in  1883  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  George  Bock,  and  they  have  three 
sons:  Carl,  professor  at  some  college;  Hans,  employed  by  the  govern- 
ment in  the  Department  of  Agriculture;  while  Hugo  L.  Bock  is  a 
first  lieutenant  in  tiie  service  of  the  United  States  at  Fort  Riley, 
Kansas.  John  Rufif,  the  second  son  of  Caspar  and  Margaret  Salome 
(Bastian)  RuflF,  was  born  in  Quincy,  October  19,  1840,  and  married 
Anna  E.  Lock  in  1861.  He  was  a  brewer  by  profession.  They  had 
five  children,  of  whom  three  are  living,  William  J.  and  Casjjar  H. 
Ruff,  and  Lisetta  Schaeffcr.  John  Ruff  died  Jlay  16.  1880;  his  wife 
followed  him  in  death  four  years  later.  William  J.  Ruff  followed  his 
father  in  the  business  and  when  eighteen  years  of  age  went  to  Gernumy, 
where  he  attended  a  brewing  academy  in  Worms,  and  studied  chem- 
istry and  brewing.  Upon  his  return  home  from  Germany,  lie  took 
over  the  superintendeiicv  and  brewnuistership  of  the  Ruff  Brewing 
Company.  After  the  death  of  Caspar  Ruff.  Jr.,  he  assumed  the  man- 
agement of  the  firm.  Having  made  the  business  a  scientific  as  well  as 
practical  study,  he  invented  a  ninuber  of  machines  and  devices  used 
in  the  manufacture  of  beer,  notably  one  of  international  reputation 
in  the  shape  of  a  beer  jiasteurizing  macliinc.  which  revolutionized  tlie 
I)reservation  of  beer  without  the  use  of  chemicals.  The  machines  of  his 
invention  are  found  not  only  in  some  of  the  largest  breweries  of  the 
T'nited  States,  but  also  in  .Mexico,  in  Rio  de  Janeiro.  Brazil,  in  Kobe, 
Japan,  and  in  Capetown.  South  Africa.  William  J.  RufV.  May  25, 
1887,  married  Bertha  A.  Barth;  she  died  April,  1914.  Their  chil- 
dren are:  Edgar  J.  Ruff,  now  superintendent  of  the  Ruff  Brewing 
Company;  Clarence  F.  Ruff,  connected  with  the  Rtiff-Koyer  Hard- 
ware Company,  and  Wilbert  Ruff.  Caspar  Ruff.  Jr..  the  third  son  of 
Caspar  and  Alargaret  Salome  f Bastian)  Ruff,  was  boi-n  in  1844, 
Iwcame  identified  with  tiie  brewing  business,  and  for  many  years  was 
manager  of  the  present  Ruff  Brewing  Company,  the  success  of  which 
speaks  only  too  well  for  his  business  ability  and  foresight.  He  mar- 
ried Haniudi  Tansmann,  and  departed  this  life  Xoveml)er  26,  1906, 
his  wife  following  him  in  death  some  years  later.  Children  living 
are:  Edward  H.  and  Ida  Ruff,  and  Lennre  (Ruffi  Richmiller.  Edward 
H.  Ruff  was  secretary  of  the  RufT  Brewing  Comiiany  until  about  a 
year  ago,  ill  health  necessitating  his  retirement.  Daughters  of  Caspar 
and  Margaret  Salome  (Bastian)  Ruff  living  at  this  writing  are:  Rosa 
(Ruff J  Jansen,  a  twin  sister  of  Caspar  Ruff,  Jr.,  was  the  wife  of 
Matthew  Jansen,  deceased,  a  captain  of  Company  A,  Twenty-seventh 
Illinois  Infantry,  who  distinguished  himself  during  the  Civil  war, 
being  mustered  out  with  the  rank  of  major;  Louisa  (Ruff)  Jansen 
married  Theodore  Jansen,  a  mend)er  of  the  Twenty-seventh  Illinois 


340  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Regiment,  and  brother  of  ilatthew  Janseu,  also  deceased;  Friederieke 
(Ruff)  Tansmauu,  wife  of  Frederick  Tansmauu  of  tliis  eitj';  aud 
Katie  (Ruff)  Koch,  widow  of  "William  Koch. 

Settlers  of  1838 

Dr.  Daniel  Stahl  was  one  of  the  first  German  physicians  that 
located  in  Quincy.  Bom  in  1816  in  Gilserberg,  PriuciiDality  of  Hessen, 
he  studied  medicine  in  the  universities  of  Giessen,  Marburg,  ilunich, 
and  Vienna, — in  Munich  together  wdth  Dr.  ilichael  Roeschlaub,  who 
also  was  among  the  early  German  physicians  in  Quiucy.  In  1838 
Dr.  Daniel  Stahl  came  from  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  settled  in  Quincy, 
where  he  for  many  years  practiced  his  profession,  his  services  during 
two  epidemics  of  cholera  being  especiallj-  valuable.  At  the  beginning 
of  the  Civil  war  he  entered  the  Union  army  as  physician  and  surgeon 
of  the  Tenth  Illinois  Infantry,  later  on  serving  in  the  Seventh  Illinois 
Cavalry  Regiment.  In  October  of  1864  he  was  appointed  as  chief 
surgeon  of  staff  and  served  to  the  end  of  the  war.  Dr.  Daniel  Stahl 
was  twice  married,  his  tirst  wife  being  French,  his  second  wife  Ameri- 
can.   He  died  October  26,  1874,  in  Baden-Baden,  where  he  was  buried. 

Matthias  Ohnemus,  born  November  15,  1810,  in  Rust,  Baden,  came 
to  America  in  1834,  locating  in  Louisville,  Kentucky.  In  1835  he 
married  Theresia  Weber,  born  October  29,  1810,  in  Ringsheim,  Baden. 
They  came  to  Quincy  in  1838,  where  Matthias  Ohnemus  for  many 
years  followed  his  trade  as  saddler  and  harnessmaker.  He  established 
the  first  vineyard  in  Quincy,  and  for  some  time  conducted  a  meat 
market.  Matthias  Ohnemus  died  September  16,  1870;  his  wife  de- 
parted this  life  December  5,  1900.  One  son,  George  Ohnemus,  lives 
in  Quincy.  where  he  for  many  years  was  engaged  as  proprietor  of  a 
tinshop  and  galvanized  iron  works.  Daughters  of  Matthias  and 
Theresia  (Weber)  Ohnemus  were:  Mrs.  ^Marie  P.  Kreitz,  Sister  Serva- 
tia  of  the  Order  of  Notre  Dame,  ilrs.  Theresia  Tenk,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Glahn,  and  Mrs.  Anna  Glass. 

Jacob  Wagner  was  born  February  25,  1810,  in  Lebanon  County, 
Pennsylvania,  where  his  ancestors,  who  came  from  German}',  had 
settled  during  early  Colonial  days.  In  1837  he  came  West,  locating  at 
Hannibal,  ^Missouri,  where  he  followed  his  trade  as  millwright  for 
nearly  two  years.  In  December,  1838,  he  settled  on  a  farm  near  Mill 
Creek  in  this  county,  and  in  September,  1841,  married  Mary  Anna 
Brown,  born  October  15,  1824,  in  Shenandoah  County,  Virginia. 
Having  received  his  earlj'  education  on  his  father's  farm  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, Jacob  Wagner  learned  to  read  both  English  and  German.  He 
departed  this  life  in  1879 ;  his  wife  died  many  years  ago.  Mrs.  Belle 
Petri,  wife  of  the  attorney,  Thomas  Petri  in  Quincy,  is  a  daughter 
of  Jacob  Wagner.  Sons  were:  Frank,  who  lived  on  the  farm,  and 
Jacob  Wagner,  Jr.,  a  physician ;  both  died  years  ago.  One  son,  Wil- 
liam Wagner,  lives  in  Wyoming. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  .•J41 

Matthias  Obert.  luirn  Xovemljcr  21,  1808,  in  Hurbacli,  in  tlu-  lilaek 
Forest  of  Baden,  learned  the  shoeraaiier's  trade  and  emigrated  to 
America  in  1829,  locating  in  Baltimore.  In  1880  he  was  initiated  as 
a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  by  Thomas 
Wildey.  founder  of  the  Order  in  this  eountry.  From  Baltimore  he 
went  to  Pittsburgh,  following  his  trade  for  two  years.  Then  he  came 
to  St.  Louis,  where  ho  married  Mario  Felsing  in  1835.  March  14, 
1887,  a  son  was  born  to  them,  whom  they  named  John.  In  1838  the 
family  came  to  Quiiicy,  when'  Mrs.  Obert  died  in  1839.  April  4, 
1841.  Matthias  Obert  married  Anna  Jahn.  born  1810  in  the  Princi- 
jiality  of  Ilessen.  In  1852  he,  with  his  son  John,  went  overland  to 
California,  returning  to  Quiney  within  a  year.  In  1862  he  went  into 
the  grocery  business.  His  wife  died  in  1882 ;  he  departed  this  life 
December  28,  1885.  At  the  time  of  his  death  Matthias  01)crt  was 
the  oldest  member  of  tlic  Odd  Fellows  in  the  world,  having  been  a 
member  for  fifty-nine  years.  Isabelle  M.  Obert.  a  daugliter,  was 
teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Quiney,  and  in  1861  l>ecame  tlie  wife 
of  Edward  Wild,  a  prominent  business  man;  Marie,  another  daughter, 
was  married  to  Otto  Ringier,  also  prominent  in  business.  All  persons 
mentioned  in  the  foregoing  have  departed  this  life  years  ago,  but  a 
number  of  descendants  are  among  tin'  living. 

Frank  Rettig,  born  in  1800,  in  Gross-Biberau.  Grandduehy  of 
Ilessen,  married  Elizabeth  Merker  of  the  same  town.  They  came  to 
America  in  1831.  locating  in  Franklin  County,  Pennsylvania.  In 
1838  the  family  came  "West,  locating  in  Quiney,  where  Mrs.  Rettig 
died ;  her  husband  later  moved  to  Perry,  Pike  County,  Illinois,  where 
Frank  Rettig.  Jr.,  born  November  18,  1833,  learned  the  blacksmith's 
trade.  In  1855  he  married  Adeline  Webb  of  Morgan  County,  Illinois. 
For  twenty  years  he  followed  blaeksmithing  in  Loraine,  this  county. 
When  the  Civil  war  broke  out  the  Rettig  family  were  patriotic.  Frank 
Rettig,  Sr.,  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Ninety-ninth  Illinois  Infantry, 
and  Frank  Rettig,  Jr.,  joined  Company  F,  of  the  same  regiment ;  two 
other  sons  rallied  to  their  country's  call.  Louis  Rettig  .inined  the 
Third  Illinois  Cavalry,  and  Philip  Rettig,  the  Sixth  Illinois  Cavalry. 
Nine  years  ago  Frank  Rettig,  Jr.,  and  his  wife  entered  the  Illinois 
Soldiers'  anil  Sailors'  Home  in  Quiney,  where  he  died  the  latter  part 
of  January,  1918.  Three  .sons  survive :  Charles,  a  bariicr  in  Shrevc- 
port,  Louisiana ;  Frank,  Jr.,  a  traveling  salesman,  in  Springfield, 
Missouri ;  and  William  Rettig,  in  Ilanford,  California. 

Philip  Schwebcl.  born  September  13.  1813.  in  Oberhausen,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Ilessen.  came  to  America  in  1836.  locating  in  New  York  City, 
where  he  married  Elizabeth  Schcrcr.  In  1838  they  came  to  Quiney, 
where  Philip  Schwebcl.  who  was  a  master  of  his  trade,  did  all  kinds 
of  fine  machine  blaeksmithing  for  many  years.  He  died  in  18!*2.  his 
wife  having  preceded  him  in  death  in  1888.  William  Schwebcl,  the 
eldest  .son,  learned  the  machinist's  trade.     During  the  Civil  war  he 


342  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

served  in  the  Union  army,  as  second  lieutenant  of  Company  F,  Forty- 
third  Illinois  Infantry;  after  the  war  he  went  West  and  opened  a 
machine  shop  in  San  Francisco,  California.  Edward  Schwebel,  the 
second  son,  served  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-seventh  Illinois 
Infantry ;  he  also  was  a  machinist,  and  later  moved  to  Burlington, 
Iowa,  where  he  followed  his  trade.  Henry  George  Schwebel,  the  third 
son,  still  resides  in  Quincy,  where  he  has  a  position  as  shipping  clerk 
in  the  Thomas  White  Stove  Foundry. 

George  Liebig  was  born  1770  in  Gross-Biberau,  Grandduehy  of 
Hessen.  He  was  a  shoemaker  by  occupation,  and  an  uncle  of  Prof. 
Justus  Liel)ig.  the  German  chemist.  He  married  Elizabeth  Breit- 
wieser,  born  1779  in  Kleestadt,  Grandduehy  of  Ilessen.  In  1838  the 
couple  came  to  Quincy,  where  Liebig  died  in  the  same  year,  while  his 
wife  lived  until  1869.  Two  sons  came  to  this  country  with  their 
parents,  ]>oth  l)eing  shoemakers.  George  P.  Liebig  located  in  St. 
Louis,  and  John  Leonard  Liebig,  in  Belleville,  Illinois,  where  he  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Schubkegel,  and  conducted  his  business  until  1849, 
when  he  became  a  victim  of  cholera.  John  P.  Liebig,  a  son  of  John 
Leonard  and  Elizabeth  (Schubkegel)  Liebig,  was  born  in  Belleville, 
Februarj'  2,  1848,  and  came  to  Quincy  in  1866,  where  he  is  estab- 
lished as  a  dealer  in  coal,  wood,  and  ice.  He  married  Hannah  Heit- 
land,  and  they  have  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  George  and  Eliza- 
beth (Breitwieser)  Liebig,  who  came  to  Quincy  in  1838,  also  had 
three  daughters :  Elizabeth  Barbara,  wife  of  Jean  Philip  Bert ;  Mar- 
garet, wife  of  Simon  Glass;  and  Elizabeth  JIaria,  wife  of  John  Wenzel, 
all  of  them  residing  in  this  county,  where  they  died  many  years  ago. 

Henry  Bornmann,  born  in  1800  in  Hatzfeld,  circuit  of  Giessen, 
Grandduehy  of  Hessen,  was  a  paper  miller,  and  married  Elizabeth 
Kuhn,  born  in  the  circuit  of  Wittgenstein.  In  1834  they  came  to 
America,  and  located  in  Mercersburg,  Pennsylvania.  lu  1838  the  fam- 
ily came  to  Quincy.  There  being  no  paper  mill  here,  Henry  Boi'n- 
mann  conducted  a  lime  kiln.  His  wife  died  in  1849  of  cholera  and 
he  became  a  victim  of  the  same  plague  in  1851.  The  eldest  son,  Henry, 
born  in  Germany,  was  a  watchmaker  and  died  of  the  yellow  fever  in 
New  Orleans  in  1852.  Theodore  Bornmann,  the  second  son,  born 
September  24,  1843,  in  Quincy,  grew  up  in  this  city,  where  he  for 
many  years  was  engaged  as  a  painter  and  paper  hanger.  In  November, 
1864,  he  married  Mary  Waldhaus,  daughter  of  George  F.  and  Marie 
(Gasser)  Waldhaus.  She  died  twenty-six  _years  ago,  and  a  year  later 
Theodore  Bornmann  married  Mrs.  Katherine  Eisenstein,  widow  of 
Louis  Eisenstein.  Sons  of  Theodore  and  Mary  (Waldhaus)  Bornmann 
living  are:  George,  Albert,  William,  Frank,  and  Frederick;  besides 
one  daughter,  Cora,  wife  of  Frank  Reed,  in  Ellendale,  North  Dakota. 
Two  grandsons  of  Theodore  Bornmann,  Elmer  and  August,  sons  of 
George  Bornmann,  are  serving  in  the  army  of  the  United  States. 


i^riXCV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  343 

Gi'orge  Jacob  Waldhaus.  Ixnii  1797  in  Oberau,  Graudduchy  of 
Hcsseii,  married  Kathcrinc  Vondersehmitt,  born  in  the  same  town, 
Defcmber  31,  1792.  In  1837  the  family  emigrated,  landing  in  New- 
Orleans  New  Year's  night  1838.  In  July  of  the  same  year  tiie  family 
located  in  Quincy,  where  Mrs.  Waldhaus  died  June  6,  1863,  her  hus- 
band departing  this  life  July  26,  1869.  George  Frederick  Waldhaus, 
sou  of  George  Jacob  and  Katlierine  (Vondersciimitt)  Waldiiaus,  born 
Jlay  23,  1819,  in  Kleiu-Biberau,  came  to  Quiney  with  his  parents.  lie 
learned  the  cooper's  trade,  and  for  nmuy  years  conducted  a  sliop  in 
tiiis  city.  In  1840  he  nuirricil  .Marie  Gasser,  born  March  1,  1824,  in 
Baden.  George  Frederick  Waldhaus  sen'ed  iu  the  Mormon  war  of 
1S44  as  a  member  of  the  German  Guards.  For  many  years  lie  was 
prominent  in  public  life,  holding  many  offices  of  honor  and  trust.  Iu 
1854-55  he  was  city  marshal ;  in  1856-57  city  treasurer ;  in  the  spriug 
of  1865  he  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city;  from  1874  until  1879  he 
rei)rescntcd  the  Third  Ward  iu  the  board  of  supervisors.  In  1890 
George  Frederick  and  Marie  Waldhaus  celebrated  their  golden  wed- 
ding, attended  liy  a  great  number  of  relatives  and  personal  friends. 
Jlrs.  Waldhaus  died  September  21,  1892;  her  husband,  February  3, 
1899.  Three  sons  survive :  Henrj-  W.  Waldhaus,  born  September  13, 
1842.  who  at  the  age  of  fifteen  drove  a  mail  wagon,  receiving  twcnty- 
tive  dollars  a  month.  Later  he  learned  the  cooper's  trade.  In  1866 
he  was  elected  as  street  commissioner.  For  thirty  years  he  was  assistant 
a.s.sessor  of  the  Town  of  Quincy.  His  wife,  Caroline,  nee  Wober,  died 
many  years  ago.  Fred  Waldhaus,  the  second  son,  a  machinist  by 
trade,  is  at  present  engineer  in  the  house  of  correction.  Edw-ard,  the 
third  son,  is  a  paper  hanger  by  trade  and  located  in  the  eastern  part 
of  this  county. 

George  Philip  Rcilstein,  Iiorn  June  29.  1805,  in  Lichtenbcrg,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Ilessen,  was  a  baker.  In  March,  ISlJT,  he  emigrated  to 
America  and  located  in  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania.  There  he  met  and 
married  Anna  Elizabeth  Klingler,  born  1805  in  Reichelsheim,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Ilcssen.  In  1838  the  family  came  to  Quincy,  where  George 
Philip  Beilstein  went  to  work  in  the  Star  Mills  as  fireman  and  then 
as  engineer.  Two  years  later  he  went  to  farming  near  Mill  Creek.  His 
wife  died  in  1867,  while  he  departed  this  life  in  1888.  Two  sous, 
Philip  and  George,  grew  up  on  the  farm  and  followed  agriculture. 
Philip  died  in  1902,  George  in  1918.  Philip  Beilstein  related  the 
following  interesting  reminiscences  alrout  country  life  in  the  early 
days:  "Within  a  stretch  of  three  miles  there  were  nine  mills  on  Mill 
Creek,  serving  as  saw  mills  and  grist  mills,  and  run  by  water  power. 
Corn  and  wheat  were  simply  ground  without  separating  the  bran 
from  the  flour,  and  the  meal  thus  secured  was  tasteful  and  wholesome. 
Occasionally  it  would  happen  that  the  mills  were  put  out  of  com- 
mission, owing  to  the  lack  of  water,  and  then  we  had  to  resort  to  our 
coffee  mill  to  grind  the  grain.  Some  of  the  dwellings  were  built  of 
logs  and  others  by  using  slabs  or  clapboards.     Wooden  pegs  were 


344  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

used  iu  connecting  the  frame  work.  ^Matches  were  a  coinraodity  not 
known  in  those  days,  and  fires  had  to  be  started  by  the  aid  of  flint 
and  steel,  in  connection  with  punk.  This  being  very  tedious,  people 
were  careful  to  keep  the  fire  on  the  hearth  alive ;  when  retiring  for 
the  night,  ashes  were  heaped  on  the  glimmering  coal,  to  be  removed 
in  the  morning,  when  wood  placed  on  the  live  coal  would  soon  result 
in  a  blazing  tire.  But  it  sometimes  happened  that  the  fire  was  out  in 
the  morning,  and  then  some  member  of  the  family  had  to  start  out 
with  an  iron  kettle  to  "borrow  fire"  from  the  next  neighbor,  which, 
of  course,  was  not  pleasant  when  the  temperature  was  way  below 
zero."  Besides  the  two  sons  mentioned  above,  George  Philip  and 
Anna  Elizabeth  (Klingler)  Beilstein  had  three  daughters:  Marie,  the 
wife  of  C.  F.  A.  Behrensmeyer,  building  contractor  and  later  proprie- 
tor of  a  general  store.  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Peter  Scheer,  Slater,  Mis- 
souri; and  Pauline,  wife  of  William  Wenzel,  farmer  on  the  Payson 
prairie  in  this  county.  All  of  them  have  departed  this  life  years  ago ; 
many  descendants  are  among  the  living. 

John  Breitwieser,  born  July  9,  1816,  in  Kleestadt,  Grandduchy 
of  Hessen,  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade  with  George  Liebig  in  Gross- 
Biberau.  The  latter  part  of  1837  he  emigrated  and  came  to  America, 
landing  in  Baltimore.  Later  he  came  West,  arriving  in  Quincy  May  17, 
1838,  where  he  settled  for  life.  In  the  same  year  the  first  German 
Protestant  church,  St.  John's  Church,  was  built  in  this  city  and  John 
Breitwieser  assisted  in  the  construction  of  the  building,  which  was 
erected  on  the  east  side  of  South  Seventh  Street,  between  York  and 
Kentucky,  on  the  site  where  at  present  St.  John's  Lutheran  Church 
stands.  In  1842  John  Breitwieser,  with  William  Dickhut  and  Robert 
Benneson,  went  overland  to  Wisconsin  in  a  wagon  drawn  by  four 
horses.  Prairie  chickens  were  so  numerous  that  they  could  kill  them 
with  clubs.  They  traveled  600  miles  before  they  reached  the  first 
sawmill,  conducted  by  Frank  Biron,  a  Frenchman,  six  miles  north 
of  Grand  Rapids  on  the  Wisconsin  River.  After  trading  their  horses 
and  wagon  for  30,000  feet  of  lumber,  and  constructing  a  raft,  they 
started  down  stream,  bound  for  Quincy,  an  Indian  serving  as  pilot. 
En  route  the  voyagers  lost  their  course,  getting  into  a  "blind  alley." 
The  water  rushing  over  the  raft,  the  three  men  had  to  stand  in  the 
water  up  to  their  hips  for  two  days,  when  a  steamboat  came  along, 
noticed  their  distress,  and  rescued  them  by  dragging  the  raft  into  the 
regular  channel,  they  then  continuing  their  trip  to  Quincy.  John 
Breitwieser  served  in  the  Mormon  war  as  a  member  of  the  Quincy 
German  Guards.  For  many  years  he  was  in  the  employ  of  Dickhut  & 
Benneson.  the  lumber  dealers,  also  as  teamster  n*  the  Eagle  Mills. 
John  Breitwieser  was  twice  married  :  his  first  wife  was  Jlarie  Huenecke, 
born  near  Bremen,  Germany ;  his  second  wife,  Amalie  Reinecker,  from 
Muehlhausen,  Thuringia.  September  15,  1901,  he  died  a  widower  aged 
over  eighty-five  years.  Children  living  are :  Charles  William  Breit- 
wieser, Mrs.  Mary  Buerkin,  and  Jliss  Emilie  Breitwieser,  all  in  Quincy. 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  345 

("harlt's  William  Hreitwieser,  the  son,  horn  March  5.  Ib6'2.  k-ft  school 
when  thirteen  years  of  age  to  learn  the  eigarmaker's  trade,  but  a 
year  later  accepti-d  a  position  in  a  retail  store.  Remaining  sixteen 
years  he  secured  a  comprehensive  knowieilge  in  every  department  and 
in  1892  bought  the  grocery  business  from  William  Evers,  which  he 
continued  for  twelve  years.  In  1904  he  sold  out  and  for  a  number  of 
years  has  been  manager  of  the  Gem  City  Transfer  Company.  In 
1882  he  married  Clara  Rothgeb,  a  daughter  of  the  old  German  pioneer 
Henry  Rothgeb. 

Frederick  Wellmann.  boi'n  Api-il  !t.  IS]."),  in  Anknni.  Hanover, 
was  a  painter,  emigrated  in  the  fall  of  1835,  and  landed  in  Haltimorc 
in  the  s{)ring  of  1836,  the  trip  having  rc<iuired  ninety  days  on  the 
Danish  sailing  vessel  Caledonia.  The  passengers  had  to  subsist  on 
black  hard  tack,  potatoes  being  an  unknown  luxury.  Four  passengers 
died  of  smallpox.  From  Baltimore,  Frederick  Wellmann  came  to 
St.  Louis,  where  he  married  Elizabeth  Bueter,  of  Ilerzberg,  Hanover. 
In  1838  they  came  to  Quincy,  where  the  wife  died  in  1852.  Later  he 
married  Antoinette  Bockhoff,  born  in  Prussia.  In  1838  there  were 
only  two  brick  houses  in  Quiney ;  all  other  dwellings  were  built  of  logs 
or  frame.  Frederick  Wellmaini  was  a  member  of  the  Quiney  Jaeger, 
a  German  militia  company.  For  two  years,  1853  and  1854,  he  repre- 
sented the  Second  Ward  in  the  city  council.  In  conversation  with  the 
writer  of  this  narrative,  fifteen  years  ago.  Mr.  W^ellmann  related  the 
following  interesting  reminiscence,  showing  the  condition  of  one  of  the 
main  streets  seventy  and  more  years  ago:  "I  had  attended  a  meeting 
of  the  city  council  as  one  of  the  spectators,  and  it  was  late  when  I 
wended  my  way  homeward.  While  passing  along  Hampshire,  between 
Ninth  and  Tenth  streets,  at  that  time  an  idyllic  part  of  the  city, 
known  under  the  name.  'Bremer  Hafen'  (Harbor  of  Bremen),  char- 
acteristic of  the  great  pools  of  water  which  gathered  there  after  heavy 
rains,  I  noticed  a  human  being  in  the  middle  of  the  'lagoon.'  wrestling 
for  his  life.  Immediately  arousing  William  Schreiber,  who  lived  in 
the  block,  we  both  went  to  work  and  rescued  the  man,  who  probably 
would  have  drowned,  had  it  not  Ijeen  for  our  timely  arrival.  The  man 
was  Michael  ^last.  the  first  German  settler  in  Quincy  and  a  promi- 
nent figure  in  the  history  of  this  community  for  many  years."  Wil- 
liam Wellmann,  born  in  Ankum,  Hanover,  in  1811,  married  Sophia 
Dombree  of  the  same  town.  They  emigrated  in  1837  and  located  in 
Quincy  in  1838.  Wellmann  was  a  locksmith,  but  found  little  to  do 
in  his  line  of  business,  most  jicople  not  finding  locks  neces.sary,  fasten- 
ing their  doors  with  latches,  and  pulling  the  latchstring  in  when  they 
retired  for  the  night;  consequently  he  went  to  farming  near  Mill 
Creek.  He  also  served  in  the  Mormon  war  as  a  nuMuber  of  the  (Jer- 
man  Guards.  Finally  returning  to  town,  he  died  in  1891 ;  his  wife 
in  1895.  Sons  were:  Frank,  farmer  near  Mill  Creek;  William,  har- 
nessmakcr  in  White  Sulplnir  Springs.  Jlontana;  Frederick,  farmer  in 
Oklahoma ;  and  John  B.  Wellmann,  for  many  years  painter  in  Quincy. 


346  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Daughters  were :  Sophia,  wife  of  the  farmer  Frank  Klingle ;  Katherine, 
wife  of  the  machinist  John  Gredell;  Theresia,  wife  of  the  butcher 
Frank  Kerkmann ;  and  "Wilhelmina,  wife  of  the  farmer  Joseph  Asche- 
mann  near  Mill  Creek.  Frank  Wellmann,  a  brother  of  the  above  men- 
tioned William  Wellmann,  was  one  of  the  first  painters  in  this  city  and 
followed  his  trade  until  1849,  when  he,  his  wife,  and  their  children 
became  victims  of  cholera.  Only  one  son,  Frank  B.  Wellmann,  sur- 
vived, and  for  many  j^ears  was  engaged  as  painter  and  paperhanger 
in  this  city. 

Among  the  early  German  pioneers  was  John  Paul  Epple,  born 
June  29,  1803,  in  Herboldsheim,  Baden.     He  was  induced  to  come 
to  Quincy  because  they  needed  a  blacksmith,  relatives  and  friends 
having  repeatedly  requested  him  to  make  this  city  his  home.     In 
1837  he  with  his  wife,  Anna  Marie,  nee  Raes,  and  one  son,  Alexander, 
came  to  New  York  and  fi-om  there  to  Buffalo,  where  the  sou  became 
seriously  ill  and  died.    The  trip  overland  was  tedious,  they  traveling 
in  a  wagon  drawn  by  oxen,  until  they  arrived  in  Chicago,  where  they 
acquired  a  team  of  horses  and  made  better  progress,   arriving  in 
Quincy  in  the  spring  of  1838.    John  Paul  Epple  bought  a  lot  near  the 
city  spring,  where  he  with  his  own  hands  built  a  small  log  cabin  and 
a  smithshop,  the  dwelling  covering  an  area  of  sixteen  feet  square,  while 
the  smithshop  measured  fourteen  feet  square.     Six  months  later,  in 
a  dreary  winter  night,  the  shop  burned  down,  but  was  rebuilt,  larger 
and  better,  in  the  following  spring.    Being  successful  in  his  business, 
John  Paul  Epple  later  bought  a  lot  on  Hampshire,  between  Third  and 
Fourth  streets,  where  he  erected  a  larger  and  more  commodious  work- 
shop.   There  was  another  smith  and  wagonmaker  in  Quincy,  Timothy 
Rogers,  who  aceasionally  went  east  with  John  Paul  Epple,  where  they 
bought  carriages  in  New  York,  and  hickory  wood  in  Indiana.     The 
first  carriage  manufactured  in  Quincy,  made  complete  in  all  its  parts, 
was  built  by  John  Paul  Epple  for  0.  H.  Browning,  one  of  our  pi-omi- 
nent  attorneys,  later  senator  of  Illinois  and  member  of  President  Lin- 
coln's cabinet.     John  Paul   Epple  was  the  first  market  master  of 
Quincy,  an  oflSce  which  he  held  from  1844  to  1852,  and  it  was  due  to 
his  efforts  that  the  first  market  house  was  built  at  Third  and  Hamp- 
shire streets,  where  the  city  hall  now  stands.    The  necessity  of  a  hall 
for  entertainments  being  apparent,  John  Paul  Epple  had  a  two-story 
brick  building  erected  on  Hampshire,   between   Third   and  Fourth 
streets,  covering  an  area  of  60  by  125  feet,  known  as  Epple 's  Hall. 
Many  shows,  both  English  and  German,  were  given  there,  besides 
family  reunions,  etc.    About  1870  John  Paul  Epple  retired  from  active 
business   and    moved    to    Twenty-fifth    Street,    between    ilaine    and 
Broadway,  his  death  occurring  October  14,  1877,  his  wife  following 
him  in  death  April  18,  1881.    Besides  the  son  Alexander,  who  died  in 
Buffalo,  the  children  were:  Caroline,  wife  of  J.  H.  Brockschmidt ; 
Catherine,  wife  of  Amandus  Fendrich ;  Marie,  wife  of  Michael  Arnold ; 
Elizabeth,  wife  of  Caspar  Arnold ;  and  John  H.  Epple. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COIXTV  347 

Settlers  of  1839 

Louis  Lambur,  born  1816  in  Hrueeivcnwakl,  Alsace,  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1833,  learned  the  cooper's  trade  in  Evansville,  Indiana,  and 
came  to  Quincy  in  1839.  In  1841  he  married  Barbara  Combaise, 
born  1822  in  Oberkandeln,  near  Strassburg,  Alsace.  For  many  years 
he  conducted  a  cooper  shop  in  Quincy  until  his  death  in  1887.  Louis 
Lambur,  Jr.,  a  son  born  in  Quincy,  learned  the-cooper's  trade.  Early 
in  1865  he  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Illinois 
Infantry,  serving  to  the  end  of  the  war.  Later  he  for  a  number  of 
years  served  as  constable.  In  1864  he  married  Catherine  Gutapfel, 
daughter  of  the  pioneei-  smith  George  Gutapfel ;  descendants  in  Quiney 
now  write  the  name  Goodapple.  Louis  Lam])ur  died  in  1917,  the 
widow  resides  in  the  Illinois  Soldiers'  Home. 

Xavier  Flaiz,  born  1819  in  Gruol,  Sigmaringen,  was  a  shoemaker. 
In  the  fall  of  1839  he  came  to  (^iucy,  and  in  1841  married  .Maria 
Gesina  Bernzen,  born  in  Lotten,  Hanover,  in  1820.  Xavier  Flaiz 
was  an  expert  at  his  trade,  being  known  for  his  splendid  workmanship 
in  tine  ladies'  shoes.  Ho  also  liid  (juite  a  business  in  I'eal  estate.  May 
20,  1894,  he  died,  while  his  wife  lived  until  February  12,  IftOG.  Two 
sons  are  among  the  living.  Frederick  and  Eugene  Flaiz,  both  in  the 
grocery  business.  One  daughter  also  survives,  ]\Irs.  Wiliielmina 
Weltin,  widow  of  ilichael  Weltin,  the  miller,  for  many  years  manager 
of  the  Farmers  Mill  in  Quincy. 

Adam  Stuckert  and  wife,  Eva  Marie,  nee  Stork,  of  Rheinheim, 
Grandduchy  of  Ilessen,  emigrated  in  1838  and  located  in  New  Orleans, 
where  Stuckert  died  in  1839  of  the  yellow  fever.  In  November  of 
the  same  year  the  widow  with  her  daughter  Marie  Margaret,  born  in 
New  Orleans  January  25,  1839,  came  to  Quiney,  and  later  lu-eame  the 
wife  of  Ludwig  Rapp,  a  widower.  I^ater  they  located  near  Mill  f'reek, 
where  they  went  to  farming.  Mr.  Kapj)  dii-d  in  1862,  and  her  husband 
in  1868.  ilarle  Margaret  Stuckert,  the  daughter  bom  in  New  Orleans, 
became  the  wife  of  John  Henry  IMichelniann,  the  boiler  maker,  Decem- 
ber 17,  1857,  and  tliev  celebrated  the  si.xtieth  anniversary  of  their 
wedding  Decemliir  17.  1917. 

Pantaleon  Sohm,  born  July  'M\  ISll,  in  Sehelingen,  Baden,  came 
to  America  by  way  of  New  Orleans  in  1838,  locating  in  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  In  1839  he  came  to  Quiney,  locating  here  for  life.  Being  a 
cooper,  he  worked  for  John  Ablie,  who  in  1848  was  mayor  of  Quincy. 
Later  he  opened  a  shop  of  his  own  at  Third  and  York  streets,  often 
employing  from  forty  to  fifty  men.  barrels  being  in  great  demand, 
owing  to  the  mills,  distilleries,  and  packing  houses  conducted  in 
Quincy  in  those  daj's.  Sohm's  cooper  shop  was  also  used  for 
religious  meetings.  Rev.  Philip  J.  Reyland  conducting  services  there, 
and  the  Quincy  German  Guards  used  it  as  an  armory.  I'antaleon 
Sohm  was  lieutenant  of  the  company,  taking  part  in  the  Mormon 


348  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

war  of  1844,  he  being  in  Carthage  when  Joseph  Smith,  founder  of 
the  Mormon  Church,  was  shot  June  27,  1844.  In  1860  he  retired 
and  opened  a  grocery  store  at  Third  and  York  streets,  which  he  eon- 
ducted  until  his  death  in  1885.  Pantaleon  Sohm  in  1840  married 
Rosina  Speeht,  born  in  Forehheim,  Baden,  who  came  to  Quiuey  in 
1834  with  her  parents,  Paul  and  Theresia  (Mast)  Speeht,  her  mother 
being  a  sister  of  Michael  Mast,  the  first  German  who  located  in  Quiuey. 
After  the  death  of  her  husband  she  eontiiuied  the  grocery  business 
for  ten  years.  She  then  retired  and  spent  her  time  visiting  with  her 
children  until  her  death  October  3,  1913,  at  the  high  old  age  of  eighty- 
eight  years.  Edward  Sohm,  the  eldest  son,  bom  in  Quincy  October 
2,  1845,  received  a  good  education  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  became 
a  teacher  in  St.  Boniface  School.  August  13.  1867,  he  married  Bar- 
bara Helmer,  born  in  St.  Louis,  daughter  of  I\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Simon 
Helmer.  At  that  time  he  entered  a  business  career  as  a  member  of 
the  firm  H.  Ridder  &  Co.,  queensware  merchants.  In  1884  the  com- 
pany was  dissolved  and  the  firm  Sohm,  Ricker  &  Weisenhorn  organ- 
ized. This  company  in  1913  became  the  Roantree  China  Company. 
Edward  Sohm  has  been  prominent  in  financial  circles  for  many  years. 
The  Ricker  Bank  was  organized  in  1881,  and,  with  the  exception  of 
three  years,  he  has  been  connected  with  that  bank  during  all  that 
period  up  to  the  present  time,  for  the  first  three  yeai's  as  vice  president, 
and  then  as  president,  continually  succeeding  himself  in  that  position, 
a  record  of  which  he  may  well  be  proud.  Besides  this  he  is  identified 
with  various  other  financial,  iiulustrial,  and  mercantile  establishments 
as  stockholder  or  director.  When  the  Germania  Printing  and  Pub- 
lishing Company  was  organized  in  1874,  Edward  Sohm  was  elected 
as  treasurer  of  the  company,  a  position  which  he  held  for  many  years. 
He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Quincy  Freight  Bureau  and  its 
treasurer,  also  treasurer  of  the  Firemen's  Benevolent  Association.  In 
every  movement  of  public  importance  he  at  all  times  was  one  of  the 
most  effective  workers  and  most  valuable  advisers.  Though  repeatedly 
tendered  prominent  public  offices  he  steadfastly  refused,  devoting  him- 
self entirely  to  business  and  to  the  upbuilding  of  the  city  of  his 
birth.  Children  living  are :  Mrs.  Theodore  Heidemann  of  Quincj' ; 
Will  H.  Sohm,  manager  of  the  Belasco  Theater  in  Quincy;  Edward 
Sohm,  Jr.,  of  Waterloo,  Iowa ;  Mrs.  Theresa  Brockmann,  of  Mount 
Sterling,  Illinois,  and  Dr.  Albert  Sohm,  dentist,  in  Quincy.  Joseph 
H.  Sohm,  the  second  son  of  Pantaleon  and  Rosina  (Speeht)  Sohm, 
was  born  in  Quincy  September  12,  1850.  After  he  had  grown  to  man- 
hood he  for  some  time  conducted  a  retail  grocery  business.  Then  he 
entered  the  employ  of  Henry  Ridder  &  Co.,  as  traveling  salesman. 
Later  he  was  traveling  salesman  for  Sohm,  Ricker  &  Weisenhorn, 
and  in  1884  became  a  partner  in  the  business  until  his  death,  six 
years  ago;  his  widow,  Theresia,  nee  Weltin,  lives  in  California. 
Joseph  H.  and  Theresia  (Weltin)  Sohm  had  two  sons,  Ferdinand,  in  a 
bank  in  Chicago,  and  Joseph,  traveling  salesman  for  a  wholesale  coffee 
house  in  St.  Louis,  and  two  daughters,  Bertha,  wife  of  Frank  J.  Reim- 


QUIMV  AM)  ADAMS  L'OLXTV  :i49 

hold  ill  Chicago,  and  Clara,  wife  of  James  R.  Shoaii  in  Los  Angi'les, 
California.  John  A.  Sohni,  third  son  of  Pantak'on  and  Kosina 
(Specht)  Sohm,  was  horn  in  Quincy  August  11,  1854.  He  is  the  well 
known  jiainter  and  dei-orator.  an  art  which  he  with  miusual  talent 
ac(|uircd  and  practiced  for  many  years,  after  working  for  one  year 
with  Martin  Stadler,  who  also  was  an  artist  in  his  calling.  June  19, 
1877.  John  A.  Sohm  married  Helena  Weltin.  They  have  one  son. 
George,  who  was  hookkee])er  with  the  Standard  Oil  Company  in  this 
city,  and  at  present  is  serving  in  the  army  of  the  United  States;  and 
one  daughter,  memlier  of  the  Order  of  Xotre  Dame,  at  Washington, 
Missouri.  ^Mrs.  John  A.  Sohm  has  in  her  possession  (luite  an  inter- 
esting relic,  the  old  scissors  which  Michael  Mast,  the  first  German 
settler  in  Quincy,  brotight  from  the  fatherland  when  he  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1816.  lie  being  a  tailor,  used  these  scissors  in  his  business  in 
Germany  more  than  100  years  ago,  and  then  in  America  until  he 
retired  from  active  business,  when  he  presented  it  to  his  niece,  Mrs. 
Rosina  (Specht)  Sohm,  who  finally  gave  it  to  her  daughter-in-law. 
Mrs.  John  A.  Sohm. 

Settlers  of  1840 

Gerhard  Kroner,  born  Jlanh  9,  1816,  in  Grossendohren,  Hanover, 
emigrated  to  America  in  1840,  came  by  way  of  New  Orleans,  and 
located  in  Quincy.  where  he,  in  1841,  married  Marie  Starmann,  also 
born  in  Hanover.  His  wife  died  in  1851,  and  May  25,  1852,  Gerhard 
Kroner  married  for  the  second  time,  his  choice  being  Marie  Hoeding- 
haus.  She  was  born  June  5,  1834.  near  Paderborn.  Westi>halia,  and 
came  to  Quincy  in  1851.  The  family  lived  immediately  south  of  the 
city  in  Jlelrose  Township,  where  they  for  many  years  raised  all  kinds 
of  garden  products,  ilay  25,  1901.  the  couple  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding.  Both  have  since  died.  Children  living  are:  Frank  Kroner, 
dairyman ;  Josephine,  wife  of  Frank  Wiskirchen,  and  Cecelia,  wife 
of  John  Wiskirchen,  all  in  Melrose. 

Jacob  Wolf  was  liorii  June  16,  1784,  in  Buchsweilcr,  Alsace. 
Napoleon  I  wanted  him  to  take  part  in  the  campaign  of  1812  against 
Russia,  but  Jacob  Wolf  had  no  inclination  to  do  so.  and  joined  the 
Prussian  army.  Later  he  nuirried  Sophia  Rogge.  born  in  Prussia  in 
1787.  In  1830  the  couple  came  to  America,  locating  in  Kentucky,  and 
in  the  early  '40s  they  came  to  Adams  County,  locating  near  Jlill  Creek, 
where  Jacob  Wolf  for  many  years  followed  agrieultnral  pursuits  until 
his  death,  October  10,  1866,  his  wife  following  him  in  death  November 
2,  1870.  Anna  Sophia,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Sophia  (Rogge) 
Wolf  became  the  wife  of  Blasius  Mueller,  born  in  Stacttin,  Siginar- 
ingcn,  who  was  among  the  early  settlers  in  Quincy,  where  he  for 
many  years  followed  his  calling  as  carpenter  and  builder;  another 
daughter.  .\nna  Louisa,  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Dover,  a  tailor, 
born  in  Alsace,  who  was  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Adams  County. 
JIany  descendants  of  both  families  reside  in  this  countv. 


350  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

John  Wendel  Schnellbaclier,  born  Augnst  22,  1807,  in  Wersau, 
Grandducliy  of  Hessen,  married  Anna  Marie  Riedel,  also  bom  in 
Wersau,  May  2,  1807.  In  the  fall  of  1839  the  family  emigrated  to 
Amei'ica,  landing  in  New  Orleans  January  1,  1840,  the  trip  across  the 
ocean  requiring  seventy-five  days;  coming  up  the  Mississippi,  they 
arrived  in  Quincy  February  22,  1840.  After  a  short  stay  in  the  city, 
they  moved  to  the  country,  where  they  located  near  Mill  Cre«k  and 
went  to  farming.  One  son,  Jacob  Schnellbacher,  also  became  a  farmer, 
and  died  many  years  ago.  Daughters  were:  Elizabeth,  wife  of  the 
farmer  Caspar  Uebner;  IVIargaret,  wife  of  George  Schardon,  boiler 
maker;  Kate,  wife  of  the  farmer  Henry  Bangert;  Catherine,  wife 
of  August  Tansmann;  and  Dorothea,  wife  of  Andrew  Keller.  Only 
the  three  last  mentioned  daughters  are  among  the  living. 

Gottfried  Ehrgott  was  born  January  23,  1819,  in  Obei'simten,  near 
Pirmasens,  Rhenish  Bavaria.  He  emigrated  in  1837  and  came  to 
Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  learned  the  baker's  trade.  In 
1840  he  came  to  Quincy,  where  he  remained  for  a  short  time,  then  he 
went  to  Keokuk,  Iowa,  from  there  to  Warsaw,  Illinois,  but  soon  re- 
turned to  Quincy,  settling  here  for  life.  He  established  a  bakery  in 
this  city  and  gained  quite  a  reputation  with  his  business.  During 
the  Mormon  troubles  he  served  in  Capt.  John  Bernard  Schwindeler's 
company,  the  Quincy  German  Guards.  When  the  war  with  Mexico 
broke  out,  Gottfried  Ehrgott  furnished  the  necessary  bread  for  a 
regiment  of  soldiers  enroute  to  Mexico,  which  camped  in  the  woods 
at  Watson's  Springs,  the  present  South  Park.  In  1842  he  married 
Margaret  Waldhaus,  a  daughter  of  George  Jacob  Waldhaus,  who 
had  come  to  Quincy  with  her  parents  in  1838.  Mrs.  Ehrgott  died  in 
February,  1896,  her  husband  died  in  1911.  One  son,  George,  an 
upholsterer,  survives;  also  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Barbara  Dix,  formerly 
police  matron,  widow  of  Capt.  Henry  A.  Dix,  now  having  her  home 
in  New  Orleans. 

George  Joseph  Laage,  born  in  Hopstcn,  Westphalia,  November 
26,  1819,  came  to  this  country  by  way  of  Baltimore  in  1837.  From 
there,  he,  with  other  immigrants,  went  overland  to  Pittsburgh,  and  then 
by  boat  to  Louisville,  where  he  remained  for  a  short  time.  German 
workmen  being  in  demand  in  an  earthenware  factory  in  Troy,  In- 
diana, he  went  there  to  work.  Later  he  went  to  Cincinnati  where  he 
learned  the  hatter's  trade.  In  the  course  of  time  he  became  business 
manager  of  the  hat  works.  Visiting  Quincy  on  one  of  his  trips,  he 
decided  to  locate  here,  and  settled  in  this  city  in  1840,  buying  a  lot 
on  Hampshire,  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets.  Later  he  opened 
a  factory  at  the  Quincy  Bay,  where  he  made  felt  hats ;  besides  he  made 
silk  hats,  caps  and  fur  goods.  Thus  he  became  the  pioneer  hatter  and 
furrier  of  Quincy.  In  1844  George  J.  Laage  took  a  trip  to  Cincin- 
nati, where  he  married  Elizabeth  Kessing.  After  her  death  he  in 
1846  married  Anna  Katherine  Heine.    For  more  than  fifty  years  he 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  351 

was  engaged  in  business,  finally  retiring.  March  4,  1904,  he  departed 
this  life,  his  wife  having  preceded  him  in  death  years  before.  One 
son,  George  J.  Laage.  Jr.,  located  in  St.  Louis  many  years  ago.  There 
were  two  dauglitt-i-s,  Mary,  wlio  remained  single,  and  Clara,  wife  of 
Rudolph  Hutmacher.  Jr.,  tioth  residing  in  Galesburg.  Illinois. 

Michael  Loos  was  liorn  September  24,  1815.  in  Krumbach,  Grand- 
duchy  of  He.sscn.  and  emigrated  to  America,  leaving  his  home  Oc- 
tober 22.  18.Sf).  Crossing  tlio  Atlantic  ocean  in  a  sailing  ves.sel,  the 
party  landed  in  New  Orleans  December  31st  of  the  same  year.  Michael 
Loos  located  in  Quincy.  where  lie  remained  for  four  years,  working 
in  John  Kiirk's  brickyard  durinfr  the  summer  time,  and  for  Joel  Rice, 
the  pork  packer,  in  the  winter  time.  April  4,  1S44,  he  married  Marie 
M.  \Valdhaus,  a  daughter  of  Konrad  Henn-  Waldhaus,  who  had  come 
from  Klein-Hiberau,  (Jraiiddnchy  of  Ilessen,  in  1835.  The  young 
couple  then  moved  to  the  country  and  located  on  a  farm  near  Mill 
Cre<?k,  where  Michael  Loos  followed  agriculture  until  his  death  March 
19.  1873:  the  widow  s\irvived  for  many  years,  departing  this  life 
April  19,  1911.  Sons  of  Michael  and  -Marie  ^I.  ("Waldhaus)  Loos 
were:  Frederick,  who  followed  agricultural  pursuits  for  many  years, 
but  now  lives  in  the  city  ;  bis  sons  are,  William  Charles.  Frank,  Arthur, 
Albert,  Walter,  and  Herbert,  all  farmers  excepting  Charles,  who  is 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Pape  &  Loos,  millers  in  Quincy.  Daughters 
of  Frederick  Loos  are :  Laura.  Selma  and  Clara.  Philip  Loos,  second 
son  of  ilichael  and  Marie  M.  (Waldhaus)  Loos,  resides  in  Lincoln, 
Nebraska.  William  Loos,  third  son,  retired  farmer,  lives  in  Quincy; 
his  sons  are.  Thomas,  David,  Matthew,  Enist  in  Camp  Dodge,  Joseph, 
and  John.  Daughters  are:  Anna,  wife  of  Charles  Politsch,  Mary, 
Emma,  Lily,  and  Pauline.  Louis  Loos,  the  youngest  son  of  Jlichael  and 
Marie  M.  (Waldhaus)  Loos,  resides  on  the  farm  in  Melrose  Town- 
ship. 

Joseph  Brockschmidt,  bom  March  29.  1811,  in  Bohmte,  Hanover, 
was  a  watchmaker  and  came  to  New  York  in  1837.  Then  he  went  to 
Boston  and  si.x  months  later  to  Cincinnati,  immediately  securing  a 
position  in  a  clock  factory.  His  health  failing,  he  and  his  wife  li'ft 
by  river  for  St.  Louis  and  soon  came  to  Quincy,  arriving  here  March 
29,  1840.  For  three  years  Joseph  Brockschmidt  spent  most  of  his 
time  hunting  and  leading  an  outdoor  life.  Then  he  opened  a  small 
shop  in  a  log  cabin  on  Hampshire,  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  streets, 
paying  .$2  per  month  rent  and  living  in  a  room  in  the  rear  of  his 
shop.  He  made  locks  and  keys,  repaired  firearms,  and  made  clocks 
entirely  out  of  wood.  Later  he  confined  himself  to  the  repairing  of 
clocks,  later  still  adding  jewelrj-  to  his  business  of  watchmaking, 
conducting  the  first  .iewelry  store  in  Quincy.  His  trade  grew  steadily, 
but  during  one  night  in  the  summer  of  1843  burglars  entered  the 
shop  and  carried  away  his  whole  stock  of  goods,  with  the  exception 
of  a  clock  in  a  trunk  under  his  bed.    All  of  his  tools  were  stolen,  this 


352  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

being  the  greatest  loss,  as  it  was  impossible  to  replace  tools  which 
he  had  brought  from  Germany.  Joseph  Brocksclimidt  had  learned 
his  trade  in  Osnabrueck,  Germany,  and  made  as  masterpiece  a  clock 
with  its  complete  works  in  the  pendulum.  This  clock  for  fifty-seven 
years  was  exhibited  in  the  show-window  of  his  shop.  For  thirty  years 
he  had  the  care  of  the  first  city  clock  in  the  tower  of  St.  Boniface 
Church,  never  asking  nor  accepting  any  compensation  for  his  trou- 
ble. He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  St.  Aloysius  Orphan  Society,  and 
for  more  than  fifty-seven  years  a  member  of  St.  Boniface  Church.  In 
February,  1840,  Joseph  Brockschmidt  and  Marie  Busch  were  married 
in  St.  Paul's  Church,  Cincinnati.  He  died  December  17,  1897,  his 
wife  having  preceded  him  in  death  January  6,  1876.  Joseph  J. 
Brockschmidt,  a  son,  died  Fel)ruary  20,  1904.  Daughters  were: 
Louise,  wife  of  H.  B.  ^Menke,  died  February  29,  1916;  Frances  Brock- 
schmidt; Agnes  Brockschmidt,  died  February,  1917;  Mary,  wife  of 
Frank  Hoeckelmann.  One  daughter,  Ida,  member  of  the  Order  of 
Notre  Dame,  died  in  1868. 

John  Speckhardt,  born  June  14,  1910,  in  Krumbach,  Grandduchy 
of  Hessen,  married  Elizabeth  Vornoff,  born  1815  in  Keinsbaeh,  the 
same  state.  They  emigi-ated  in  the  fall  of  1839,  coming  by  way  of  New 
Orleans,  arriving  in  Quincy  in  1840,  but  soon  settled  in  Fall  Creek 
Township.  Although  wheat  had  to  be  cradled  in  those  days,  and  at 
times  brought  only  35  cents  per  bushel,  yet  farmers  were  successful. 
John  Speckhardt  in  the  course  of  time  became  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive land  owners  in  the  township.  He  died  in  1894,  his  wife  pre- 
ceding him  in  death  ten  years  before.  Children  were :  Frederick, 
born  Jlay  24,  1847,  successful  as  a  farmer.  He  was  married  three 
times,  his  first  wife  being  Lena  Schaefer,  and  their  children  were, 
John,  Fred  and  George.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  he  married 
Anna  Frederick,  and  they  also  had  three  children,  Henry,  Frank, 
and  Hannah,  wife  of  Philip  Appel.  The  third  wife  was  Lena  Harms. 
In  1895  Frederick  Speckhardt  left  his  farm  and  moved  to  Riverside 
Township.  John  Speckhardt,  Jr.,  second  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Vornoff)  Speckhardt,  born  July  4,  1848,  chose  farming  and  married 
Hannah  Schaefer.  Sons  were :  John,  Jr.,  who  married  Anna  "West- 
holt  ;  AYilliam,  who  married  Lena  Albsmeyer ;  and  Charles,  who  mar- 
ried Lily  Uebner.  Daughters  were :  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Echtern- 
kamp ;  Margaret,  wife  of  John  Hoelscher ;  and  Ella,  wife  of  George 
Spencer.  Adam  Speckhardt,  third  son  of  .lohn  and  Elizabeth  (Vorn- 
off) Speckhardt,  born  October  1,  1849,  engaged  in  farming  and  mar- 
ried Mary  E.  Bock.  Sons  were:  Frederick  and  Karl;  daughters: 
Katie,  wife  of  Wm.  F.  Albsmeyer;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Nicholas  Kalten- 
bach ;  Anna,  wife  of  Fred  Schnellbaeher,  and  ^liunie,  wife  of  Christ 
Kaiser.  William  Speckhardt.  youngest  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Vornoff)  Speckhardt,  also  follows  farming.  He  married  ^largaret 
Reich,  and  they  have  two  sons,  "William  and  John,  and  two  daughters, 
Mrs.  "William  Loos  and  Mrs.  Fred  W.  Hoelscher.    Of  the  five  daugh- 


QUINCV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  353 

tere  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Vornoff)  Speekhardt  only  one,  Lena, 
survives,  and  lives  with  her  brother,  Adam  Speekhardt,  on  the  old 
home  farm. 

The  Ricker  Family 

Among  the  many  immigrants  of  German  blood,  who  came  to 
Quincy  since  the  first  settlement  was  established  here,  the  life,  career 
and  success  of  Henry  Francis  Joseph  Ricker  certainly  is  one  of  the 
most  remarkable,  deserving  'special  mention  in  the  annals  of  history 
of  the  German  element  in  this  community.  Born  August  31,  1822, 
in  Lotten,  Hanover,  he  with  his  parents  emigrated  to  America  in 
1839.  His  father,  Joseph  Kicker,  was  born  1790,  in  Lotten,  Hanover, 
while  his  mother,  Euphemia  Adelheid,  nee  Peters,  was  born  1795  in 
Bawinkel,  Hanover.  October  1,  1839,  they  started  on  their  voyage  in 
a  sailing  vessel  across  the  Atlantic  ocean,  arriving  in  New  Orleans 
December  10th  of  the  same  year.  Coming  up  the  Mississippi  on  board 
of  a  steamboat,  they  celebrated  Christmas  in  Cairo.  Then  thej-  con- 
tinued their  trip  to  St.  Louis,  where  they  remained  for  two  months, 
when  they  went  aboard  of  the  steamboat  Aerial,  bound  for  Quincj', 
where  they  arrived  on  March  4,  1840,  after  a  trip  of  three  days. 

When  the  Ricker  family  arrived  here  there  still  was  considerable 
timber  in  the  town,  trunks  of  trees  were  lying  in  many  places,  just 
as  they  had  fallen,  either  felled  by  the  woodman's  axe,  or  during 
a  destructive  storm.  At  that  time  only  one  street,  Hampshire,  was 
open  to  the  river,  and  the  newcomers  were  compelled  to  walk  in 
the  middle  of  the  street,  when  they  came  up  from  the  river,  there 
being  no  sidewalks.  Joseph  Ricker  rented  a  room  from  John  Bernard 
Schwindeler,  Eleventh  and  Broadway,  upstairs.  During  the  first 
four  years  father  and  son  worked  for  John  Wood,  the  "Father  of 
Quincy."  Henrj-  Francis  Joseph  Ricker,  in  relating  the  historj-  of 
his  life  to  the  writer  of  this  narrative,  sixteen  years  ago.  gave  special 
prominence  to  those  days,  when  he  with  his  father,  began  life  in  this 
community  with  hard  work.  While  working  before  the  old  Quincy 
House  one  day,  where  the  father  was  sawing  cordwood,  and  the 
son  did  the  splitting  and  piling  up,  T.  S.  F.  Hunt,  proprietor  of  a 
grocery  store,  came  out  from  the  store  and  asked  ^Ir.  Ricker  to 
allow  the  son  to  work  in  his  store,  he  needing  a  young  man  who  was 
not  afraid  of  work.  The  father  consented,  and  this  was  tlic  begin- 
ning of  the  career  of  Henry  Francis  Joseph  Ricker  in  the  mercantile 
business.  Then  he  became  a  clerk  in  Charles  Holmes'  dry  goods 
store,  and  went  to  St.  Louis  with  Holmes  when  the  latter  removed 
his  business  to  that  city.  But  in  accordance  with  the  wish  of  his 
parents,  he  soon  returned  to  Quincy  and  entered  the  employ  of 
Sylvester  Thayer,  dealer  in  dry  goods,  and  in  1846  he  accepted  a 
position  with  Albert  Danneckc,  proprietor  of  a  general  store,  with 
whom  he  remained  for  three  years.  In  1849  Henry  Francis  Jo.seph 
Ricker  and  Leopold  Arntzen  formed  a  copartnership,  opening  a  gen- 


354  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

eral  store,  which  business  they  conducted  until  1857,  being  very  suc- 
cessful. In  1858  Mr.  Eicker  was  elected  as  police  magistrate,  a  posi- 
tion which  he  held  for  four  years,  being  re-elected  in  1860.  In  the 
latter  year  he  began  to  sell  passenger  tickets  for  European  steamer 
lines,  and  from  this  developed  a  banking  and  exchange  business.  In 
1864  he  bought  out  the  banking  house  of  John  "Wood  &  Company,  on 
Fifth  and  Maine  streets,  and  from  1865  to  1876  conducted  a  bank- 
ing business  at  508  Hampshire  Street. 

It  here  may  not  be  amiss  to  refer  to  the  crude  manner  in  which 
the  business  was  conducted  in  those  days.  There  being  no  vault,  no 
safe  place  to  keep  money  in  the  building  over  night,  the  boys  in  the 
employ  of  Henry  F.  J.  Eicker  in  the  evening  after  banking  hours 
would  carry  the  money  in  baskets  to  the  home  of  the  proprietor,  where 
he  had  a  safe  in  which  the  funds  were  kept  more  secure.  But  this 
primitive  manner  of  doing  a  banking  business  was  soon  changed,  when 
a  safety  vault  had  been  built  in  the  bank.  After  ten  years  of  a  steady 
growing,  successful  business,  Henrj-  F.  J.  Eicker  erected  a  modern 
bank  building  at  413  Hampshire  Street,  where  he  opened  his  private 
bank  in  October,  1876.  Five  years  later,  April  4.  1881,  the  business 
was  converted  into  the  Eicker  National  Bank,  Mr.  Eicker  retaining 
the  greatest  portion  of  the  stock.  The  bank  was  capitalized  at  $200,- 
000,  and  the  success  was  such,  that  in  the  course  of  time  it  became 
one  of  the  greatest  banking  institutions  of  the  West,  its  capital,  sur- 
plus, and  undivided  profits  being  nearly  $1,000,000.  The  bank  build- 
ing, some  j-ears  ago,  was  enlarged  to  double  its  former  size,  occupying 
413  and  415  Hampshire  Street.  A  man  of  Henry  F.  J.  Bicker's 
financial  ability  and  reputation  for  carefulness  in  his  business,  was 
noticed  and  recognized  far  beyond  the  confines  of  Quincy,  conse- 
quently in  1884  he  was  the  unanimous  choice  of  the  democratic  party 
for  state  treasurer,  a  compliment  which  came  to  him  entirely  unso- 
licited ;  the  party  being  in  the  minority,  he  was  not  elected.  Henry 
Francis  Joseph  Eicker  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  German 
Insurance  and  Savings  Institution  of  Quincy,  alternately  filling  the 
office  of  secretary,  treasurer,  and  president  of  the  company;  he  was 
one  of  the  leading  stockholders  of  the  Quincy,  Missouri  &  Pacific 
Eailway,  a  director  in  the  Quincy  Gas  and  Electric  Light  Company, 
and  treasurer  of  the  Menke  &  Grimm  Planing  Mill  Company.  He 
also  was  a  leader  in  public  improvements,  in  the  course  of  time  be- 
coming the  most  extensive  owner  of  real  estate  in  the  city,  and  gaining 
the  reputation  of  keeping  his  many  houses  always  in  a  first  class 
condition. 

In  1852  Henry  Francis  Joseph  Eicker  married  Maria  Gertrude 
Tenk,  who  was  born  December  3,  1833,  in  Suedlohn,  Hanover,  and 
came  to  Quincy  with  her  parents  in  1844.  ^Ir.  Eicker  died  ilarch 
4,  1904.  Mrs.     Eicker  foUowed  her  husband  in  death  July  12,  1907. 

Sons  of  Henry  Francis  Joseph  and  Maria  Gertrude  (Tenk)  Eicker, 
that  live  at  present,  are :  H.  Frank  J.  Eicker.  born  in  Quincy  January 
29,  1856,  grew  up  in  this  city  and  in  the  course  of  time,  having  received 


yriNCV  AND  ADAMS  (.'OUNTV  355 

the  proper  education,  became  interested  in  the  banking  business  with 
his  father,  occupying  diflfcrent  positions  until  he  became  the  cashier 
of  the  Ricker  National  Bank,  a  position  which  he  holds  at  present. 
Januarj-,  1883,  H.  Frank  J.  Ricker  married  Miss  Katie  C.  Redmond, 
daughter  of  the  old  pioneer.  Thomas  Redmond,  who  was  mayor  of 
Quincy  for  three  terms  during  the  early  '60s.  They  have  one  daughter, 
the  wife  of  George  B.  Helmle.  Springfield,  Illinois,  first  lieutenant  in 
the  aviation  corps  of  the  United  States  Army.  George  E.  Ricker, 
another  son  of  Henry  F.  J.  and  Maria  Gertrude  (Tenk)  Ricker,  was 
born  in  Quincy  October  30.  1S67.  After  completing  his  education,  he 
in  1887  entered  the  Ricker  National  Bank  in  the  bookkeeping  de- 
partment. After  a  number  of  years  of  service,  finally  as  cashier,  he 
resigneci  his  position  and  now  is  in  Kansas  City.  Missouri,  member 
of  the  firm  Smith  &  Ricker.  stock  exchange  business,  also  vice  president 
of  the  Commonwealth  National  Bank.  In  1892  he  married  Josephine 
Wahl,  eldest  daughter  of  Frederick  Wahl,  and  they  have  two  sons, 
George  E.,  Jr.,  and  Charles  Ricker,  both  married;  and  one  daughter, 
Helen,  who  is  single.  Daughters  of  Henrj-  F.  J.  and  ilarie  Gertrude 
(Tenk)  Ric"ker  were:  Euphemia  Adelheid.  the  eldest  daughter,  became 
the  wife  of  George  Fischer,  for  many  years  at  the  head  of  the  Fischer 
Iron  and  Steel  Company,  until  his  death.  Februarj-  26,  1916;  the 
widow  survives  with  two  sons.  George  .Joseph  Fischer,  manager  of  the 
ilodern  Iron  Works,  and  Joseph  .J.  Fischer,  assistant  cashier  of  the 
Ricker  National  Bank,  and  one  daughter.  Mrs.  Joseph  H.  Vanden- 
Boom,  Jr.,  her  husband  being  a  member  of  the  iloUer  &  VandenBoom 
Lumber  Company.  Another  daughter  of  Henry  F.  J.  and  Maria 
Gertrude  (Tenk)  Ricker,  is  Josephine  Doerr.  widow  of  Henry  Doerr. 
And  the  youngest  daughter.  Frances,  is  the  wife  of  Herman  N.  Heintz, 
they  having  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  the  husband  being  a  member 
of  the  firm  N.  Heintz  &  Sons,  dealers  in  shoes.  Other  children  of 
Joseph  and  Euphemia  Adelheid  (Peters*  Ricker  were:  Maria  Anna, 
bom  1825.  who  came  to  Quincy  with  her  parents  and  later  was 
married  to  Herman  Henrj-  Schulte;  the  latter  was  bom  1815  in  Ober- 
bergen,  Hanover,  and  located  in  Quincy  in  1842.  where  he  was  an 
assistant  of  B.  I.  Chatten.  the  civil  engineer,  his  death  occurring  in 
1855.  Their  children  were :  Mrs.  Euphemia  Doerr.  widow  of  Andrew 
Doerr,  founder  of  Doerr 's  Department  Store,  and  Mrs.  Marie  Kircher, 
wife  of  Charles  A.  Kircher.  In  1857  the  widow  Schulte  was  married 
to  John  Albert  Arning.  who  was  bom  in  Prussia  and  came  to  Quincy 
in  1852,  being  a  stonecutter  by  trade.  He  served  in  the  One  Hundred 
and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Infantrj-  during  the  Civil  war  and  died  the 
latter  part  of  1865  at  Baton  Rouge.  Louisiana.  Their  children  were: 
Mrs.  Josephine  Duker  in  Quincy,  and  Mrs.  Helena  Shea  in  Los 
Angeles.  California.  The  widow  Arning  died  in  1900.  Herman 
Engelbert  Ricker,  another  son  of  Joseph  and  Euphemia  Adelheid 
(Peters)  Ricker,  bom  in  1827,  came  to  Quincy  with  his  parents,  and 
later  moved  to  Mount  Vernon.  Jefferson  County.  Illinois,  where  he 
followed  agriculture  for  many  years;  a  son,  John  Bernard  Ricker, 


356  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

lives  in  Quiney  where  he  for  many  years  has  been  employed  by  his 
uncle  to  look  after  his  many  houses  and  to  keep  them  in  repair. 
John  Bernard  Rieker,  born  1838,  was  the  youngest  son  of  Joseph  and 
Euphemia  Adelheid  (Peters)  Rieker,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war  enlisted  in  the  three  mouths'  service.  Then  he  re-enlisted 
for  three  years  in  the  Thirty-first  Illinois  Infantry,  and  in  the  course 
of  time  became  a  sergeant  in  Company  H  of  his  regiment.  During 
an  engagement  at  Champion  Hill  he  was  killed,  giving  his  life  that  his 
country  might  live. 

Settlers  of  ISil 

Henry  Noll  was  born  April  20,  1818,  in  Dodenau,  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen,  where  he  learned  the  cooper's  trade.  In  1841  he  emigrated 
and  came  to  America,  locating  in  Quiney,  where  he  conducted  a  cooper 
shop  for  many  years,  employing  a  number  of  hands.  Here  he  married 
Wilhelmiue  Bueschiug,  born  in  Hanover  in  1826.  She  died  in  1853, 
and  later  Heniy  Noll  married  Soj^hia  Buesching,  a  sister  of  liis  first 
wife.  Henry  Noll  died  in  the  spring  of  1902,  his  second  wife  depart- 
ing this  life  in  1907.  William  Noll,  eldest  son  of  Henry  Noll,  many 
years  ago,  went  west,  where  he  engaged  in  the  wholesale  lumber  busi- 
ness and  was  very  successful.  He  has  retired  from  active  business 
and  now  resides  in  Los  Angeles,  California.  Augustus  T.  Noll,  second 
son  of  Henry  Noll,  many  years  ago  was  engaged  in  business  in  Quiney, 
and  departed  this  life  in  April,  1898.  John  Noll,  the  third  son  of 
Henry  Noll,  is  city  salesman  with  the  Noll-Hauworth  Company.  W. 
Guy  Noll,  the  eldest  sou  of  Augustus  T.  Noll,  is  president  and  treas- 
urer of  the  Noll-Hauworth  Company,  Inc.,  manufacturers  of  work 
clothing,  and  wholesalers.  The  factory  is  established  in  a  substantial 
building,  and  is  doing  an  encouraging  business,  with  good  prospects 
for  the  future.  W.  Guy  Noll  married  Mary  Prince,  daughter  of  Col. 
Edward  Prince,  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Heidelberg,  who 
during  the  Civil  war  was  colonel  of  the  Seventh  Illinois  Cavalry 
Regiment,  and  after  the  war  became  an  enterprising  citizen  of  Quiney. 
While  he  owned  the  waterworks,  he  had  a  large  reservoir  built  out  on 
Alstyne's  Prairie,  which  he  named  the  "Heidelberger  Fass,"  as  a 
reminder  of  his  sojourn  as  a  student  in  Heidelberg.  Leroy  Noll, 
second  son  of  Augustus  T.  Noll,  is  secretary  of  the  Noll-Hauworth 
Company. 

William  SchwebeT,  born  1815  in  Oberhausen,  Grandduchy  of  Hes- 
sen, married  Dorothea  Loos,  born  in  Buedingen,  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen.  In  1841  the  couple  came  to  America,  locating  in  Quiney. 
Henry  Loos  and  wife,  the  parents  of  ^Irs.  Schwebel,  also  came  to 
this  city.  William  Schwebel  was  for  many  years  engaged  in  Quiney 
as  a  teamster,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  many  years 
ago.  One  son,  George  Schwebel,  who  became  a  stove  molder  in  this 
city,  went  west  years  ago,  where  he  located  in  San  Francisco,  Cali- 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUXTY  357 

fornia.  One  daughtiT,  Elizabeth,  became  the  wife  of  Frank  Freund, 
the  building  contractor,  another  daughter,  ^lary,  became  the  wife  of 
Hii'am  Bliveus,  a  farmer  in  Burton  Township. 

Comparatively  few  people  in  Quincj-  were  aware  that  ex-Mayor 
John  P.  Mikesell  was  of  German  lineage.  But  it  nevertheless  was 
true.  A  number  of  years  ago  John  P.  Mikesell  assured  the  writer 
of  this  narrative,  that  liis  ancestors  were  German ;  that  his  father 
spoke  German  fluently,  and  had  German  books  in  his  library,  which 
he  read.  Ilis  father  was  John  Mikesell,  and  his  mother's  maiden  name 
was  Elizabeth  Van  Dyke,  of  Hollandish  extraction,  also  belonging  to 
the  German  race.  They  lived  in  Jlorgan,  West  Virginia,  where  John 
P.  Mikescll  was  born  July  19,  1834.  In  1839  the  family  came  to 
Warren.  Ohio,  and  in  1841  to  Quincy,  where  they  settled  for  life. 
In  1849,  during  the  "Gold  Fever,"  John  P.  :Mikesell,  being  only 
fifteen  years  of  age,  went  to  California,  where  he  for  two  years  worked 
in  the  mines.  Then  he  went  to  Australia  and  later  to  South  America. 
Finally  he  returned  to  the  United  States,  and  in  1861,  when  the  Civil 
war  broke  out,  enlisted  in  the  Eighteenth  Missouri  Infantry  (Union 
troops),  and  was  elected  as  captain  of  Company  I  of  said  regiment. 
Taking  part  in  the  various  battles  in  which  his  regiment  became  en- 
gaged, he  was  taken  prisoner  during  the  Battle  of  Shiloh,  being 
interned  for  eight  montlis  in  Libliy  and  other  Southern  prisons,  when 
he  was  exchanged  and  returned  to  his  regiment,  serving  for  three 
years.  After  the  war  John  P.  ^Mikesell  returned  to  Quincy  and  mar- 
ried Eliza  Payne,  a  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer,  Thomas  Payne.  (It 
may  here  be  stated,  that  Thomas  Payne  was  born  October  4,  1814,  in 
^lontgomerj'  County,  Kentucky,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1834. 
After  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  Thomas  Payne  married  Roscltha 
Heberling,  born  in  Pennsylvania.  As  the  name  indicates,  she  also 
was  of  German  extraction,  and  was  the  mother  of  Eliza  Payne,  who 
became  the  wife  of  John  P.  ^likcsell.)  The  writer  of  this  history, 
although  not  doubting  that  Mayor  Mikesell's  assurance  about  his  Ger- 
man extraction  was  correct,  yet  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  name 
in  German  must  have  been  different.  And  so  he  called  on  Mrs. 
Rachel  Ann  Miller,  a  sister  of  John  P.  ^likesell,  and  widow  of  David 
"\V.  Miller,  for  many  years  proprietor  of  the  Quincy  House,  the  cele- 
brated old  hotel.  And  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Isabella  ^Miller,  widow  of 
Nathaniel  Jliller,  solved  the  question  when  she  stated  that  the  name 
of  the  family  originally  was  ^laxwell,  and  had  been  changed  to 
Mikesell,  why  this  was  done  she  was  unable  to  explain.  Nathaniel 
Miller,  the  husband  of  Mrs.  Isabella  ^liller,  was  a  son  of  Judge  Andrew 
Milbir,  born  in  Switzerland,  wliose  name  originally  was  written 
Mueller.    The  name  Maxwell  occurs  in  Germany  and  Holland. 

Capt.  John  P.  Mikesell  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  firm 
Adams  &  Sawyer,  who  conducted  an  extensive  pork  packing  business. 
That  he  was  very  popular  among  his  fellow  citizens  is  shown  by  the 
fact  that  he,  although  a  republican,  was  elected  as  alderman  to  repre- 


358  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

sent  the  strong  democratic  Sixth  Ward  in  the  city  council  of  Quincy 
for  three  terms.  In  1878  he  was  aj^pointed  as  superintendent  of  the 
board  of  public  works.  And  in  1892  he  was  elected  mayor  of  the  City 
of  Quincy,  being  re-elected  in  1893  and  in  1894,  serving  for  three  suc- 
cessive terms.  It  was  he  who  started  the  waterworks  fund,  by  devoting 
the  balance  of  approximately  $10,000,  left  in  the  treasury  at  the  expira- 
tion of  his  term  in  1895,  to  that  purpose.  John  A.  Steinbach,  who 
became  the  successor  of  John  P.  Mikesell  as  mayor  of  Quincy,  being 
re-elected  again  and  again,  saved  all  he  could  in  the  different  depart- 
ments of  the  city  government,  adding  substantial  amounts  at  the 
end  of  each  municipal  year,  so  that,  when  the  franchise  of  the  Water 
Works  Company  had  expired,  the  Citizens  Water  Works  Company 
could  be  organized,  which  took  over  the  plant  from  the  Water  Works 
Company,  for  and  in  the  interest  of  the  Citj--  of  Quincy.  Then  John 
P.  Mikesell  was  selected  as  one  of  the  directors  of  the  company,  in 
recognition  of  the  fact  that  he  had  stai'ted  the  waterworks  fund.  No- 
vember 30,  1915,  he  departed  this  life  at  the  high  old  age  of  over 
eighty  years. 

Settlers  of  1842 

John  Steinagel,  born  June  22,  1818,  in  the  Grandduchy  of  Hessen, 
came  to  Quincy  early  in  the  '40s  of  last  century,  and  on  April  11, 
1842,  married  Margaret  Mohn  in  this  city ;  she  was  born  May  17,  1821, 
in  Lengefeld,  Grandduchy  of  Hessen.  John  Steinagel  became  prom- 
inent in  public  life,  and  in  1862  was  elected  as  sheriff  of  Adams 
County.  He  died  March  18,  1872,  his  wife  followed  him  in  death  De- 
cember 24,  1879.  The  parents  of  John  Steinagel  also  came  to  this 
county,  besides  two  brothers.  Carl,  who  started  overland  to  California 
in  1849,  and  died  during  his  journey,  and  Christian,  who  also  went 
west,  and  died  in  1878  in  Deadwood,  South  Dakota. 

John  Christian  E^ineeker  was  born  October  15,  1792,  in  Muehl- 
hausen,  Thuringia,  where  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  He 
married  Marie  Mehrstaetten,  born  in  the  same  town  in  1788.  In 
1842  the  family  came  to  America  and  located  in  Quincy,  where 
Reinecker  for  many  years  worked  at  his  trade.  His  wife  died  in 
1852,  while  John  C.  Reinecker  departed  this  life  October  29,  1871. 
Frederick  J.  Reinecker,  a  son  of  John  Christian  and  Marie  (^lehi'- 
staetten)  Reinecker,  for  many  years  was  prominent  in  Quincy  as 
contractor  and  builder;  years  ago  he  went  to  St.  Paul,  Minnesota, 
where  he  died  in  1889.  Daughters  of  John  Christian  and  Marie  (Mehr- 
staetten) Reinecker  were:  Mrs.  Johanna  Sonntag,  ^Irs.  Louisa  Braeht, 
Mrs.  Amelia  Breitwieser,  and  Mrs.  Friederieke  Koch,  all  of  them  mar- 
ried to  old  German  pioneers. 

Casper  Uebner,  born  July'  8,  1818,  in  Steinberg,  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen,  emigrated  in  1842  and  came  to  Quincy.    He  was  a  cooper  by 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  359 

trade,  but  in  1843  went  tc  farming  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mill  Creek. 
In  1847  he  married  Elizabeth  Schuellbaeher,  the  eldest  daughter  of 
Wendel  and  Anna  Maria  (Riedelj  Schnellbacher,  horn  in  Wersau, 
GrandduL'hy  of  Ilessen.  Casper  Uel)ner  difd  .September  20,  1887; 
his  wife  followed  him  in  death  in  1904.  Two  sons  live  in  Fall  Creek 
Township,  Andrew  I'ebner.  a  farmer,  and  Adam  Uebner,  a  merchant 
at  Fall  Creek  Station.  Daughters  were:  Katherine,  first  wife  of 
Henry  Borumann,  died  March  20,  1881 ;  Mary,  wife  of  Nicholas 
King,  died  in  1912;  P^lizabctli,  wife  of  William  Kaltenbach  in  Fall 
Creek;  Sophia,  wife  of  Charles  Schmidt,  in  Frcci)i)rt,  Kansas;  Ainia 
Uebner;  Emma,  wife  of  William  Watson;  and  Mathilde,  wife  of  Henry 
Heithold.  all  in  Fall  Creek  Township. 

Henry  Politsch,  born  October  30,  1809,  in  Wersau,  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen,  in  1836  married  Christina  Ruehl,  born  October  16,  1816.  In 
1840  they  came  to  America,  locating  in  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  but 
in  1842  came  to  Adams  County,  where  they  settled  on  a  farm  in  Fall 
Cre^k  Towiiship.  Both  departed  this  life  many  years  ago.  Their 
children  were :  Charles  Politsch,  who  married  Mary  Wil-son,  their  chil- 
dren being,  James,  in  Hannibal,  Missouri ;  Emma,  wife  of  Andrew 
T'ebner  in  Fall  Creek  Township ;  Mrs.  Anna  Stollberg,  who  died 
years  ago;  Mrs.  Amalie  Wilson,  in  New  Canton,  Illinois.  Other  chil- 
dren of  Henry  and  Christine  (Ruehl)  Politsch  were:  William  and 
Thomas,  twins;  William  died  about  nineteen  yeai-s  ago;  his  children 
are:  Charles,  hardware  merchant  in  Quincv;  John  and  Louis,  farmei-s; 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Neuer  and  Mrs.  Amalie  Kappner. 

Herman  G.  Einhaus  was  born  in  Friesoythe,  Oldenburg,  February 
14,  1812,  while  his  wife,  Wilhelmina,  nee  Tapphorn,  was  born  in  1819 
near  Essen,  Westphalia.  Herman  G.  Einhaus  was  a  shoemaker  by 
profession  and  a  master  of  his  trade,  for  he  was  foreman  in  a  shoe 
factory  in  Elberfeld,  where  he  had  fifteen  journeymen  under  his 
supervision.  In  1837  he  emigrated  to  America,  landing  in  Baltimore. 
Later  he  came  to  St.  Louis  and  in  1842  to  Quincv.  His  earnings 
were  so  great,  that  he  was  possessed  of  considerable  means  when  he 
located  in  this  city.  Here  he  followed  his  calling  until  1846,  when 
he  retired  from  active  business  life,  having  aecuuuilated  quite  a 
competency.  Later  he  took  several  trips  to  Europe,  visiting  his  old 
home.  His  wife  died  in  1870,  while  Mr.  Einhaus  departed  this  life 
March  8.  1902.  One  son,  William  Einhaus,  settled  in  Melrose  Town- 
ship, while  three  daughters,  ilrs.  Wilhelmina  Heintz,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Terwisehe,  and  Mrs.  Katherine  ^Metzger  remained  in  Quincv. 

John  Gerhard  Henry  Bredeweg,  born  August  24,  1819,  in  Satrup, 
Hanover,  in  1836  went  to  Holland,  where  he  engaged  in  dairy  farm- 
ing. June  9, 1842,  he  came  to  Quincy.  and  in  1843  went  into  the  dairy 
business  with  Albert  G.  Pearson.  Three  years  later  he  engaged  in 
business  for  himself  and  was  very  successful,  in  the  course  of  time 


360  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

becoming  one  of  the  most  extensive  dealers  in  milk  and  dairy  products 
in  this  county,  acquiring  between  800  and  900  acres  of  land  near  the 
bay  north  of  the  cit}\  John  G.  H.  Bredeweg  was  married  twice,  his 
first  wife,  Maria  Adelheid  Horstmann,  born  in  Hanover,  died  early, 
and  he  married  Hannah  W.  Stieghorst  in  1851.  While  Mr.  Bredeweg 
departed  this  life  many  years  ago,  his  second  wife  lived  until  January 
5,  1902,  when  she  died  in  Los  Angeles,  California.  Children  living 
are :  Frank  Bredeweg,  retired ;  Edward  Bredeweg,  grocer ;  Carrie, 
wife  of  Herman  Wichmann,  the  painter ;  Amelia  Earel ;  Anna  Schulte, 
St.  Louis;  and  Lena  Henhoff,  Riverside  Township. 

Frank  Roth,  born  1812  in  Alsace,  emigrated  in  the  '30s  of  last  cen- 
tury and  came  to  Cincinnati,  where  he  married  Rosalie  Lambur,  born 
in  Brueckenwald,  Alsace.  In  1842  they  came  to  Quincy  with  one 
daughter,  j\Iarie.  Frank  Roth  was  a  wagonmaker  and  for  many  years 
conducted  his  business  in  this  city,  where  Adam  Steinbach,  the  smith, 
also  born  in  Alsace  who  came  to  Quincy  in  1848,  did  the  iron  work 
on  the  wagons  built  by  Frank  Roth;  the  latter  died  in  April,  1864. 
Anton  Roth,  born  in  Quincy  July  27,  1845,  was  a  son  of  Frank  and 
Rosalie  (Lambur)  Roth,  enlisted  in  the  Third  Missouri  Cavalry 
Regiment,  which  was  raised  in  Quincy.  After  the  Civil  war  he  en- 
tered the  service  of  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  Company  as  fireman. 
Marie  Roth,  the  daughter  of  Frank  and  Rosalie  (Lambur)  Roth,  born 
in  Cincinnati,  was  married  to  Louis  Wellenreuter,  the  wagonmaker, 
born  in  Oberbergen,  Baden,  who  came  to  Quincy  with  his  parents  in 
1856.  One  of  their  sons,  Louis  Wellenreuter,  studied  medicine  and 
located  in  Perry,  Pike  County,  Illinois,  where  he  conducted  a  drug 
store  and  practiced  as  physician. 

Early  in  the  '40s  of  last  centurj',  Michael  Keis,  born  February 
1,  1813,  and  Jacob  Keis,  born  February  1,  1815,  came  to  this  country 
from  Weilheim,  Wuerttemberg,  and  located  in  Quincy.  From  the  old 
family  Bible,  still  in  existence,  it  is  apparent  that  the  name  originally 
was  written  Keuss.  Both  brothers  for  many  years  were  in  business 
in  this  city,  conducting  a  general  store.  Later  they  dissolved  their 
partnership,  Jacob  continuing  the  business,  while  Michael  conducted 
a  distillery.  Michael  Keis  married  Elizabeth  Weiss  in  Quincy.  He 
died  March  5,  1856,  while  his  wife  survived  for  several  years.  Chil- 
dren living  are:  Mrs.  Caroline  Miller,  the  Misses  Emma  and  Marie 
Keis,  and  Louis  Keis.  The  optician,  Louis  Keis,  in  this  city  is  a 
grandson  of  Michael  Keis.  Jacob  Keis,  the  brother  of  Michael  Keis, 
in  1849  married  ]\Iary  Anna  Peter,  born  in  Riegel,  Baden.  During 
the  gold  fever  Jacob  Keis  crossed  the  plains  to  California,  but  soon 
returned  to  Quincy.  He  died  October  4,  1865 ;  his  wife  survived  him 
for  many  years.  One  daughter  became  the  wife  of  John  Noth  and 
moved  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  many  years  ago. 

Felix  Belsel  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1782,  where  he  grew  up 
to  manhood  and  later  married  Elizabeth  Schultz,  born  in  Kentucky 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUXTY  361 

in  ISO'2.  Ill  lb-i'2  tluy  e-anic  to  Quinsy,  and  in  1844  located  in  Ursa 
Township,  where  Felix  Bcisel  opened  a  grocery  store  one  mile  south 
of  Hartford.  Later  he  retired  from  active  life  and  returned  to 
Quincy,  wliere  lie  spent  his  remaining  days  in  retirement  from  further 
labor  until  his  death  in  1850.  His  widow  became  the  wife  of  Lynch 
McKinney  in  1854.  They  then  removed  to  Lima  Township,  where 
she  lived  until  the  death  of  her  second  husband  in  1858.  She  after- 
ward made  her  home  with  her  son,  Webster,  until  1896,  when  she 
was  called  from  tliis  life.  Welister  Bisell,  the  son  of  Vehx  and  Eliza- 
beth (Schultz)  Beisel,  was  born  in  Mareelline,  Adams  County,  Sep- 
tember 4,  1846  (his  name  in  the  course  of  time  being  changed  to  con- 
form with  the  pronunciation  in  English).  He  wa.s  obliged  to  earn 
his  own  living  at  an  early  age.  and  worked  on  a  farm  for  some  time. 
During  the  Civil  war,  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  he  enlisted  in  the 
Fifty-eighth  Illinois  Infantry,  serving  one  year.  After  the  war  he 
returned  to  Adams  County  where  he  rented  land  and  engaged  in 
farming,  later  purchasing  a  farm  of  his  own.  In  1885  he  retired  from 
active  life  and  rented  his  farm  to  his  son,  William.  Webster  Bisell 
served  as  school  director  for  more  than  twenty-five  years,  was  deputy 
sheriflF  for  four  years  and  road  commissioner  for  more  than  fifteen 
years.  In  May,  1867.  he  married  ^lathilde  Gerard  of  Dayton,  Ohio. 
They  have  two  sons,  William  E.  and  Samuel  Felix  Bisell,  both  living 
in  this  county. 

Charles  ilichels  was  born  1803  in  ^Minden,  Prussia,  learned  the 
blacksmith's  trade,  and  in  1829  he  married  Arnoldine  Koetters.  In 
1842  the  family  came  to  America:  landing  in  Baltimore,  they  con- 
tinued their  .ioumey  overland  to  Pittsburgh,  then  by  steamboat  down 
the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mississippi  River  to  St.  Louis,  where  they  re- 
mained for  several  months  and  finally  came  to  Quincy.  Here  Charles 
Jliehels  conducted  a  smithshop  for  six  months,  and  in  1843  went  to 
farming.  Six  years  later  he  returned  to  the  city  and  in  1849,  with 
three  other  men  went  to  California.  With  four  yoke  of  oxen  and  one 
wagon  they  started  on  their  trip  overland.  When  they  arrived  at 
their  destination,  they  had  one  ox  and  a  two-wheeled  cart  left.  After 
spending  three  years  in  the  gold  fields,  they  returned  to  Quincy  in 
1852,  where  Charles  ]\Iichels  resumed  his  bu.siness.  June  14,  1861,  he 
died,  his  wife  departing  this  life  August  1,  1886.  Arnold  Michels, 
bom  January  23,  1838,  in  Westland,  Westphalia,  was  the  eldest  son 
of  Charles  and  Arnoldine  (Koetters)  Michels,  and  came  to  Quincy 
with  his  parents,  learning  the  carpenter's  trade.  In  1859  he  went  over- 
land to  the  gold  fields  near  Pike's  Peak,  from  where  he  returned  to 
St.  Louis,  working  at  his  trade  for  two  years  in  that  city,  when  he 
came  back  to  Quincy.  November  6,  1862.  he  married  Eliza  Ileller- 
mann,  born  in  Muehlhansen,  Thuringia.  From  1862  to  1873  Arnold 
^lii-hels  was  busy  as  carpenter  and  contractor;  then  he  conducted  a 
brickyard  until  1877,  when  he  went  to  farming  for  four  years;  in 
1892  he  opened  a  wagonmaker's  shop  at  Columbus  in  this  county,  and 


362  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

in  1896  I'eturned  to  Quincy,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  October 
14,  1910.  His  widow  still  survives.  Children  living  are:  Louis,  a 
painter,  in  Colorado ;  William,  dealer  in  automobiles,  in  Camp  Point ; 
Albert,  a  farmer  in  Colorado;  George,  a  barber  in  Quincy;  Walter,  a 
farmer  in  Colorado.  One  daughter,  Amelie,  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  Christ 
Haxel,  in  Coatsburg,  Adams  County. 

Herman  Dicker,  born  1790  in  Koesfeld,  Prussia,  grew  up  in  his 
home  town,  where  he  married  Margaret  Maas,  born  in  the  same  town. 
In  the  fall  of  1842  they  came  to  America  by  way  of  New  Orleans, 
locating  in  Quincy.  Herman  Dicker  was  a  weaver  by  occupation,  but 
there  being  no  opportunity  for  weavers  to  work  at  their  trade  in 
those  days,  he  did  such  other  work  as  he  was  able  to  find.  Mi's. 
Dicker  died  in  1849,  during  a  cholera  epidemic,  while  her  husband 
departed  this  life  in  1863.  G.  Henry  Dicker,  the  eldest  son  of  Her- 
man and  Margaret  (ilaas)  Dicker,  was  born  in  Koesfeld,  Prussia, 
April  22,  1842,  and  was  brought  to  Quincy  by  his  parents  when  six 
months  old.  He  spent  his  youth  on  a  farm  where  the  Soldiers'  and 
Sailors'  Home  now  is  situated,  and  at  fourteen  started  learning  the 
carpenter's  trade  with  Johannes  &  Staats,  contractors  and  builders. 
Business  being  dull  in  Quincy,  carpenters  working  for  50  cents  a 
day,  he  quit  his  trade  and  went  to  work  on  a  farm  for  Henry  Meyer, 
out  on  the  Columbus  Prairie,  for  $14  per  month.  Later  he  took  a 
course  in  the  Bryant  &  Stratton  Business  College  in  this  city.  Then 
he  went  to  work  for  Hauworth  &  Baughman,  contractors  and  builders 
in  this  city.  During  the  Civil  war  he  enlisted  in  the  Forty-third 
Illinois  Infantry,  serving  to  the  end  of  that  war.  After  his  return 
home  he  re-entered  the  employment  of  Hauworth  &  Baughman.  a  few 
years  later  he  went  into  business  with  his  brother-in-law,  Bernard 
Johannes.  Dissolving  the  partnership,  he  continued  the  business  alone, 
which  is  at  this  writing  conducted  under  the  firm  name  G.  H.  Dicker 
&  Son.  G.  Henry  Dicker  was  a  member  of  the  volunteer  fire  depart- 
ment for  nineteen  years,  in  the  course  of  time  becoming  foreman  of 
Liberty  No.  3.  While  occupying  this  position,  lie  was  presented  a  silver 
trumpet  by  the  ladies  of  Quincy  with  the  inscription,  "Liberty  Fire 
Company  No.  3,"  which  he  prizes  very  highly.  November  7,  1867, 
G.  Henry  Dicker  and  Caroline  ilai'y  Kroner  were  married,  and  cele- 
brated their  golden  wedding  November  7,  1917.  Mrs.  Dicker  was  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  J.  Kroner,  and  was  born  in  ilel- 
rose  Township,  January  9,  1848.  Children  living  are :  William  J. 
Dicker,  in  business  with  his  father,  John  B.  Dicker,  Mrs.  Emma 
Schwarte,  Mrs.  Rose  Niehaus,  and  the  Misses  Anna  and  Edith. 

Settlers  of  1843 

John  William  Dickhut,  born  November  10,  1796,  in  I\Iuehlhausen, 
Thuringia,  married  Anna  Elizabeth  iloehrstedt,  born  in  the  same 
town  January  1, 1797.    In  1843  the  familj^,  consisting  of  father,  mother 


QUIN'CV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  36:1 

and  three  daughters,  came  to  America  and  located  in  (juiney.  In  the 
spring  of  1844  the  family  went  to  the  country,  where  Jolin  William 
Dickhut  died  in  1845,  his  wife  living  for  thirty-three  years  more,  de- 
parting this  life  in  1878.  Amalie,  the  eldest  of  the  daughters,  was 
married  to  Jost  Schmidt,  born  in  the  Grandduchy  of  Ilessen,  while 
Marie  became  the  wife  of  Gottfried  Schmidt,  a  brother  of  Jost  Schmidt, 
both  couples  in  1852  moved  to  St.  Paul,  Minnesota.  Johanna,  the 
youngest  of  the  daughters,  was  married  to  John  Christoph  Dickimt, 
also  born  in  Mueblhauscii,  who  located  in  Quincj'  in  1854.  John 
William  and  Anna  Elizabeth  (Moehrstedt)  Dickhut  had  seven  sons, 
August,  Carl,  Christoph,  Adolph,  Gottlob,  Frederick,  and  William; 
all  of  them  remained  in  this  county,  with  the  exception  of  William, 
who  went  to  Nebraska.  A  large  number  of  descendants  are  among  the 
living. 

John  George  Neumann,  born  1783  in  Dieburg,  Grandduchy  of 
Hessen,  with  his  wife  Katherine,  nee  Loebieh,  bom  in  1790  in  the  same 
town,  came  to  America  in  1831  on  board  of  a  sailing  vessel,  landing  in 
Baltimore.  From  there  they  went  to  Wheeling,  West  Virginia.  Then 
they  came  down  the  Ohio  in  a  flatboat,  landing  at  Cincinnati,  where 
they  remained  during  the  winter.  In  the  spring  of  1832  they  weut 
to  Trenton,  Ohio,  where  Neumann  worked  at  his  trade,  he  being  a 
shoemaker.  The  couple  had  tlie  following  .sons:  John,  Frank,  Adam, 
Xavier,  Jacob,  and  George,  all  of  them  working  for  farmers  in  Ohio. 
In  1843  the  family  came  to  Illinois  and  located  near  Mill  Creek  in 
this  county,  where  they  followed  agriculture.  John,  the  eldest  of  the 
sons,  remained  in  Ohio,  where  he  followed  farming  until  his  death 
in  1844;  the  father,  John  George  Neumann,  died  in  the  same  year, 
while  the  mother,  Katherine  Neumann,  departed  this  life  in  1855. 
Adam  Neumann,  born  in  the  fatherland  in  1820,  followed  farming 
near  Mill  Creek  for  sixteen  j-ears,  when  he  retired  and  moved  to  the 
citj-  in  1857,  where  he  lived  for  fifty-eight  years,  his  death  occurring 
December  16,  1915.  George  Neumann,  Jr..  born  in  Ohio  in  1833,  died 
in  Quiney  in  1904. 

Philip  J.  Reyland,  born  December  30,  1796,  in  Landau,  Bavarian 
Palatinate,  prepared  himself  for  the  ministerial  calling,  and  later 
married  Margaret  Bonze,  born  July  1,  1801,  also  in  Landau.  The 
family  came  to  America  and  located  in  Quiney  in  1843,  where  Rev- 
erend Reyland  was  active  as  a  ]ireachcr  for  some  time.  Later  he  was 
engaged  in  several  business  ventures,  ilrs.  Reyland  died  Septcmlier 
3,  1850,  while  her  husband  lived  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  after 
that,  departing  this  life  in  1876.  One  son,  Eugene  Reyland,  many 
years  ago  located  in  Marl)le,  Colorado.  The  eldest  daughter,  Caro- 
line, became  the  wife  of  Jacob  Pfrang,  a  tailor,  born  in  Bavaria,  who 
came  to  America  and  located  in  Quiney  in  1844,  the  young  couple  after 
their  marriage  went  sontli  and  settled  in  New  Orleans,  where  they 
lived  for  many  years  until  their  deatli.     Adolph  and  Louis  Budde, 


364  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

wholesale  grocers,  married  two  of  the  Reyland  daughters,  while 
Elenore,  aiiother  daughter,  became  the  wife  of  Fred  "W.  Meyer,  for 
many  years  prominent  in  business  and  financial  circles  of  this  city; 
one  daughter  of  Philip  J.  and  Margaret  (Bouze)  Eeyland  many  years 
ago  located  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  the  youngest  daughter  became 
the  wife  of  Alexander  Uehdemann,  bookkeeper  with  the  firm  Warfield 
&  Meyer,  later  locating  in  Jacksonville,  Florida. 

John  Spies,  born  July  3,  1810,  in  ]\Iariahilf,  Oberpfalz,  Bavaria, 
emigrated  to  America,  lauding  at  Philadelphia  in  1838,  where  he 
remained  three  years,  following  his  trade  as  blacksmith.  Then  he 
went  to  Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  two  years  later,  in  1843, 
came  to  Quincy  with  his  wife,  Barbara,  nee  Ness,  whom  he  married 
in  Pennsylvania  in  1842,  she  being  born  December  2,  1817,  in  Brod- 
sheldeu,  on  the  River  Main,  Germany.  In  1848  John  Spies  crossed  the 
plains  to  California,  the  wagons  being  drawn  by  oxen  the  trip  required 
nine  months.  After  an  absence  of  three  j'ears  he  returned  to  Quincy 
where  he  followed  his  trade  for  many  years.  February  13,  1880,  he 
died,  his  wife  following  him  in  death  July  13.  1894.  Sons  of  John  and 
Barbara  (Ness)  Spies  were:  John,  who  during  the  Civil  war  served  in 
the  Union  army,  and  after  the  war  located  in  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana, 
where  he  followed  his  trade  as  smith  until  his  death  many  years  ago ; 
Fred  and  Joseph  in  Crestou,  Iowa;  William  lives  in  Council  Bluffs, 
Iowa,  where  Charles  died  four  years  ago.  Daughters  of  John  and 
Barbara  (Ness)  Spies  were:  I\Iathilde  Hilgenbrink,  who  died  a  num- 
ber of  years  ago ;  Sophie,  w-idow  of  Leonidas  Hascall,  the  printer,  who 
lives  in  Topeka,  Kansas;  and  ^lary,  the  widow  of  John  Weiler,  who 
was  bom  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  came  to  Quincy  many  years  ago, 
being  a  member  of  the  firm  Koenig  &  Weiler,  carriage  and  wagon 
makers.  He  died  February  24,  1904.  Sons  of  John  and  Mary  (Spies) 
Weiler  are :  John  Weiler,  Jr.,  fine  woodworker  in  a  large  factory  in 
Columbus,  Ohio,  where  they  build  passenger  coaches;  Joseph  and 
Charles  Weiler,  jewelers  and  dealers  in  musical  instruments  in  Quincy. 
Daughters  are :  Isabel,  a  nurse,  and  Rose,  bookkeeper  in  the  business 
of  her  brothers. 

John  Aloysius  Blomer,  born  1793  in  Marbeek,  Westphalia,  married 
Christina  Brueckmann,  born  1803  in  Erie,  Westphalia.  In  1843  the 
family  came  to  America  and  located  in  Quincy,  where  ^Ir.  Blomer  for 
many  years  worked  in  brickyards.  In  1872  he  departed  this  life,  while 
his  wife  lived  ten  years  longer,  her  death  occurring  1882.  Henry 
Blomer,  son  of  John  Aloj'sius  and  Christina  (Brueckmann)  Blomer, 
born  in  1833,  in  his  younger  days  assisted  his  father  in  the  brick- 
yard, was  apprenticed  to  the  firm  Henry  Deters  and  George  Borstadt, 
brickmasons,  contractors,  and  builders.  After  serving  his  apprentice- 
ship, he  worked  for  the  firm  for  four  years  as  a  journeyman.  Then 
he  entered  the  service  of  Robert  McComb,  contractor  and  builder, 
for  whom  he  worked  three  years,  and  then,   together  with  Philip 


QLUMV  AND  AU.UIS  COUNTY  3G5 

Steiubach,  entered  into  partnership  with  Robert  .MuConib,  under  the 
firm  name  MeComb  &  Company,  said  firm  existing  for  seven  years, 
when  ^Ir.  JlcConib  withdrew  and  started  a  lumberyard,  while  Henry 
lllomer  and  Philip  Steinbach  eontinued  in  business  for  several  years. 
John  Bernard  Blomer,  a  brother  of  Henry  Blomer,  bom  in  1835,  who 
became  a  member  of  the  firm,  later  located  in  Waco,  Texas,  owing 
to  failing  health.  Later  still  he  returned  to  Quincy,  where  he  died 
February  1,  1910.  In  1866  Henry  Blomer  went  into  the  pork  packing 
business,  in  whicli  lie  continued  for  many  years.  He  married  Anna 
Klatt,  boi'n  in  Oldenburg,  who  at  an  early  day  with  her  parents  came 
to  Cincinnati,  and  in  1852  located  in  Quincy.  Henry  Blomer  died 
in  April,  1906;  his  wife  departed  this  life  in  1911.  Jolni  Blomer, 
eldest  son  of  Henry  and  Anna  (Klatt)  Blomer,  was  born  in  (Quincy 
June  26,  1870,  was  educated  in  the  parochial  school,  then  entered 
St.  Francis  College  in  Quincy  and  graduated  in  1888.  Entering  the 
packing  house  of  Blomer,  Wolf  &  ilichael,  he  became  vice  president 
when  Fred  Wolf  retired  from  the  firm.  In  1900  the  compauj'  was 
reorganized  and  John  Blomer  became  secretary  and  treasurer.  After 
the  death  of  Henry  Blomer  in  1906,  Joseph  Jlichael  became  president 
and  the  firm  continued  until  Februarj^,  1913,  when  their  large  pack- 
ing establishment  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Since  that  time  John  Blomer 
has  retired  from  active  business.  Dr.  Joseph  Henrj'  Blomer,  born 
July  30,  1877,  as  a  son  of  Henry  and  Anna  (Klatt)  Blomer,  attended 
the  parochial  school,  then  entered  St.  Francis  College,  where  he  took 
a  business  and  shorthand  course,  then  a  classical  and  philosophical 
course.  After  taking  a  scientific  and  medical  course  in  Chicago  Uni- 
versity, he  graduated  in  1906.  Then  he  became  an  interne  at  St. 
Anthony's  Hospital,  Chicago.  Finally  he  took  a  post-graduate  course 
in  Xew  York  City,  after  which  he  returned  to  Quincy  in  the  fall  of 
1908  and  has  been  a  practicing  physician  here  ever  since.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1915,  he  married  Idelle  I^lartin  IMcDavitt. 

William  Schipple  was  born  November  2,  1839,  in  Berndorf.  Prin- 
cipality of  Waldeck.  And  here  we  have  another  example  how  names 
were  changed.  His  father,  ]\I.  Schipple,  died  in  the  fatherland,  and 
in  1843  iiis  motlier.  Anna  f^lizabeth,  nee  Ilanke,  born  Feliruary  4, 
1813,  in  Berndorf,  emigrated,  coming  to  America,  where  she  located 
in  Quincy.  Ten  years  later,  JIarch  27,  1853,  the  widow  Schipple  was 
married  to  Henry  Mangold,  a  farmer  of  Adams  County.  Her  son, 
William,  was  adopted  by  Orville  H.  Browning,  the  well  known  attor- 
ney, who  had  erected  his  mansion  at  Seventli  and  Hampshire  streets. 
ilr.  and  Mrs.  Browning,  having  no  children  of  their  own,  prompted 
by  a  philanthropic  spirit,  cared  for  a  number  of  orphaned  children 
in  the  same  manner,  raising  them  and  looking  after  their  welfare. 
And  there  it  was  where  the  name  Schipple  was  changed  to  Shipley. 
William  Shipley  grew  up  to  manhood,  and  in  1861,  when  the  War  of 
the  Rebellion  had  broken  out,  rallied  to  the  defense  of  the  Union  when 
President  Lincoln  called  75,000  men  to  the  colors  for  three  montlis. 


366  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

He  was  among  the  first  volunteers  who  enlisted  April  21,  1861,  in 
Company  A,  Tenth  Illinois  Infantry,  captain,  John  Tillson.  Being 
mustered  out  July  25,  1861,  he,  after  his  return  home,  immediately 
aided  in  recruiting  men  for  the  three  years  service,  following  the 
call  of  President  Lincoln  for  500,000  men.  An  entirely  German  com- 
pany was  formed  and  mustered  into  service,  as  Company  A,  Twenty- 
seventh  Illinois  Infantry,  organized  August  10,  1861.  William  A. 
Sehmitt,  who  had  also  been  in  the  three  months  service,  was  elected 
as  captain,  and  "William  Shipley  as  first  lieutenant  of  the  company. 
After  the  organization  of  the  regiment  in  Camp  Butler,  Springfield, 
Illinois,  it  was  assigned  to  the  brigade  of  Gen.  John  A.  McClernaud, 
and  September  1,  1861,  ordered  to  Cairo.  It  was  at  the  first  engage- 
ment of  the  regiment,  the  Battle  of  Belmont,  Missouri,  November 
7,  1861,  where  William  Shipley  gave  his  life  that  his  country  might 
live.  The  body  was  brought  to  Quincy  and  laid  to  rest  in  Woodland 
cemetery.  Mrs.  Anna  Elizabeth  (Schipple)  Mangold,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Hanke,  died  November  17,  1899,  at  the  high  old  age  of 
eighty-six  years,  nine  months  and  thirteen  days.  How  Lieut.  Wil- 
liam Shipley  (Schipple)  lost  his  life,  was  related  to  the  writer  of  this 
narrative  eight  years  ago  by  Henry  Bosehulte,  a  member  of  Company 
A,  Twenty-seventh  Regiment,  as  follows :  "It  was  in  the  evening  after 
the  battle,  at  twilight ;  the  Union  troops  had  destroyed  the  camp  of 
the  rebels,  and  the  latter  were  retreating  down  the  river  on  flatboats 
to  Island  No.  10,  situated  in  the  Mississippi  river.  Lieut.  William 
Shipley  waded  out  into  a  small  lake  to  fill  his  canteen  with  water. 
While  he  was  about  eight  feet  from  shore,  bending  over,  in  the  act  of 
filling  his  canteen,  a  shot  was  fired  by  an  enemy  hidden  in  the  brush 
beyond  the  lake ;  the  bullet  lodged  in  the  body  of  Lieutenant  Shipley, 
below  the  chest,  and  he  sank  over  into  the  water.  I  immediately 
rushed  in  and  carried  him  to  shore,  but  life  was  extinct.  William 
Shipley  was  dead,  and  he  died  as  a  brave  man." 

Settlers  of  1844 

Frederick  Lohr  and  his  wife  Doris,  nee  Frantz,  both  from  Meeklen- 
burg-Schwerin,  came  to  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  in  1838,  where  the  husband 
died.  In  1844  the  widow,  with  her  son,  Joseph,  bom  on  the  ocean  in 
1838,  and  her  daughter,  Mary,  came  to  Quincy.  The  son  learned  to  be 
a  smith  and  died  in  1889.  In  Quincy  the  widow  Lohr  married 
Charles  Clark,  a  prominent  contractor,  and  the  children  adopted  the 
named  Clark.  Charles  Clark,  the  game  warden,  is  a  son  of  Joseph 
(Lohr)  Clark.  Mary,  the  daughter  of  Frederick  and  Doris  (Frantz) 
Lohr,  became  the  wife  of  Joseph  Esterly  (Oesterle),  chief  of  the  fire 
department  for  some  years. 

John  Andrew  Grimmer,  bom  1795,  and  his  wife,  JIagdalena,  nee 
Nippold,  born  1800,  both  from  Langula,  Thuringia,  came  to  Quincy 
in  1844,  and  went  to  farming  in  this  county.     They  had  five  sons, 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAJIS  COUNTY  367 

Andrew,  Martin.  Henry,  John,  and  Simon,  and  three  daughters, 
Elizabeth,  Marie  and  Christine.  John  Andrew  Grimmer  died  in  1871, 
his  wife  preceded  him  in  death  in  1851.  The  sons  all  became  farmers. 
Henry  Grimmer  later  came  to  Quiney  and  conducted  a  general  store. 
All  the  sons  and  daughters  of  John  Andrew  and  Magdalena  (Nip- 
pold)  Grimmer  have  departed  this  life.  Walter,  a  son  of  Simon 
Grimmer,  served  in  the  Philippine  Islands,  as  member  of  Company 
E,  Twenty-third  United  States  Infantry,  Thomas  Schley,  sou  of 
Admiral  U.  S.  Schley,  being  lieutenant  of  the  company. 

George  Linz,  born  ilay,  1831,  in  Muehlhausen,  Thuringia,  came 
to  Quincy  with  his  parents  in  1844.  He  learned  the  printer's  trade, 
and  in  1850  began  the  publication  of  a  German  paper,  Quincy 
Wochenblatt.  In  1853  he  changed  the  name  to  Illinois  Courier.  In 
1861  he  suspended  the  publication  and  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Six- 
teenth Illinois  Infantry,  serving  during  the  Civil  war.  In  1867  he 
began  the  publication  of  the  Demokrat,  which  he  suspended  six  months 
later.  Then  he  worked  in  the  oflfice  of  the  Quincy  Tribune,  a  German 
daily  and  weekly  paper,  until  his  death,  December  28,  1874.  His 
wife,  ilary,  nee  Ackermann,  also  born  in  I\Iuehlhausen,  surviving, 
later  became  the  wife  of  John  Koehler;  both  have  since  died.  Four 
children  of  George  and  Marie  (Ackermann)  Linz  live  in  Quincy; 
Otto  Linz,  the  printer,  and  George  Linz,  Jr. ;  ilathilde,  wife  of  John 
Rettig,  and  Emilie,  wife  of  William  Neuer. 

Ferdinand  Flaehs,  bom  July  24,  1821,  in  Alsleben  on  the  Saale, 
Germany,  came  to  St.  Louis  in  1843,  where  his  brother,  Henry  Flaehs, 
conducted  a  drug  store.  In  1844  Ferdinand  Flaehs  came  to  Quincy 
and  became  the  partner  of  Dr.  Michael  Doway,  proprietor  of  a  drug 
store.  Later  he  married  Annette,  daughter  of  Doctor  Doway.  Fer- 
dinand Flaehs  became  prominent,  and  for  some  time  conducted  a 
bank.  Later  he  returned  to  the  drug  busiiie.ss,  and  finally  acquired  a 
soap  factory,  the  firm  being  Flaehs  &  Reimann.  In  1887  he  died,  his 
wife  departing  this  life  in  1898.  IIenr\-  Flaehs,  a  son,  born  in  Quincy, 
was  educated  in  the  higher  schools  of  Germany  and  later  was  in 
business  in  Quincy  until  his  death  some  years  ago.  Edward  Flaehs, 
a  brother  of  Ferdinand  Flaehs,  bom  1818  in  Torgau,  came  to  Quincy 
with  his  family  and  was  bookkeeper  in  the  business  of  his  brother 
for  a  number  of  years.  Later  he  was  bookkeeper  with  the  Aldo  Som- 
mer  Drug  Company. 

Joseph  Stuckenburg,  born  1813  in  Essen,  Oldenburg,  located  in 
Louisville.  Kentucky,  in  1829.  His  wife,  Elizabeth,  nee  Inibu.sch,  was 
bom  1815  in  Essen.  For  many  yeai-s  they  conducted  the  Trcmont 
Hotel  in  Louisville.  In  1844  the  family  came  to  Quincy  where  Stuck- 
enburg erected  a  two-stor>-  brick  building  on  Hamiishire  Street,  which 
is  still  there,  and  conducted  a  general  store.  The  winter  of  1845-1846 
was  very  severe,  grocers'  supplies  became  exhausted.     To  satisfy  his 


368  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

customers,  Stuekenburg  hitched  his  horses  to  a  sleigh,  drove  to  St. 
Louis  and  secured  a  load  of  groceries.  On  his  return  trip,  while 
crossing  over  the  ice  of  the  Illinois  River,  the  team  broke  through, 
the  sleigh  with  the  groceries  and  one  of  the  horses  were  lost.  Joseph 
Stuckenburg  mounted  the  other  horse,  w'rapped  a  blanket  he  had 
saved  around  his  shoulders,  and  rode  to  Quincy.  Arriving  here  at 
night,  he  was  frozen  so  stiff  that  he  was  unable  to  dismount.  His 
wife  assisted  him  and  when  about  to  enter  the  house  he  fell,  unable 
to  rise.  Neighbors  were  called,  and  with  their  aid  his  clothing  was 
taken  off  and  the  man  put  to  bed.  But  his  health  was  broken,  he 
lingered  around  until  July  10,  1848,  when  he  died,  while  his  wife  lived 
until  1890.  The  facts  contained  in  the  foregoing  were  given  to  the 
writer  of  this  story  in  1908  by  Mrs.  Josephine  Hutmacher,  daughter 
of  Joseph  Stuckenburg. 

Henry  Teuk  and  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  nee  Selle,  both  born  1791 
in  Suedlohn,  Westphalia,  in  1844  came  to  Quincy  with  their  family. 
Henry  Tenk,  being  a  clockmaker  and  skilled  mechanic,  cleaned  and 
repaired  clocks,  calling  at  the  homes  of  the  people.  He  died  Febru- 
ary 20,  1864,  his  wife  September  18,  the  same  year.  Henry  Tenk,  Jr., 
eldest  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Selle)  Tenk,  born  in  Suedlohn, 
September  7,  1829,  entered  the  service  of  L.  &  C.  H.  Bull,  dealers  in 
hardware.  Later  he  married  Agnes  Brockschmidt,  a  niece  of 
Joseph  Brockschmidt,  the  pioneer  watchmaker ;  she  died  1861,  leaving 
one  daughter,  Elizabeth,  now  the  wife  of  George  Starmann.  Henry 
Tenk  then  married  Gertrude  Venvertloh,  Miio  died  August  12,  1894; 
her  husband  departed  this  life  February  21,  1912.  Two  sons,  Rudolph 
and  Frank  J.  Tenk,  and  one  daughter,  Sophia,  wife  of  Dr.  0.  F. 
Schullian,  are  among  the  living.  John  Herman  Tenk,  born  July  7, 
1837,  in  Suedlohn,  entered  the  service  of  Bernard  Lubbe,  general 
store ;  then  Ricker  &  Amtzen,  and  finally  Sawyer  &  Adams.  In  1866 
he  married  Theresia  Ohnemus ;  he  died  December  15,  1907,  his  wife  in 
1915.  Children  living  are:  Carl  J.  Tenk,  John  Herman  Tenk,  Jr., 
S.  J.,  pi'iest  in  Central  America :  and  two  daughtei's,  Coletta,  the  widow 
of  Mas  Reimbold,  and  Caroline  Teuk,  both  in  Los  Angeles,  California. 
Gertrude,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Selle)  Tenk,  born  Decem- 
ber 3,  1833,  in  Suedlohn,  became  the  wife  of  Henry  P.  J.  Ricker, 
pioneer  and  banker;  she  died  1907.  The  Teuk  Hardware  Company, 
founded  in  1865  by  Henry  and  John  H.  Tenk,  is  now  one  of  the  largest 
establishments  of  its  kind  between  Kansas  City  and  Chicago,  and 
between  St.  Louis  and  St.  Paul.  Rudolph  Tenk  is  president  and 
treasurer,  Frank  J.  Tenk  is  vice  president,  and  John  H.  Cox  is  secre- 
tary of  the  company. 

The  history  of  the  Sehaller  family  is  especially  interesting.  John 
Stephen  Sehaller,  born  February  1,  1801,  in  Sachsenhausen,  Waldeck, 
with  his  second  wife,  Elizabeth,  nee  Leser,  came  to  this  country  in 


QUINCY  AND  ADA.MS  COUNTY  369 

1844,  lauding  twelve  miles  south  of  Quincy  at  Marion  City.  High 
water  drove  the  people  out  of  their  homes,  and  the  Sehaller  family 
then  located  near  Palmyra,  Missouri,  on  a  farm.  Later  they  moved  to 
LaUrange,  ten  miles  north  of  Quincy,  where  John  Stephen  Sehaller 
followed  his  tradt-  as  stonemason  until  his  death,  Februaiy  18,  1857; 
his  wife  died  a  few  years  later.  William  Sehaller,  the  eldest  sou, 
born  January  11,  1823,  married  Elizabeth  Iletzler  in  LaGrange.  After 
eondueting  a  meat  market  until  shortly  before  the  Civil  war,  he 
exchanged  his  business  for  a  farm  near  Mill  Creek,  south  of  Quincy. 
After  the  war  he  moved  to  Clarion  County,  Missouri,  and  followed 
farming  until  he  died  November  5,  1884,  his  wife  departing  this  life 
May  20,  1904.  One  sou  went  to  New  Mexico,  five  other  sons  and  two 
daughters  remained  in  Clarion  County.  Frederick  Sehaller,  second 
son  of  John  Stephen  Sehaller,  born  July  20,  1834,  crossed  the  plains 
in  1849  and  worked  in  the  mines  of  California  for  two  years.  Return- 
ing on  the  sailing  vessel  Yankee  Blade,  the  ship  was  wrecked  and 
he  lost  all  his  possessions.  Finally  returning,  he  married  Anna  Maria 
Frohn,  who  came  to  Quincy  in  1844.  In  1859,  while  conducting  a 
business  in  LaGrange,  Frederick  Sehaller  was  the  victim  of  a  brutal 
outrage,  perpetrated  by  unknown  men.  Eleven  negro  slaves  had 
escaped  to  Illinois,  gaining  their  freedom  by  means  of  the  so-called 
"underground  railway."  A  number  of  masked  men  appeared  at  the 
home  of  Frederick  Sehaller  in  the  night,  dragged  him  out,  accused 
him  of  having  aided  the  slaves,  and  in  spite  of  his  most  earnest  denial 
and  protestation,  tied  him  to  a  tree,  lashed  and  horsewhipped  him, 
until  his  body  was  streaming  with  blood  and  life  almost  extinct.  He 
was  found  by  friends,  who  brought  him  to  Quincj',  where  relatives 
nursed  him  liack  to  health.  When  the  "War  of  the  Rebellion  broke  out, 
Frederick  Sehaller  rallied  to  President  Lincoln's  first  call,  serving  in 
the  Tenth  Illinois  Infantry  for  three  months.  Then  he  enlisted  in 
Company  A,  Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry,  became  a  sergeant  and 
sen-ed  to  the  end  of  the  war.  Returning  to  Quincy  he  was  in  business 
until  his  death,  December  8,  1879;  his  wife  died  May  1,  1886.  One 
son,  Frederick,  located  in  the  West,  and  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Sadie 
Agnew,  in  St.  Louis.  George  Sehaller,  the  youngest  son  of  John 
Stephen  Sehaller,  born  in  Sachsenhausen,  Waldeck,  February  18, 
1844,  grew  up  on  the  farm,  later  came  to  Quincy  and  learned  the  tin- 
ner's trade.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  war  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany C,  Fiftieth  Illinois  Infantry,  serving  one  year,  when  he  was 
honorably  discharged  on  account  of  disability  contracted  in  the  service. 
Januarj'  24,  1867,  he  married  Pauline  Dingeldein,  daughter  of  the  old 
pioneer  Seba.stian  Dingeldein.  For  twenty  years  he  conducted  a 
tin.shop  in  Quincy,  then  retired.  His  wife  died  years  ago.  Oiie  son, 
George,  Jr.,  is  connected  with  a  large  hardware  business  in  Denver, 
Colorado;  another  son,  Albert,  is  with  the  Dun  Mercantile  Agency 
in  Des  Jloines,  Iowa. 

Vol.  I— !4 


370 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


Settlers  op  1845 


Theodore  Brinldioff,  bom  1809  in  Holtbeck,  "Westphalia,  married 
Elizabeth  Holbert,  born  1805  in  the  same  town.  In  1845  the  couple 
came  to  Quincy  with  their  daughter,  Elizabeth.  For  many  years 
Theodore  Brinkhoff  conducted  a  cooper  shop,  employing  a  number  of 
men,  and  was  very  successful,  acquiring  quite  a  competency.  In  1884 
he  departed  this  life,  his  wife  preceding  him  in  death  in  1880. 

Ferdinand  Kampmann,  born  June  24,  1811,  in  Stromberg,  West- 
phalia, was  a  baker,  and  married  Johanna  Buecker,  born  June  10, 
1811,  in  the  same  town.  The  couple  came  to  Quincy  in  1845,  where 
they  conducted  a  bakery  and  restaurant.  Later  Ferdinand  Kamp- 
mann acquired  the  brewery  at  Seventh  and  York  streets,  founded  by 
a  Mr.  Francis,  an  Englishman,  which  he  conducted  for  many  years. 
Ferdinand  Kampmann  died  April  27,  1885;  his  wife  followed  him 
in  death  July  24,  1901. 

John  Henry  Tushaus,  born  March  31,  1830,  in  Suedlohn,  West- 
phalia, came  to  this  country  with  his  parents  in  1844,  and  located  in 
Quincy  in  1845.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  employed  by  Sylvester 
Thayer,  and  in  1859  became  a  partner  of  John  Altmix,  they  con- 
ducting a  general  store.  In  1865  he  erected  a  building  on  Hampshire 
Street,  where  he  conducted  a  grocery  until  his  death  in  1894.  In 
1852  John  Henry  Tushaus  married  Maria  Anna  Scheiner,  his  wife 
preceding  him  in  death  in  1891.  Their  children  were:  Mrs.  Wm. 
Weisenhorn,  Mrs.  J.  B.  Ricker,  Mrs.  Joseph  Michael,  Thomas  L. 
Tushaus,  assistant  cashier  of  the  State  Savings,  Loan  &  Trust  Com- 
pany, and  Joesph  H.  Tushaus,  the  latter  in  St.  Joseph,  Missouri. 

Bernard  Wewers,  born  1824  in  Stadtlohn,  Westphalia,  came  to 
Quincy  in  1845.  Here  he  married  Adelheid  MoUer,  born  in  Meesen, 
Hanover.  For  many  years  he,  with  his  brothers,  Henry  and  Joseph, 
was  engaged  in  the  construction  of  sidewalks.  William  Wewers,  a 
son  of  Bernard  Wewers,  born  1851,  learned  the  trade  of  saddler  and 
harness  maker ;  later  he  went  into  the  milling  business,  being  connected 
with  the  Star  ilills  for  eight  years.  Then  he  became  one  of  the  found- 
ers of  the  Gem  City  Stove  Works,  and  was  manager  of  the  business 
until  his  death,  May  9,  1912.  In  1879  William  Wewers  married  Mary 
Lechtenberg.  She  survives  him  with  one  daughter.  Bertha,  wife  of 
Henry  J.  Rupp ;  the  latter  is  treasurer  of  the  Gem  City  Stove  Works. 
Bernard  A.  Wewers,  born  1861,  second  son  of  Bernard  and  Adelheid 
(Moller)  Wewers,  for  many  years  was  foreman  in  the  E.  M.  Miller 
Carriage  Works.  Anna  Wewers,  daughter  of  Bernard  and  Adelheid 
(Moller)  Wewers,  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Lechtenberg,  manager 
of  the  Central  Iron  Works. 

Ferdinand   Henry   Cramer,   born   1825   in    Sevelten,    Oldenburg, 
where  his  father  was  a  teacher,  attended  the  teachers'  seminary  in 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  L'OLXTY  371 

Vechta.  preparing  himself  for  the  calling.  In  1S45  he  came  to  Cin- 
cinnati, but  soon  moved  to  (.^iiiiuy,  where  he  was  appointed  as  teacher 
of  St.  Boniface  Parochial  School,  which  position  he  held  until  1849. 
Then  he  resigned,  and  together  with  Clemens  Kathmaini  conducted  a 
dry  goods  and  grocery  store.  October  25,  iSolj,  Ferdinand  Henry 
Cramer  married  Marie  Anna  Koch.  For  years  he  was  captain  of 
Liberty  No.  3,  the  old  German  company  of  the  fire  department.  Being 
drenched  by  water  during  a  contlagration,  he  contracted  an  ailment 
which  resulted  in  his  death,  July  3,  1861.  The  widow  still  resides  in 
Quiney.'    One  son,  John  Ferdinand,  is  in  business  in  Chicago. 

John  Leonard  Roeder,  born  January  21,  1800,  in  Grossherbach, 
Bavaria,  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade  with  his  father.  Later  he 
married  ]\Iarie  Appoloiiia  Delim,  born  1804  in  Dauerzell,  Bavaria.  In 
1844  they  emigrated,  landing  in  Philadelphia.  They  then  left  for  the 
"West,  coming  by  way  of  Cincinnati,  down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  to  St.  Louis;  they  then  followed  the  Illinois  River  to 
Pittslield,  Pike  County,  where  they  located,  l)ut  in  1845  came  to 
Quiney,  settling  here  for  life.  Roeder  followed  his  trade  in  this  city 
for  many  years.  His  wife  preceded  him  in  death  in  1867,  while  he 
lived  to  the  high  old  age  of  one  hundred  and  eight  years,  his  death 
occurring  in  1908.  Having  adopted  Johanna  Heitland,  an  orphan, 
her  parents  dying  early  in  the  '50s  of  last  century,  this  foster  daughter, 
who  later  became  the  wife  of  John  J.  Liebig,  repaid  her  foster-father 
by  caring  for  him  in  his  old  age  until  he  departed  this  life. 

Henry  C.  Bastert,  bom  1815  in  Brackwede,  Westphalia,  emigrated 
in  1843,  came  by  way  of  New  Orleans  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  worked 
in  a  sugar  factory  for  two  years,  locating  in  Quiney  in  1845.  He 
served  in  the  war  with  Mexico,  and  after  that  war  conducted  a  grocery 
business  in  Quiney.  Then  he  went  to  fanning  near  Tioga.  Illinois, 
later  returned  to  Quiney,  where  he  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
German  Insurance  and  Savings  Company,  for  years  being  president 
of  the  association.  In  1894  he  departed  this  life.  Children  living 
are :  Mrs.  Caroline  Niemeyer,  ]Mrs.  Louisa  Hartung  and  Miss  Emma 
Bastert  in  Quiney,  and  ilrs.  Emilie  Hcngelberg  in  St.  Louis.  J.  Henry 
Bastert,  only  son  of  Henry  C.  Bastert,  born  April  5,  1866.  on  a  farm 
in  Hancock  County,  is  an  example  of  what  push  and  close  attention  to 
business  can  accomplish.  When  thirteen  years  of  age  he  filled  the 
position  of  engineer  at  the  old  Aetna  Iron  Works.  In  1883  he  became 
clerk  with  the  German  Insurance  Company,  soon  was  promoted  to  the 
position  of  bookkeeper,  and  afterwards  was  elected  as  secretary,  an 
office  which  he  held  up  to  the  time  the  company  voluntarily  went  out 
of  business  in  1894.  After  closing  up  the  affairs  of  the  company,  and 
having  wound  up  its  extensive  business  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  the 
stockholders,  he  engaged  in  the  general  loan  an<l  insurance  business, 
the  name  of  the  firm  now  being  Bastert,  Miller  &  Ca.stle. 


372  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Frank  Rothgeb,  born  February  26,  1819,  in  Kaiserslautern,  Rhen- 
ish Bavaria,  came  to  Quincy  in  1845,  where  he  was  engaged  in  business 
until  his  death.  May  23,  1849.  Frank  Rothgeb  married  Anna  B. 
Beutel,  bom  in  Oberdorla,  near  Muehlhausen,  Thuringia,  September, 
1826.  One  son,  Gustave  A.  Rothgeb,  born  in  Quincy,  Jul}'  16,  1846, 
grew  up  to  manhood  and  married  Rosanna  Notter.  After  being  in 
business  in  this  city  for  some  years  the  family  went  West,  locating  in 
Boulder,  Colorado,  and  later  moved  to  Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico,  where 
Gustave  A.  Rothgeb  died  in  1904.  His  widow  now  lives  in  Santa 
Fe,  New  Mexico,  with  her  eldest  daughter.  Emma,  daughter  of  Frank 
and  Anna  (Beut«l)  Rothgeb,  became  the  wafe  of  Charles  H.  Heid- 
breder,  captain  of  Company  H,  Forty-third  Illinois  Infantrj'.  He 
died  in  1869;  the  widow  resides  in  Quincy.  In  1850  the  widow  of 
Frank  Rothgeb  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Rothgeb,  born  in  Kaisers- 
lautern, October  11,  1822;  he  was  a  cabinet  maker  and  for  many 
years  worked  in  the  furniture  factory  of  F.  W.  Jansen.  Then  he 
conducted  a  grocery  store  until  his  death,  April  17,  1887;  his  wife 
having  preceded  him  in  death  February  14,  1872.  Children  living 
are :  Charles,  painter  in  Quincy ;  Frank,  with  the  Quincy  Confection- 
ery Company ;  Edward,  traveling  salesman  for  the  Standard  Oil  Com- 
pany ;  Frances  Rothgeb,  Los  Angeles,  California ;  Anna  Rothgeb  in 
Quincy ;  Clara,  wife  of  Charles  W.  Breitwieser,  in  Quincy ;  and  Lydia 
Rothgeb  in  Los  Angeles,  California. 

John  Bornmann  was  born  July  14,  1816,  in  Hatzfeld  on  the  Eder, 
Grandduchy  of  Hessen.  His  parents  were  Henry  and  Katherine 
(ilisz)  Bornmann,  the  father  following  agricultural  pursuits.  One 
uncle,  Daniel  Misz,  was  with  the  500,000  men  who  in  1812  took  part 
in  Napoleon's  march  to  Moscow,  but,  like  many  thousand  others  of 
that  grand  army,  never  returned.  Henry  Misz,  another  uncle,  born 
in  1772  in  Hatzfeld  on  the  Eder,  left  home  when  eighteen  years  of  age, 
and  in  1790  enlisted  in  the  British  army  for  two  years.  Then  he 
joined  the  army  of  the  Nethei'lands,  in  which  he  was  a  cai)tain  in 
1816.  Later  he  was  made  a  knight,  for  bravery  in  battle,  and  received 
the  Order  of  William  of  Orange.  In  1826  he  came  on  a  visit  to  his 
sister  in  Hatzfeld,  then  occupying  the  rank  of  general  in  the  army  of 
Holland.  John  Bornmann  married  Katherine  Bald,  born  October 
3,  1820,  near  the  City  of  Berleburg,  residence  of  the  Prince  of  Sayn- 
Wittgenstein-Berleburg.  In  1845  they  emigrated  and  came  to  Amer- 
ica by  way  of  New  Orleans,  continuing  their  trip  up  the  Mississippi ; 
they  landed  in  Quincy  November  12,  1845.  John  Bornmann  for  many 
years  was  active  in  the  soap  and  caudle  business,  working  for  George 
Bywater,  as  long  as  the  latter  continued  in  business,  and  later  on  for 
IMoser  &  Wild.  John  Bornmann  died  April  21,  1901,  his  wife  having 
preceded  him  in  death  May  5,  1894.  Henry  Bornmann,  the  eldest  son 
of  John  and  Katherine  (Bald)  Bornmann,  was  born  in  Quincy,  May 
1,  1846.  When  sis  years  of  age  he  was  sent  to  school,  his  first  teacher 
being  John  M.  Perz,  maternal  grandfather  of  William  G.  Feigenspan, 


IJIINCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTV  373 

the  attorney.  The  school,  a  little  loghousc,  was  located  on  the  north 
side  of  Kentucky  Street,  a  few  doors  east  of  Ninth  Street.  Later  he 
attended  Salcni  Parochial  School,  where  he  followed  his  studies  under 
three  different  teachers,  all  graduates  of  teachere'  seminaries  in  Ger- 
many. In  April,  1859,  he  graduated  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years, 
and  then  became  an  apprentice  in  the  office  of  the  Quincy  Tribune, 
a  German  paper,  founded  in  1852  by  a  number  of  prominent  men  of 
the  whig  party,  among  them  John  Wood,  Frederick  W.  Jansen  and 
others.  John  \Vood  wrote  to  Horace  Greeley  for  an  able  editor,  and 
he,  seconded  by  William  H.  Seward,  recommended  Gustave  Adolph 
Roesler,  who  had  been  prominent  in  the  revolution  of  1848,  and  a 
member  of  the  parliament  in  Frankfurt  on  the  ^lain.  Roesler  came 
and  proved  to  be  a  very  able  writer,  but  his  career  was  cut  short,  his 
death  occurring  in  August,  1855.  When  Henrj'  Bommann  entered 
the  office  of  the  Quincy  Tribune  as  apprentice,  Edward  C.  Winter  and 
Ernest  Schiereuberg  were  proprietors  of  the  paper.  In  1861  the 
Quincy  Tribune  was  sold  to  Carl  Rotteck,  who  had  been  a  judge  of  the 
court  in  Baden,  and  was  implicated  in  the  revolution  of  1848,  after 
which  he  came  to  America.  Henry  Bornmann  finished  his  apprentice- 
ship of  three  years  in  the  office  of  the  said  paper,  and  then  "quit  the 
business,"  to  learn  the  tinner's  trade,  being  apprenticed  for  three 
years.  During  the  progress  of  the -Civil  war  he  answered  the  call  of 
President  Lincoln  for  "three  hundred  thousand  more,"  enlisted  in 
the  Union  army,  February  14,  1865,  as  a  member  of  Company  H, 
Forty-third  Illinois  Infantry,  an  entirely  Gei-man  regiment,  and 
served  as  corporal  to  the  end  of  the  war,  retuniing  home  with  his 
regiment  December  20,  1865.  He  then  completed  his  apprentice- 
ship with  the  tinner  and  worked  as  a  journeyman  until  the  end  of 
1867.  In  February,  1868,  he  again  returned  to  the  printing  business, 
going  to  work  for  T,  M.  Rogers,  setting  the  type  for  the  Rural  West, 
an  agricultural  monthly  published  by  ilr.  Rogers.  When  this  paper 
suspended,  he  went  to  work  in  the  job  department  of  the  office  until 
May,  1874,  when  he  became  foreman  in  the  composing  room  of  the 
Quincy  Tribune,  at  that  time  published  by  C.  H.  Ilenrici.  In  Novem- 
ber of  the  same  year  the  paper  was  sold  to  the  Germania  Printing 
and  Publishing  Company,  and  Henrj'  Bornmann  continued  as  fore- 
man for  years  until  November,  1885.  when  he  resigned  his  position  to 
accept  the  editorship  of  a  new  German  i>aper.  the  Quincy  Tcutonia. 
A  year  later  this  paper  suspended,  and  in  January,  1887,  he  again 
entered  the  office  of  the  Quincy  Germania.  finally  becoming  editor  of 
the  papor,  which  position  he  held  for  iiumy  years.  September  1, 
1914,  he  went  to  work  on  the  Quincy  Herald,  as  reporter  of  said  paper, 
l)eing  engaged  as  such  imtil  June.  1917.  Later  he  was  rei|uested  to 
write  a  chapter  on  "The  German  Element  and  its  Importance  in  the 
History  and  Development  of  Quincy  and  Adams  County,"  to  appear 
in  a  History  of  Adams  County,  1918,  issued  by  the  Lewis  Publishing 
Company  of  Chicago.  May  16,  1872.  Henry  Honimann  married 
Katherine  Uebner,  eldest  daughter  of  Ca.spar  and  Elizabeth  (Schnell- 


374  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

bacher)  Uebuer  of  Fall  Creek  Township,  Adams  County.  She  died 
March  20,  1881,  leaving  two  daughters,  Rosalie  Maria,  wife  of  Herman 
Stork,  and  Clara  Sophia,  widow  of  Heni-y  Budde.  May  10,  1883, 
Henry  Bornmann  married  for  the  second  time,  choosing  as  his  wife 
Hannah  Niehaus,  born  iu  Quiucj',  eldest  daughter  of  William  and 
Maria  (Menke)  Niehaus.  Children  were:  Ida  Johanna,  .wife  of  Prof. 
William  Heidbreder,  Crown  Point,  Indiana;  Hilda  Wilhelmiua,  wife 
of  William  Lepper;  J.  Henry,  in  Chicago;  Alma  became  the  wife  of 
John  Rettig  and  died  five  years  ago ;  Irene  and  Ruth.  J.  Henry  Born- 
mann, Jr.,  attended  the  parochial  school  of  St.  Jacobi  Lutheran  Church 
for  seven  years,  then  the  Quincy  High  School  for  four  years,  and 
finally  Illinois  State  University  at  Urbana,  graduating  with  high 
honors  in  each  one  of  the  institutions  mentioned,  receiving  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Science,  June,  1910.  He  then  remained  two  more  years 
as  assistant  teacher  and  in  June,  1912,  received  the  degree  of  Master 
of  Science.  Having  passed  a  civil  service  examination  he  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Government,  serving  in  the  department  of  chem- 
istry in  Chicago,  later  iu  New  Orleans,  then  in  Washington,  District 
of  Columbia,  finally  again  in  Chicago,  where  he  is  at  present  engaged 
in  the  service  of  the  Government.  Irene  Bornmann,  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Hannah  (Niehaus)  Bornmann,  attended  the  pai-ochial 
school  of  St.  Jacobi  Lutheran  Church  for  seven  years.  She  entered 
the  Quincy  Public  Evening  School,  beginning  the  term  in  November, 
1917,  continuing  and  completing  her  course  of  studies  at  the  end  of 
April,  1918.  Ruth  Bornmann,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Hannah  (Niehaus)  Bornmann,  attended  the  parochial  school  of  St. 
Jacobi  Lutheran  Church  for  seven  years.  Later  she  took  a  course  iu 
the  shorthand  department  of  the  Gem  City  Business  College,  gi'ad- 
uating  in  1913.  Then  she  was  appointed  as  stenographer  with  the 
faculty  of  the  college.  Finally  she  was  appointed  as  stenographer  of 
the  Civil  Service  Commission  in  Washington,  District  of  Columbia, 
which  position  she  occupies  at  present.  Wilhelmiua  Bornmann,  the 
only  daughter  of  John  and  Katherine  (Bald)  Bornmann  living  at 
present,  has  her  home  with  her  brother,  Henry  Bornmann. 

Settlers  of  1846 

Frederick  William  Sehmiedeskamp,  bom  March  8,  1807,  in 
Schoettmar,  Lippe-Detmold,  and  his  wife,  Henrietta,  nee  Brand,  born 
January  26,  1817,  in  the  same  town,  came  to  Quincy  in  1846. 
Sehmiedeskamp  was  a  stonemason  and  for  many  years  followed  his 
trade.  He  died  1879,  his  wife  departed  this  life  in  1899.  William 
Sehmiedeskamp,  the  eldest  son,  leanied  the  molder's  trade  and  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Excelsior  Stove  Compan.v.  He  married 
Louisa  Gerraann  and  later  moved  to  Camp  Point,  where  he  now  resides 
on  a  farm,  following  agricultural  pursuits.  Henry  E.  Sehmiedeskamp, 
the  eldest  son,  graduated  Maplewood  High  School  in  1894.  He 
entered  the  office  of  William  Schlagenhauf,  attorney  hi  Quincy,  where 


QUIXCY  AND  AD.UIS  COUNTY  375 

he  studied  law.  Earning  the  nionej-  to  pursue  a  college  course,  he 
matriculated  in  the  law  department  of  the  Michigan  State  University 
and  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1902.  lie  tlien  located  in  Quincy, 
practicing  law  in  this  city  ever  since. 

Carl  blester,  born  1812  in  Osnabrucek,  Hanover,  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1838.  and  located  in  St.  Louis,  where  he  married  Louise  Schultz, 
born  1814  in  Ilcrford,  Westphalia.  In  1846  the  family  came  to  Quincy, 
where  the  wife  died  in  1849.  Carl  ilcster  then  married  Henrietta 
"Weber,  born  1828  in  Lippe-Detmold.  For  many  years  he  was  engaged 
in  manufacturing  iione  meal.  Carl  Mester  died  in  1876,  his  wife 
departed  this  life  1911.  Ferdinand  blester,  a  son-  of  Carl  blester, 
born  May  26,  1840,  in  St.  Louis,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  war 
enlisted  in  the  Second  Illinois  Artillery  Regiment,  became  orderly- 
sergeant  of  Battery  11,  and  served  to  the  end  of  the  war;  he  died  in 
1916.  Carl  Mester,  Jr.,  an  adopted  sou  of  Carl  Mester,  Sr.,  enlisted 
in  Company  A,  Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry,  was  taken  prisoner, 
suffered  and  died  in  Andersonville  Prison.  Sons  of  Carl  Mester,  Sr., 
living:  George,  Theodore,  Albert.  Arthur;  daughters:  Mrs.  Melinda 
Bredenbeck  and  Mrs.  Henrietta  Schumacher. 

Anton  J.  Lubbe,  born  July  2,  1822,  in  Bakum,  Oldenburg,  emi- 
grated in  1845,  landing  in  Baltimore.  B^'rom  there  he  went  to  Cin- 
cinnati, where  he  entered  the  employ  of  a  locksmith,  intending  to 
learn  the  trade.  Learning  from  friends  in  Quincy  that  they  were 
pro.spering  in  this  city,  he  asked  for  a  furlough  to  visit  his  friends. 
This  being  granted,  he  in  1846  came  down  the  Ohio  River  by  tlatboat 
and  up  the  Mississippi  to  Quincy  l)y  steamboat.  He  was  so  well 
pleased  with  the  location  that  he  decided  to  settle  here.  Inquiring  of 
the  locksmith  in  Cincinnati,  what  it  would  cost  to  be  released  of  his 
further  obligations  as  apprentice,  the  man  wrote  that  $25  would 
square  things.  The  money  was  sent  to  the  boss,  and  Anton  J.  Lubbe 
went  into  co-partnershij)  with  Clemens  Kathmann,  opening  a  general 
store.  Three  years  later  the  firm  was  dissolved  and  -Mr.  Lubbe  went 
into  business  for  himself,  which  he  conducted  until  1SS3.  when  he 
devoted  his  attention  to  dealing  in  altar  wine  exclusively,  a  business 
in  which  he  had  been  engaged  since  1874.  In  1892  he  retired  to  pri- 
vate life,  and  died  ilay  10,  1894.  In  1849  Anton  J.  Lubbe  married 
Elizal)cth  Sander,  born  March  4,  1829,  she  died  October  29,  1898. 
Joseph  J.  Lubbe,  born  December  23^  1852,  is  the  only  son  living,  of 
a  family  of  twelve  children. 

Ernest  KnoUenberg,  born  August  18,  1804,  in  Osnabrueck.  Han- 
over, was  a  shoemaker,  and  came  to  Quincy  in  1846;  his  wife  was 
Kajlherinc  JIarie.  nee  Krclage,  born  October  17,  1814,  near  Osna- 
brucek. Ernest  KnoUenberg  died  1831;  his  widow  in  1852  became 
the  wife  of  John  Helmbold  and  departed  this  life  in  1869.  Frederick 
William   KnoUenberg,  .son  of  Enicst   and  Katlicrine  M.    (Krelage) 


376 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


Knollenberg,  borii  Dec-ember  2,  1849,  in  1872  went  into  business  as  a 
dealer  in  grain,  and  in  1876  entered  the  milling  business  with  John 
H.  Wavering  in  the  City  Mills.  In  1894  he  bought  out  Mr.  Wavering, 
and  continued  the  business,  incorporating  under  the  name  and  firm 
The  Knollenberg  Milling  Company,  being  very  successful  in  a  con- 
tinually growing  business.  In  187.3  Frederick  W.  Knollenberg  married 
Louisa  Pfansehmidt,  a  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer  Charles  C.  Pfan- 
schmidt.  She  was  born  April  4,  1854,  in  Ellington  Township,  and 
died  Mai-ch  19,  1908.  Children  living  are:  Fred  C.  Knollenberg, 
attorney.  El  Paso,  Texas;  Cora  E.  Johntz  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri, 
where  her  husband  is  with  the  Armour  Company;  Mary  E.  Orr,  in 
Camp  Grant  with  her  husband,  who  is  attached  as  lieutenant  and 
surgeon  to  the  Light  Artillery,  Three  Hundred  and  Thirty-third,  Field 
Hospital;  Florence,  wife  of  Philip  Herr,  the  latter  connected  with 
the  mill ;  Luella,  music  teacher  in  the  Quincy  Conservatory  of  Music ; 
and  Gladys  Paul,  granddaughter,  with  her  grandfather. 


John  Herman  Pape,  born  November  1,  1814,  in  Ahausen,  Han- 
over, married  Anna  Marie  Duker,  born  1818  in  Ankum,  Hanover. 
The  couple  emigrated  in  1845  and  landed  at  New  Orleans  December  1 
of  the  same  year.  They  then  came  to  St.  Louis  where  they  remained 
for  several  months,  finally  locating  in  Quincy  May  4,  1846.  Mr.  Pape, 
who  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  for  many  years  conducted  a  shop  in 
Quincy,  until  his  death  December  26,  1869.  His  widow  survived  him 
for  nearly  thirty  years,  departing  this  life  in  1898.  Theodore  Benedict 
Pape,  a  son  of  J.  H.  Nicholas  and  Anna  Marie  (Duker)  Pape,  was 
born  September  17,  1860.  After  completing  his  earlier  education  in 
the  common  schools,  he  took  an  advanced  course  of  studies  in  St. 
Francis  College  of  Quincy,  mastered  the  classical  branches  and  grad- 
uated. Desirous  of  becoming  a  member  of  the  legal  profession,  he 
entered  the  Michigan  State  University  at  Ann  Arbor  and  graduated 
with  the  class  of  1883.  Since  1884  he  has  been  an  honored  member 
of  the  bar  and  has  long  ranked  with  the  leading  attorneys.  He  was 
a  law  partner  of  the  late  Judge  Joseph  Sibley,  and  in  1889  became 
a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Carter  &  Govert.  When  Joseph  N. 
Carter  was  elevated  to  the  supreme  bench  of  the  state,  the  firm  con- 
tinued as  Govert  &  Pape,  and  later  became  Govert,  Pape  &  Govert. 
Official  honors  have  repeatedly  been  conferred  on  Theodore  B.  Pape. 
He  was  city  attorney  in  1887-1888,  and  became  corporation  counsel 
under  Mayor  John  A.  Steinbach,  May  1,  1895,  which  position  he  con- 
tinuously held  for  twelve  years,  1895  to  1906,  inclusive.  Then  came 
an  interval  of  two  years,  during  the  administration  of  Mayor  John  H. 
Best,  1907  and  1908.  John  A.  Steinbach  again  being  elected  for 
another  term  of  two  years,  Theodore  B.  Pape  was  reappointed  as 
corporation  counsel  and  served  two  more  years,  1909  and  1910,  four- 
teen years  in  all.  Having  been  instrumental  as  legal  adviser  of  Mayor 
Steinbach  in  solving  the  waterworks  problem,  Theodore  B.  Pape  was 
selected  as  the  representative  of  the  city  in  the  board  of  directors  of 


QriXCV  AND  ADAJIS;  COUNTY  377 

the  Citizens  Water  Works  Company,  which  had  been  organized  to 
conduct  the  waterworks  until  such  a  time  when  the  city  could  take 
over  the  plant  under  the  provisions  of  tlie  law,  and  he  held  that 
position  from  lt(04  up  to  IDIG.  When  tlie  city  thfii  acquired  the 
waterworks,  Theodore  B.  Pape  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  city 
waterworks  commission. 

William  Feigenspau,  born  at  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth 
century  in  Muehlhausen,  Tliuriiifria,  married  Reliccca  Roebling  of  the 
same  town.  The  family  emigrated  in  1846,  with  Quincy  a.s  their 
objective  point.  While  on  the  boat  nearing  this  city,  William  Feigen- 
spau died,  his  remains  were  brought  to  Quiney,  and  buried  here. 
^Irs.  Feigenspau,  nee  Roebling,  was  a  sister  of  John  Augustus 
Roebling,  the  great  civil  engineer,  a  graduate  of  the  Royal  Poly- 
technical  School,  Berlin,  who  located  in  Pennsylvania  in  the  '30s  of 
last  century,  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  but  soon  became  interested 
in  inland  navigation  through  canals,  and  afterward  in  building  of 
railroads  and  bridges.  lie  surveyed  the  line  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  over  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  constructed  an  aqueduct 
across  the  Alleghany  River  at  Pittsburgh,  supporting  the  structure 
by  wire  cables,  built  the  suspension  bridge  at  the  same  city  over  the 
Monongahela  River  in  1846,  and  two  years  later  ])ui]t  .several  sus- 
pension aqueducts  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal.  He  was  the 
fii-st  man  to  manufacture  wire  and  wire  cables  in  America.  Later  he 
removed  to  Trenton,  New  Jersej-,  and  in  1851  began  the  famous 
suspension  bridge  over  the  Niagara  River,  with  a  span  of  825  feet, 
supported  by  four  cables,  each  ten  inches  in  diameter,  which  was 
completed  in  four  years,  was  the  first  railroad  suspension  bridge 
built,  and  a  marvel  of  engineering  skill.  Afterward  he  built  a  fine 
bridge  over  the  Alleghany  River  at  Pittsburgh,  and  one  over  the 
Ohio  River  to  connect  Cincinnati  and  Covington.  In  1868  he  was 
selected  as  chief  engineer  of  the  great  East  River  Bridge  connecting 
New  York  and  Brookh-n.  While  superintending  the  initial  opera- 
tions of  its  construction  he  j-cceived  an  injury,  which  necessitated  the 
amputation  of  one  of  his  feet,  after  which  lockjaw  set  in  and  caused 
his  death  in  1869.  The  noble  stnieture  is  his  monument — designed 
by  him.  though  its  practical  achievement  is  due  to  his  son,  Washing- 
ton Augustus  Roebling,  who  completed  the  work  in  1883.  Rebecca 
(Roebling)  Feigenspau,  the  widow  of  William  Feigenspan,  in  1849 
became  the  wife  of  the  widower  Andrew  S.  Becker  in  Quiney.  Gustave 
G.  Feigenspan,  her  son,  bom  January  5,  1837,  in  ^luehlhausen,  was  a 
painter,  and  followed  his  occupation  for  many  years :  he  did  the  in- 
terior painting  of  the  mansion  erected  by  Governor  Wood  in  this 
city.  In  1861  he  married  Christine  Perz,  daughter  of  the  pioneer, 
John  Michael  Perz.  a  German  school  teacher  in  the  early  days  of 
Quiney.  Gustave  G.  Feigenspan  died  in  1868,  his  wife  departed 
this  life  May  5,  1916.  William  G.  Feigenspan,  son  of  Gustave  Q.  and 
Christine  (Perz)  Feigenspan,  was  born  in  Quiney.  February-  28,  1863. 


378  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

His  father  having  died  early  he,  as  soon  as  able,  sought  to  aid  his 
mother  in  supporting  the  family.  While  attending  school  he  worked 
as  sandcutter  in  a  stove  foundry  during  his  spare  time,  later  worked  as 
clerk  in  a  store,  attended  Gem  City  Business  College,  and  studied  law 
in  the  office  of  Sibley,  Carter  &  Govert.  He  served  as  assistant  to 
George  Brophy,  circuit  clerk,  prepared  himself  for  the  legal  profession, 
passed  an  examination  before  the  Supreme  Court  of  Illinois,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar.  In  1889  and  1890  he  was  elected  as  city 
attorney,  serving  two  terms  in  that  office,  and  has  practiced  law  for 
many  years. 

Settlers  op  1847 

Wendelin  Weber,  born  in  Unterabtsteinach,  Grandduchy  of  Hes- 
sen,  came  to  Quincy  in  1847,  and  for  many  years  was  active  as 
stonecutter  and  building  contractor.  He  married  Agatha  Peter,  a 
daughter  of  an  old  pioneer;  she  was  born  February  27,  1829,  in 
Eiegel,  Baden.  Wendelin  Weber  died  Slarch  11,  1873.  His  widow 
later  became  the  wife  of  Nicholas  Kohl,  and  departed  this  life  a 
number  of  years  ago. 

William  A.  Bader,  born  June  5,  1829,  in  Muehlhausen,  Thuringia, 
came  to  Quincy  in  1847,  and  in  1850  married  Wilhelmina  Kiiorr. 
She  died  in  1854,  and  in  1855  he  married  Dorothea  Schollmeyer.  For 
fifty-two  years  William  A.  Bader  conducted  a  cigar  factory  in 
Quincy,  and  departed  this  life  December  8,  1900.  William  F.  Bader, 
the  son,  for  many  years  has  been  engaged  in  the  cigar  business  in 
Quincy,  and  became  prominent  in  public  life,  serving  on  the  board 
of  supervisors  for  a  number  of  years. 

John  L.  Golm,  born  January  1,  1818,  in  Westen,  Hanover,  mar- 
ried Augusta  Lulf,  born  February  17,  1823,  in  Imshausen,  Hanover. 
The  couple  came  to  Quincy  in  1847,  where  John  L.  Golm  for  many 
years  was  active  a.s  a  cabinet  maker,  and  later  conducted  a  grocery 
store.  He  died  July  12,  1883,  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  June 
3,  1902.  Sons  were :  Frederick,  Pueblo,  Colorado ;  William,  Augusta, 
Illinois;  and  Julius,  Denver,  Colorado.  Daughters  were:  Louisa, 
wife  of  Herman  Schroeder,  druggist ;  Emilie,  wife  of  Rev.  E.  Kireh- 
ner;  Anna,  wife  of  Fred  Ledebrink,  architect;  Minna,  wife  of  H. 
Hokamp,  grocer;  and  Theresa,  wife  of  Dr.  C.  H.  Pfeiffer. 

Frank  A.  Heine,  born  1800  in  Allendorf,  Westphalia,  and  his  wife, 
Anna  Katheriue,  nee  Klier,  bom  1799  in  Allendorf,  emigrated  in 
1845.  They  came  by  way  of  New  Orleans  and  located  in  St.  Louis, 
where  Frank  A.  Heine  worked  as  smith  in  the  arsenal.  In  1847 
they  came  to  Quincy  by  boat,  and  Frank  A.  Heine  was  robbed  of  all 
his  money,  $600.  He  died  March  3,  1848,  his  wife  departed  this  life 
July,  1888.     Anton  H.  Heine,  born  Februaiy  22,  1833,  was  a  cigar- 


QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  379 

maker,  and  in  1853  went  to  California,  returning  in  1855.  ilay  6, 
1856,  he  married  Anna  H.  Surmeyer.  For  thirty  years  he  conducted 
a  cigar  store,  and  then  went  into  the  gi-ocery  business.  For  ten  years 
he  was  president  of  the  German  Insurance  and  Savings  Association, 
also  served  several  terms  on  the  board  of  supervisors. 

Andrew  Becker,  born  ITltG  in  Birkensteiu,  Thuringia,  came  to 
Quincy  with  his  family  in  1847.  His  wife  died  in  1856,  and  he 
later  married  Mrs.  R<}bccca  Feigenspan,  nee  Roebling,  who  also  pre- 
ceded him  in  death,  while  he  departed  this  life  in  1878.  Charles 
Becker,  the  son  of  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Andrew  Becker,  born  February 
11,  1825,  in  1856  married  ]\Iargaret  Kiem,  born  January  4,  1831,  near 
Eisenach,  Sachseu-Weiniar,  who  came  to  Quincy  in  1847.  Charles 
Becker  for  many  years  conducted  a  meat  market  in  this  city  and 
accumulated  considerable  wealth.  He  died  January-  2,  1892.  his 
wife  departed  this  life  May  10,  1914.  One  son,  Christian  Becker, 
and  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Anna  Lambrechts,  are  among  the  living. 

Jacob  Lock  was  born  September  20,  1816,  in  Niedervorschuetz, 
Principality  of  Hessen,  and  came  to  Quincy  with  his  wife,  Anna 
Katherine,  nee  Kuchinann,  in  1847.  For  many  years  he  conducted 
a  meat  market,  until  his  death  December  7,  1871 ;  his  wife  died  later. 
William  Lock,  the  eldest  son,  born  July  5,  1841,  grew  up  in  Quincy 
and  also  conducted  a  meat  market.  He  was  a  member  of  the  volun- 
teer fire  department  for  many  years  and  foreman  of  Liberty  No.  3, 
a  German  company.  Katherine,  the  eldest  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Anna  Katherine  (Kuchmann)  Lock,  was  born  in  1843  and  became  the 
wife  of  Bernard  Koyer,  bom  October  7,  1836,  in  Esehlohn,  West- 
phalia, who  came  to  Quincy  in  1856  and  lived  here  until  he  departed 
this  life,  June  24,  1914.  Three  sons,  Henrj-,  John  and  Conrad  Koyer 
conduct  a  poultry  farm  besides  following  market  gardening.  John 
Koyer,  a  member  of  the  firm,  is  also  an  active  member  of  the  Ruff- 
Koyer  Hardware  Company  in  Quincy. 

John  Scheer,  born  April  27,  1783,  in  Hirschhoni,  Bavaria,  and 
his  wife  Margaret,  nee  Heinrieh,  bom  December  23,  1790,  in  Erfen- 
bach,  Bavaria,  came  to  this  country  in  1827,  locating  in  Buffalo, 
New  York.  Later  they  went  to  Ohio,  and  finally  came  to  Adams 
County,  where  they  settled  near  Mill  Creek  in  1847,  and  John  Scheer 
followed  farming,  also  conducting  a  saw  and  grist  mill,  run  by  water 
power.  He  died  ilay  5,  1854,  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  March 
7,  1874.  David  Sheer,  l)orn  in  Buffalo,  New  York,  October  10,  1828, 
married  Elizabeth  Herlemann  in  1853.  For  many  years  he  was 
prominent  in  public  life,  for  seven  years  serving  as  supervisor  of 
Melrose  Township,  besides  holding  other  positions  of  honor  and 
trust.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  he  married  Henrietta  Jarand. 
^Fichael  Sheer,  also  a  son  of  John  and  Margaret  (Ileinrich)  Scheer, 
served  in  both  the  Mexican  and  Civil  wars. 


380 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


Dr.  Frauds  Dnide,  born  April,  1820,  in  Klein-Quentstadt,  near 
Halbei*stadt,  Prussia,  where  his  father  was  pastor,  studied  medicine 
in  a  college  at  Magdeburg.  After  graduation  he  in  1842  passed  an 
examination  before  the  medical  authorities  in  Berlin,  received  his 
diploma  and  was  admitted  to  practice.  Later  he  came  to  this  country, 
enlisted  in  the  army  of  the  United  States  in  the  war  with  Llexico,  and 
was  appointed  physician  and  surgeon  in  the  army.  After  that  war 
he  located  in  Quincy,  where  he  married  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Drude,  nee 
Herlemann,  widow  of  his  brother.  Rev.  Conrad  Drude,  who  was  pastor 
of  St.  John's  Church,  the  first  German  Protestant  church,  organized 
in  Quincy  in  1837.  Dr.  Francis  Drude  was  active  as  physician  in 
this  city  for  fifty  years,  his  death  occurring  in  1895,  His  widow  died 
June  4,  1906.  Four  daughters  survive:  The  Misses  Emma,  Julia 
and  Louisa  Drude,  and  Mrs.  Lillian  Meyer,  wife  of  John  Meyer,  the 
dry  goods  merchant. 

William  Metz,  born  1823  in  Marienfels,  Duchy  of  Nassau,  came  to 
America  with  his  parents  in  1833.  The  parents  were  Jacob  Metz 
and  wife,  nee  Haxel,  both  born  in  1790.  They  located  in  Iowa,  at 
that  time  a  territory,  at  a  point  where  the  city  of  Des  Moines  now 
stands,  where  they  for  many  years  lived  among  the  Indians.  Jacob 
Metz  died  in  1865,  his  wife  in  1881.  William  Metz  married  Anna 
Katherine  Kientzle,  born  1823  in  Moeglingen,  Wuerttemberg,  and  in 
1847  the  couple  came  to  Quincy,  where  William  Metz  was  connected 
with  F.  W.  Jansen  in  the  furniture  business,  and  later  with  Ferdinand 
Flachs  in  the  drug  business.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  '50s  he 
established  a  drug  business  of  his  own,  and  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  '60s  went  into  partnership  with  Aldo  Sommer,  continuing  in 
the  drug  business  until  his  death  in  1873;  his  wife  died  in  1897. 
George  Metz  is  the  only  son  living. 

The  Duker  family  for  many  years  has  been  prominent  in  Quincy 's 
business  circles.  Frank  Duker  horn  March  5,  1826,  in  Ankum,  Han- 
over, learned  the  cabinet-maker's  trade  in  his  home  town  and  emi- 
grated to  America,  landing  in  New  Orleans  December  1,  1845.  He 
remained  in  the  South  over  winter,  but  in  the  following  year  left 
for  St.  Louis,  where  he  remained  for  some  time  and  finally  came  to 
Quincy,  where  he  went  into  business  as  manufacturer  of  and  dealer 
in  furniture,  and  in  the  course  of  time  built  up  quite  a  business.  In 
1850  Frank  Duker  married  Caroline  Catherine  Schmidt,  born  October 
29,  1829,  in  Ankum.  Frank  Duker  died  July  14,  1894,  his  wife  de- 
parted this  life  November  7,  1908.  John  H.  Duker,  a  son,  born  in 
Quincy,  October  10,  1855,  followed  his  father  in  the  business  with 
his  brothers  Theodore,  John,  GeoVge  and  Henry,  but  now  is  the  only 
survivor,  conducting  the  furniture  store  in  partnership  with  Mrs. 
Clara  Duker,  the  widow  of  Henry  Duker.  April  22,  1880,  John  H. 
Duker  married  Margaret  Schwab,  a  daughter  of  Caspar  Schwab  of 
Quincy.    In  1847  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Duker,  the  widow  of  Gerhard  Duker, 


QIIXCV  AND  ADAMS  (orxiv  381 

left  Aiikuiii.  Hanover,  witli  tlirte  sons,  Henry,  Tlieodore  and  John 
Herinau  Duker.  They  came  by  way  of  New  Orleans  and  loeated 
in  Qiiiney.  Henry  Duker,  boru  iu  1822,  for  many  years  conducted 
a  general  store  iu  the  city,  aud  has  long  since  departed  this  life. 
Theodore  Duker,  born  May  6,  1829,  came  to  Quiney  iu  1847,  and 
learned  the  cooper's  trade  with  Theodore  Brinkhoff.  For  seven  years 
he  was  thus  engaged,  and  iu  the  coui-se  of  time  married  Eliza- 
beth Brinkhoff,  the  daughter  of  his  employer.  In  1854  Theodore 
Brinkhoff,  Theodore  Duker  aud  William  Barstadt  went  into  the 
grocery  business.  In  1857  Theodore  Duker  and  his  brother,  John 
II.  Duker,  bought  the  business  from  the  firm  and  conducted  the  same 
until  1871,  when  they  went  into  the  wholesale  liquor  business,  in 
which  they  were  very  successful.  William  T.  Duker,  a  son  of 
Theodore  and  Elizabeth  (Brinkhoff)  Duker,  born  in  this  city  Decem- 
ber 14,  1861,  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Quiucy  aud  later  pur- 
sued a  course  in  St.  Francis  College  and  the  Gem  City  Business 
College.  In  1883  he  formed  a  partnership  with  H.  B.  Jleuke,  under 
the  firm  name  Jlenke  &  Duker.  In  1893  Mr.  Duker  became  sole 
proprietor  of  the  business,  aud  in  1901  moved  to  more  spacious 
quarters.  The  business  grew  steadily  and  finally  he  bought  the  Doerr 
Building,  Sixth  and  Maine  streets,  which  he  remodeled  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  it  now  may  be  called  an  entirely  new  building.  February 
15,  1887,  "William  T.  Duker  married  Elizabeth  Bowles,  and  they  have 
one  daughter,  Edna  Duker,  and  one  son,  William  T.,  Jr.  Other  sons 
of  Theodore  aud  Elizabeth  (Brinkhoff)  Duker  are:  Hubert,  Otto, 
Chri.stian,  Antoue,  August  aud  Alois.  Daughters  are :  IMrs.  Eliza- 
beth Wand,  Mrs.  Marie  Hellhake,  Mrs.  Emma  Hilgenbrink  and 
Mathilde  Duker.  John  Herman  Duker,  boru  ^larch  28,  1833,  came  to 
Quiney  in  1847,  learned  the  saddler's  trade,  and  later  entered  into 
partnership  with  John  KuU,  conducting  a  harness  and  .saddlery  store. 
In  1859  he  sold  out,  and  iu  partnership  with  his  brother  Theodore 
Duker  conducted  a  grocery  store  until  1871,  when  the  brothers  went 
into  the  wholesale  liquor  trade.  In  1887  John  Herman  Duker  became 
one  of  the  stockholders  in  the  Quiney  National  Bank  and  was  shortly 
afterward  elected  president,  a  position  he  held  until  his  death.  In 
1856  John  Herman  Duker  married  Clara  Elizabeth  Glass,  born  in 
this  city,  a  daughter  of  Simon  and  Margaret  (Liebig)  Glass,  early 
pioneers  of  Quiney.  John  Herman  Duker  died  November  14,  1903, 
his  wife  departed  this  life  Febi-uary  8,  1913.  Sons  living  are: 
Simon,  who  carries  on  the  wholesale  li(iuor  business,  and  John  L., 
teller  at  the  Quiney  National  Bank.  Daughters  are:  Anna,  wife 
of  John  C.  Ording;  Antoninc.  wife  of  Dr.  A.  J.  Blickhau;  Helen 
Duker;  and  Clara,  wife  of  Harry  Beatty. 

Dr.  Charles  Augustus  William  Zimmermann,  born  December  6, 
1812.  in  Seesen,  Dueliy  of  Braunschweig,  was  tlie  sou  of  Max  ^Vnton 
and  Wilhelmiua  (Scheuk)  Ziinmermann,  both  born  iu  Seesen.  The 
son   attended  school  in  Seesen   until    fourteen  years  of  age.     Then 


382 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


he  entered  the  Collegium  Carolinnm  in  Braunschweig,  and  afte,:- 
graduation  matriculated  in  the  University  of  Goettingen,  where  he 
studied  medicine.  After  passing  examinations  in  Goettingen  and 
Braunschweig,  he  returned  to  Goettingen,  where  he  remained  for  two 
years  as  assistant  of  Dr.  Konrad  Johann  Martin  Langenbeck,  the 
celebrated  anatomist  and  surgeon.  Then  he  returned  to  Braunschweig, 
where  he  practiced  medicine  and  was  appointed  as  district  physiciaii. 
Dr.  C.  A.  W.  Zimmermann  married  Johanna  Mueller,  born  February 
2,  1813,  in  Helmstedt,  where  her  father  was  superintendent  of  the 
Lutheran  Church.  In  1846  the  family  emigrated,  landing  in  New 
York  October  1  of  that  year.  From  there  they  went  to  Lancaster, 
Ohio,  remained  during  the  winter,  and  in  the  following  spring 
came  to  Illinois,  arriving  in  Quincy  May  1,  1817.  Dr.  C.  A.  W. 
Zimmermann  practiced  medicine  in  this  city  for  more  than  twenty 
years  and  retired  January  1,  1869.  He  died  July  8,  1876,  his  wife 
having  preceded  him  in  death  January  4  of  the  same  year.  His 
father.  Max  Anton  Zimmermann,  died  April  18,  1863,  and  his  mother 
departed  this  life  June  16,  1874.  Dr.  William  Zimmermann,  eldest 
son  of  Dr.  C.  A.  W.  Zimmermann  and  wife,  was  bom  in  Bodenburg, 
Braunschweig,  November  29,  1841.  He  received  his  early  education 
from  private  tutors  in  Quincy,  and  was  taught  Latin  and  Greek 
by  Rev.  Christian  Popp  of  St.  John's  Lutheran  Church  in  this  city 
for  nearly  five  years.  In  1859  he  entered  the  University  of  Goettingen, 
and  later  the  University  of  Wuerzburg,  graduating  from  the  latter 
June  6,  1863.  Then  he  took  a  trip  of  three  months  through  Europe, 
returning  to  Quincy  in  September,  1863,  where  he  practiced  medicine 
and  surgery  with  his  father  and  his  brother.  Dr.  C.  A.  W.  Zimmer- 
mann, Jr.  Dr.  William  Zimmermann  married  Bertha  Braun,  born  in 
Washington,  Missouri.  Dr.  William  Zimmermann,  Jr.,  eldest  son  of 
Dr.  William  and  Bertha  (Braun)  Zimmermann,  born  August  31,  1873, 
attended  St.  Francis  Solanus  College  in  Quincy  for  seven  years,  tak- 
ing a  thorough  classical  course.  Then  he  entered  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  Washington  University,  St.  Louis,  where  he  studied  medicine 
for  three  years.  After  graduation  he  took  a  post-graduate  course 
at  one  of  the  best  medical  colleges  in  New  York  City.  Dr.  Ernest 
Zimmermann,  brother  of  the  before  mentioned,  born  in  Quincy,  No- 
vember 27,  1876,  took  a  classical  course  in  St.  Francis  Solanus  Col- 
lege, then  entered  the  medical  department  of  Washington  University 
at  St.  Louis,  and  after  graduation,  was  appointed  as  first  a.ssistant 
in  the  female  hospital  in  St.  Louis.  Later  he  took  a  post-graduate 
course  in  New  York  City,  then  returned  to  Quincy,  where  he  has 
since  been  established  in  the  medical  profession  with  his  brother, 
Dr.  William  Zimmermann,  Jr.  Dr.  Charles  Augustus  William  Zim- 
mermann, Jr.,  second  son  of  Dr.  Charles  Augustus  William  and 
Johanna  (Mueller)  Zimmermann,  was  born  in  Bodenburg,  Braun- 
schweig, March  1,  1843,  came  to  Quincy  with  his  parents,  and  after 
receiving  the  necessary  preliminary  education,  went  to  Germany  in 
1865,  where  he  studied  medicine  in  the  universities  of  Goettingen  and 


QUINXY  AND  ADA.MS  COUNTY  383 

Wuerzburg.  Graduating  in  1869  he  returned  to  Quinoy,  where  he 
practiced  medicine  with  his  brother,  Dr.  William  Zimmermann,  until 
January  1,  1900,  when  he  with  his  family  moved  to  St.  Louis,  depart- 
ing this  life  June  29,  1902.  His  wife  was  Antoinette  "Walter,  born 
in  Brooklyn,  New  York.  Dr.  Charles  Zimmermann,  son  of  Dr.  C.  A. 
W.  and  Antoinette  (Walter)  Zimmermann,  bom  in  Quincy  June  27, 
1875,  attended  the  same  preliminary  schools  and  colleges  frequented 
by  his  before  mentioned  cousins,  and  for  two  yeai-s  was  assistant  in 
the  city  hospital  and  the  female  hospital  of  St.  Louis.  Finally  he 
became  first  assistant  under  Professor  Baumgarten  in  the  meilical 
department  of  Washington  University,  St.  Louis,  and  practicing 
physician.  Maria  Johanna,  daughter  of  Dr.  C.  A.  W.  and  Johanna 
(Mueller)  Zimmermann,  born  February-  7,  1846,  came  to  Quincy 
with  her  parents,  and  in  1866  was  married  to  W^illiam  Ilunerwadel, 
who  was  born  in  Lenzburg,  Switzerland,  and  came  to  Quincy  in  1864, 
where  he  became  interested  in  the  City  Spring  ^Mills.  Later  the 
family  moved  to  Monroe  City,  Missouri,  locating  on  a  farm.  !Mrs. 
Hunerwadel  died  about  a  year  ago,  her  husband  followed  her  in 
death  later.  One  son,  Carl  Hunerwadel,  is  engaged  as  salesman  for  a 
wholesale  grocery  house  in  Indiana,  the  other  son,  William  Huner- 
wadel, Jr.,  lives  on  the  home  farm  at  Monroe  City,  Missouri. 

Settlers  of  1848 

Frank  J.  Schleich,  born  February  26,  1812,  in  Landsberg,  near 
Halle,  learned  the  dyer's  trade.  He  married  W^ilhelmina  Mathesius, 
born  August  24,  1810,  in  Kottbus,  Silesia.  In  1848  the  family  came 
to  America,  landing  at  Baltimore.  They  crossed  the  Alleghanys  by 
wagon  to  Pittsburgh,  from  there  down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  ^lissis- 
sippi  to  Quincy,  where  they  located,  and  Frank  J.  Schleich  conducted 
a  tannery  at  Sixth  and  State  streets  until  death,  July  21,  1851 ;  the 
widow  survived,  departing  this  life  IMay  21,  1903.  Two  dauglilers 
reside  in  Quincy,  ilrs.  Adolphina  Schott,  widow  of  John  B.  Schott,  and 
ilrs.  Beata  Sanftleben,  widow  of  John  Sanftleben. 

John  Philip  Germann,  born  June  17,  1819,  in  Alsbach,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Hessen,  was  a  shoemaker.  In  1846  he  came  to  New  York, 
where  he  married  Anna  Maria  Brenner,  February  17,  1848  In 
October  of  the  same  year  they  came  to  Quincy,  where  Mr.  Germann 
for  many  years  followed  his  trade.  Henry  Germann,  a  .son,  for  many 
years  was  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in  this  city,  finally  retired 
and  now  is  interested  in  the  Broadway  Bank,  being  vice  president  of 
the  institution.  Louisa,  wife  of  William  Schmiedeskanip,  and  Mclinda, 
wife  of  Orlando  Cavolt,  are  daughters  of  John  Philip  and  Anna  M. 
(Brenner)  Germann.  Henry  Germann  married  Dr.  ^lelinda  Knap- 
heide.     Their  cliildren  are   Aldo  and   Ilildegarde. 

Herman  Schroer,  born  September  22,  1824,  in  Breslau,  Silesia, 
came  to  Quincy  in  1848,  and  on  March  15,  1852,  married  Louise 


384  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Delabar,  daughter  of  Anton  and  Barbara  (Linuemann)  Delabar,  the 
first  child  of  German  parents  born  in  Quincy.  Herman  Schroer  was 
a  goldsmith  by  trade,  which  he  had  learned  in  his  home  town,  and 
was  a  master  in  his  art  of  making  fine  metal  work.  He  also  was  the 
inventor  of  the  firet  gasoline  lami>  used  in  Quiney.  For  some  time 
he  was  captain  of  the  Quincy  Jaeger,  a  German  militia  company 
organized  by  his  father-in-law,  Capt.  Anton  Delabar.  Herman  Schroer 
died  September  5,  1866,  his  wife  departed  this  life  March  9,  1909. 
Duke  Schroer,  city  clerk  of  Quincy,  is  the  only  son  living. 

The  Sien  family  were  among  the  early  settlers  in  Quincy.  Ernest 
Sien,  bom  1822  in  Wieda,  Braunschweig,  came  to  America  in  18-14, 
locating  in  New  Braunfels,  Texas,  but  came  to  Quincy  in  1848  where 
he  for  many  years  was  engaged  as  locksmith  and  brass  foimder.  He 
died  January  4,  1884,  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  nee  Klostermann,  departed 
this  life  in  1902.  Ludwig  Sien,  born  1819,  also  came  to  Quincy  in 
1848.  He  was  ,a  cabinet  maker,  worked  at  his  trade  for  many  years 
and  died  in  1874.  Carl  Sien,  born  in  1824,  married  Friederike 
Guenthcr,  and  came  to  Quincy  with  his  family  in  1853.  He  was  a 
brass  founder,  being  engaged  in  his  calling  until  his  death,  September 
28,  1900.  One  son,  Frederick,  went  to  Unionville,  Montana ;  the  other 
son,  William  Sien,  for  years  has  been  prominent  in  the  grocery  busi- 
ness in  Quincy.  J\Irs.  Friederike  Kespohl,  widow  of  Julius  Kespohl, 
the  dry  goods  merchant,  is  the  only  daughter  of  Carl  and  Friederike 
(Guenther)  Sien  living. 

Herman  L.  Lagemann  and  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  nee  Voecker,  both 
born  1811  in  Wittlage,  Hanover,  came  to  Quinej'  in  1848.  Mr. 
Lagemann  followed  his  trade  as  stonemason  for  some  time,  then  went 
into  the  grocery  business,  and  finally  started  a  mill,  grinding  corn, 
rye  and  buckwheat,  also  making  grits  of  oats  and  barley.  He  died 
August  26,  1868,  his  wife  departed  this  life  October  3,  1883.  Henry 
Lagemann,  the  eldest  son,  for  many  years  assisted  his  father  in 
business,  and  from  1870  to  1872  was  chief  of  the  fire  department :  he 
died  November  3,  1882.  Louis  Lagemann,  another  son  of  Herman 
and  Elizabeth  (Voecker)  Lagemann,  conducted  a  grocery  store  from 
1863  to  1868,  and  then  went  into  the  hardware  business,  which  he 
conducted  with  his  sons  for  a  number  of  years.  For  twenty-two 
years  he  served  in  the  fire  department,  being  assistant  chief  for 
twelve  years.  He  died  years  ago.  Arthur  Lagemann,  a  son,  is 
United  States  revenue  collector  in  Quincy. 

Anton  Wavering,  born  in  Duelmen,  Westphalia,  and  his  wife, 
Elizabeth,  nee  Bergfeld,  came  to  Quincy  in  1848,  where  Wavering, 
who  was  a  carpenter,  followed  his  trade  until  his  death,  November, 
1855 ;  his  wife  departed  this  life  January,  1880.  John  H.  Wavering, 
the  son,  born  1837,  learned  rope-making  under  Benjamin  M.  Prentiss. 
In  1873  he,  with  Frank  Williams,  started  the  City  Mill,  in  1876  be- 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COINTY  385 

coming  associated  with  F.  W.  KiioUeuberg.  After  thirty  years  of 
active  business  life  he  retired.  lie  tlieu  bought  the  Tellico  ilill, 
wliieh  has  since  been  conducted  l)y  liis  sons,  Anton,  Hernard,  Henry, 
^ViIliam  and  Lawrence  Wavering.  In  1859  John  II.  Wavering  mar- 
ried Bemardine  Steinbreclier.  For  many  years  he  was  active  in  the 
volunteer  fire  department,  organized  t'ompany  No.  6  and  did  not 
rest  until  they  acquired  a  steam  engine.  He  also  served  four  terms 
in  the  city  council,  as  representative  of  the  Sixth  Ward. 

Henry  Ertz  Janscn,  born  May  25,  1802,  in  Ostfriesland,  married 
Hilda  Matthesen,  and  for  many  years  was  active  as  merchant.  In 
1848  the  family  came  to  Quincy,  and  located  on  a  farm  east  of  town. 
In  1855  they  returned  to  the  city,  where  Jansen  for  manj^  j-ears  con- 
ducted a  general  store,  also  a  tobacco  factory.  His  first  wife  having 
died  in  1852,  he  in  1855  married  Mary  Vablc,  and  she  died  in  1875). 
Later  Henry  E.  Jansen  made  his  home  witli  iiis  daughter,  ilrs.  Henry 
Schanz,  near  Mill  Creek,  where  he  died  July  12,  1884.  Sons  were : 
Richard  Jansen,  for  many  years  a  notai-j^  in  Quincy,  also  secretary 
of  the  German  Insurance  and  Savings  Association;  Leonard  Jansen 
went  to  California  many  years  ago ;  Henry  H.  Jansen,  for  many  years 
an  attorney  in  Quincy;  IMatthew  Janson,  served  in  the  Civil  war,  and 
became  captain  of  Company  A,  Twenty -seventh  Illinois  Infantry;  and 
Theodore  Jansen  who  served  in  the  same  regiment.  All  the  sons 
mentioned  have  departed  this  life. 

Simon  H.  Pieper.  born  1S127  in  Lippe  DetiUDld,  came  to  Quincy 
in  1848,  and  for  many  years  worked  in  the  furniture  factorv'  of 
F.  W.  Jansen.  His  wife  was  Marie,  nee  Voelker,  and  both  died  in 
1901.  John  F.  Pieper,  the  son,  born  in  Quincy  July  2,  1854,  attended 
school  until  sixteen  years  of  age.  Tben  he  worked  on  a  farm  f<ir 
six  years.  Finally  he  learned  the  cabinet  maker '.s  trade  in  the  factory 
of  F.  W.  Jansen.  He  then  entered  the  employ  of  the  Joseph  Knittel 
Show  Ca.se  Company,  and  two  years  later,  in  1876,  went  into  business 
for  himself.  Later  he  went  into  partnership  with  Henry  C.  Pfeiffer, 
under  the  firm  style  J.  F.  Pieper  &  Company,  and  in  1888  the  business 
was  incorporated  under  the  name  Quincy  Show  Case  "Works,  wliich 
in  the  course  of  time  became  one  of  the  most  important  industries 
in  the  city,  employing  ninety  and  more  persons.  John  F.  Piejier  is 
president  and  manager  of  the  works.  John  F.  Pieper  married  I^ouisa 
Erke,  a  daughter  of  Frank  Erke,  a  farmer,  one  of  the  early  settlers 
in  Liberty  Township.  They  have  two  sons.  Henry  F.  Pieper,  assistant 
manager,  and  J.  Frank  Pieper.  in  the  period  fnrnilnrc  business  in 
Quincy. 

John  Bernard  Heckenkamp,  born  October  26,  1806.  in  Coesfeld, 
Westj)halia.  and  his  wife,  Anna  Kathcrine,  nee  Xagel,  born  P^ebruary 
24,  1802,  in  the  same  town,  came  to  Quincy  in  1848.  With  them 
came  their  sons,  Jolni   Hi'nry.  iHirn   December  22.   1840,  and  Frank 

Vol.  I— S5 


386  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

William,  born  April  22,  1844;  also  the  widow  Anna  ilarie  Hee-ken- 
kamp,  born  October  14,  1784,  two  brothers,  Bernard  and  Henry,  and 
two  sisters,  Marie  and  Gertrude  Heckenkamp.  In  1849  the  family 
located  on  a  farm  in  Melrose,  where  John  Bernard  Heckenkamp  for 
many  years  followed  agriculture.  Frank  William  Heckenkamp,  the 
son  born  in  1844,  for  thirteen  years  was  engaged  as  teacher,  three 
years  in  a  public  school  in  Melrose  and  ten  yeai-s  as  teacher  of  St. 
Mary's  Parochial  School  in  (^uincy,  he  also  being  organist  in  the 
church.  For  four  years  he  served  as  alderman,  representing  the 
Third  Ward  in  the  city  council,  for  several  years  he  was  president 
of  the  German  Insurance  and  Savings  Association,  and  for  twenty- 
five  years  active  as  justice  of  the  peace.  F.  William  Heckenkamp, 
Jr.,  a  son  of  the  before  mentioned,  is  a  florist  and  for  many  years  has 
conducted  a  greenhouse  in  Quincy.  He  also  is  supreme  president 
of  the  Western  Catholic  Union. 

Herman  Henry  Knapheide,  born  September  15,  1824,  in  Lengerich, 
Westphalia,  came  to  New  Orleans  in  1845.  He  soon  left  for  St. 
Louis,  w^here  he  in  1847  married  Katherine  Achelpohl.  born  JIarch 
16,  1823,  in  Borgholzhausen,  Westphalia.  The  couple  came  to  Quincy 
in  1848,  where  Herman  H.  Knapheide  for  many  years  conducted  a 
Avagon  factory,  until  his  death  August  15,  1890;  his  wife  died  Feb- 
ruary, 1916.  Henry  Edward  Knapheide,  eldest  son,  born  April  4, 
1855,  in  Quincy,  is  now  conducting  the  business  founded  by  his  fa- 
ther. He  married  Augusta  Beck,  born  in  Berea,  Ohio.  Their  son, 
Harold,  is  assistant  manager  of  the  works.  William  Samuel  Knap- 
heide, second  son  of  Herman  H.  and  Katherine  (Achelpohl)  Knap- 
heide, born  April  14,  1865,  attended  the  public  schools.  He  also  was 
taught  in  the  German  school  of  the  First  German  IMethodist  Church, 
Rev.  Frank  Gruenewald,  of  Biebelsheim,  Grandduchy  of  Hessen,  being 
his  tutor,  in  a  school  of  forty  pupils.  He  then  attended  the  Quincy 
High  School  and  the  Gem  City  Business  College.  Later  he  attended 
the  Quincy  College  of  Medicine.  After  graduation  he  went  to  Brook- 
lyn, New  York,  where  he  attended  Long  Island  Medical  College, 
Finally  he  went  to  Europe,  where  he  studied  in  the  University  of 
Vienna  under  Rudolph  von  Billroth,  chief  surgeon  of  the  university ; 
then  in  the  University  of  Berlin  under  Ernst  von  Bergmann ;  and 
in  the  University  of  Strassburg,  under  Carl  von  Recklinghausen. 
After  a  course  in  Leopold's  Female  Clinic,  he  visited  the  hospitals 
in  Paris  and  London,  and  returning  to  America  in  1892,  he  began 
his  practice  in  Quincy,  was  appointed  physician  in  charge  of  Blessing 
Hospital  continuously  for  twenty-six  years,  and  as  surgeon  for  fifteen 
years.  In  1893  he  married  ^lay  Ellen  Brenner,  a  daughter  of  Henrv 
Brenner,  born  in  ilendon,  Adams  County.  Melinda  (Knapheide)  Ger- 
mann,  the  wife  of  Henry  Germann,  is  a  daughter  of  Herman  H.  and 
Katherine  (Achelpohl)  Knapheide.  She  was  born  in  Quincy  and 
studied  in  the  Quincy  College  of  Medicine.  Then  she  attended  the 
University  of  Zuerich,  Switzerland,  where  .she  graduated  in  the  de- 


(JllXCV   AM)   ADAMS  ('((rXTV  :;^7 

partmcnt  of  inctlifiiie.     After  her  giadiiatidii  slie  retunu'd  to  Quincy, 
where  she  has  been  praetieiiig  her  iirofessiou  ever  since. 

The  name  of  Jolni  A.  Steinliaeli  will  over  lie  renieniliereil  in  the 
liistory  of  (^uiney,  as  prominent  among  the  men  who  made  their  mark 
in  this  community.  He  was  horn  in  Bethel,  Missouri,  January  28, 
1847,  and  came  to  Ijuiney  with  his  parents  in  184)^.  His  fatlier  was 
John  Adam  ISteinliaeh,  horn  in  Wimmenan,  Alsace,  .March  4,  1821, 
and  his  mother  Marie  Rebecca,  nee  Scheid,  born  in  Economy,  Ohio, 
December  8,  1825.  The  grandfather's  name  also  was  John  Adam 
Steinbach,  and  he  served  for  eigiit  years  under  Napoleon  1,  took 
part  in  the  latter 's  memorable  march  with  500,000  men  to  Moscow  in 
1812,  saw  the  rise  and  witnessed  the  downfall  of  the  great  Coi-sican, 
and  was  one  of  three  out  of  his  company  of  300,  who  returned  from 
that  terrible  expedition.  In  1828  the  family  came  to  America,  locat- 
ing in  Stark  County,  Ohio,  where  they  for  seventeen  years  followed 
agricultural  pursuits.  Then  they  with  others  .joined  Keil's  Colony 
in  Bethel,  Missouri,  and  in  1865  John  Adam  Steinliach,  the  granil- 
father,  with  his  wife,  Kathcrine,  nee  Stanimlcr,  crossed  the  plains  to 
Oregon,  where  the  wife  died  in  1874,  and  her  husband  departed  this 
life  October  31,  1879.  John  Adam  Hteinbach,  the  son  of  the  above 
mentioned,  after  his  arrival  in  Quincy,  followed  his  trade  as  black- 
smith until  his  death,  December  6,  1852.  His  widow  later  became  the 
wife  of  Philip  Steinliach,  a  widower  and  brother  of  her  fii-st  husband. 
John  A.  Steinbach,  the  son  of  John  Adam  and  Marie  Rebecca  (Scheid) 
Steinbach,  grew  up  in  this  city,  received  a  fair  common  school  educa- 
tion, and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years  was  apprenticed  to  Henry 
Blomer,  from  whom  he  learned  the  bricklayer's  trade.  In  February, 
1865,  he  enlisted  in  Company  D,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eightli 
Illinois  Infantry,  and  was  soon  elected  first  lieutenant  of  the  company. 
After  the  war  he  resumed  work  at  his  trade,  and  in  1871  engaged  in 
the  brick  contracting  business  with  his  step-father,  Philip  Steinliach, 
and  later  with  his  step-brother,  Philip  Steinbach,  Jr.,  the  firm  Stein- 
bach lirothcrs  in  the  course  of  time  became  jirominent  as  contractors, 
having  done  the  brick  work  on  many  public  buildings,  business  blocks 
and  tine  resiliences  in  this  state,  Iowa  and  Missouri.  Early  in  life 
John  A.  Steinbach  took  an  interest  in  the  volunteer  fire  department, 
and  in  1869  was  foreman  of  Neptune  ("oni]iany  No.  4,  in  the  course 
of  time  holding  various  positions,  until  in  l.s75  he  was  appointed  chief 
engineer,  an  office  which  he  held  until  1885  when  he  declined  reap- 
pointment. I'nder  liis  management  many  improvements  were  made, 
and  the  fire  department  brought  uji  to  the  highest  stage  of  efficiency. 
In  1895  John  A.  Steinbach  was  elected  mayor,  a  position  which  he  held 
for  twelve  years  in  succession,  1895  to  1906,  inclusive.  Then  came  an 
interval  of  two  years,  John  II.  Best  serving  as  mayor  in  1907  and 
1908.  In  1909  and  1910,  John  A.  Steinbach.  being  again  electe<l. 
served  for  two  more  years,  making  fourteen  years  in  all.  During  Ins 
administration  many  (juestions  of  far-reaching  imi)ortance  were  jire- 


388  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

sented  and  settled.  The  public  debt  was  steadily  reduced,  and  the 
credit  of  the  city  advanced,  until  refunding  bonds  could  be  floated  at 
4  per  cent  interest.  Many  miles  of  poriuanent  street  paving  were 
put  down,  and  the  sewerage  system  largely  extended.  To  John  A. 
Steinbaeh  belongs  the  credit  of  solving  the  waterworks  problem,  which 
had  been  agitating  the  public  mind  for  many  years.  With  the  aid  of 
Theodore  B.  Pape,  who  as  corporation  counsel  managed  the  legal  end 
of  the  question,  a  plan  was  evolved  and  successfully  carried  through, 
under  which  the  City  of  Quincy  today  is  the  owner  of  its  waterworks. 
It  took  a  man  of  the  character  of  John  A.  Steinbaeh  to  accomplish 
this,  a  man  with  a  fixed  purpose,  of  untiring  energy  and  a  firm  deter- 
mination to  do  things,  in  spite  of  all  obstacles  that  presented  them- 
selves during  the  many  years  of  his  aduainistration  of  city  affairs. 
In  settling  that  vexed  question  he  has  built  himself  a  monument  for 
all  time  to  come.  In  1868  John  A.  Steinbaeh  married  Barbara  Weisen- 
burger,  born  in  Neuburg  on  the  Rhine,  she  died  in  1891.  October 
8,  1903,  he  married  for  the  second  time,  choosing  the  widow  Marie 
Mast,  nee  Fritsch,  born  in  Gengenbach,  Baden.  John  A.  Steinbaeh 
died  April  6,  1915.  His  widow  survives.  Six  daughters  of  John 
A.  and  Barbara  (Weisenburger)  Steinbaeh  are  among  the  living: 
Lenore,  wife  of  George  Grimmer,  in  Quincy,  Delia,  wife  of  William 
Kocks,  in  St.  Louis ;  Mrs.  Lawrence  March,  a  widow ;  Edith,  wife  of 
Joseph  Einhaus,  in  Quincy;  iliss  Ruth  Steinbaeh,  in  Texas;  and 
Marguerite,  wife  of  Will  Campbell,  in  Parsons,  Kansas.  Philip 
Steinbaeh,  Jr.,  horn  in  Quincy  August  24,  1849,  grew  up  in  this  city 
and  in  tlie  course  of  time  learned  the  tinner's  trade,  afterward  he 
learned  bricklaying  and  for  many  years  was  in  business  with  his  step- 
brother, John  A.  Steinbaeh,  contractors  and  builders.  Philip  Stein- 
baeh married  Laura  Grimm,  daughter  of  George  Grimm,  one  of 
Quincy 's  pioneers.  They  have  one  son,  Elmer,  in  business  with  his 
father  as  contractor,  and  five  daughters,  Laura,  wife  of  Herbert 
Ferree,  in  El  Pa.so,  Texas;  Mrs.  Myra  Farrar,  in  New  York  City; 
Emma,  wife  of  Dr.  Paul  Lense,  dentist  in  St.  Louis;  Edna,  wife  of 
William  Awerkamp,  in  Quincy;  and  Viola,  wife  of  Charles  Rump, 
civil  engineer  in  Denver,  Colorado.  Daughters  of  Philip  and  ]Marie 
Rebecca  (Seheid)  Steinbaeh  are:  Mrs.  Magdalene  Liese  and  I\Irs. 
Bertha  Kolil,  both  in  St.  Louis ;  ilrs.  Amanda  Steinbeck  and  Mrs. 
Cora  Rummenie,  both  in  Quincy. 

Settlers  op  1849 

Bernard  Henry  Middendorf,  born  1820  in  Berge,  Oldenburg,  came 
to  America  in  1843,  locating  in  St.  Louis,  where  he  married  Marie 
Elizabetli  Jessing,  born  in  Ahausen,  Hanover.  October  28,  1821. 
In  1849  they  came  to  Quincy,  where  Bernard  H.  iliddendorf  for  a 
number  of  years  was  engaged  as  a  contractor  for  stone  masonry. 
Then  he  went  into  the  grocery  business  until  he  died.  October  22, 
1885;  his  wife  departed  this  life  February  8,  1905.     Sons  surviving 


(iUINCY  AND  ADA.MS  ("OINTV  :}89 

are:  William,  president  of  tlif  Broadway  Hank  and  troasurcr  oi"  the 
Middendorf  Bros.  Company,  dealers  in  lumber  and  building  material ; 
he  also  served  in  the  city  council.  Theodore  is  presiilent.  and  Henry 
is  vice  president  of  the  Middemlorf  Bros.  Company.  Another  sou 
studied  for  the  priesthood,  Father  Rogerius  Middendorf,  and  he 
is  stationed  at  Teutopolis,  Illinois. 

Frederick  Pape,  tioiii  August  24,  1820,  in  Soehlde,  Hanover,  at 
the  age  of  si.\teen  began  to  learn  tlie  milling  business.  In  1847  he 
eame  to  America  and  worked  as  miller  in  Uubmiue,  Iowa.  Two  years 
later,  1849,  he  eame  to  Adams  County,  and  conducted  a  windmill  in 
Payson  Townsliip.  Later  Mr.  Pape  bought  the  mill  of  Gilead  Bar- 
tholeraew  on  Mill  Creek,  which  was  inin  by  water  power,  he  introduc- 
ing steam  power.  In  1851  Frederick  Pape  married  ilargaret  Eaton, 
born  in  Scotland,  April,  1826.  She  died  July  14,  1862.  In  June, 
1878,  he  married  for  the  second  time,  choosing  .Mrs.  Jeannette  Palmer, 
widow  of  John  Palmer,  and  sister  of  his  first  wife.  Frederick  Pape 
died  October  21,  1895.  His  son,  William  Pa])e,  is  the  i)artncr  of 
Charles  F.  Loos,  they  conducting  the  Acme  Mills  in  Quincy,  under 
the  firm  name  Pape  &  Loos. 

John  Schlag.  born  February  2,  1820,  in  Unterabtsteinach,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Hessen,  married  Elizabeth  Rauck,  born  May  25,  1819,  in 
Dieburg,  Hessen.  In  1847  they  emigrated,  landing  in  Now  Orleans, 
and  in  1849  located  in  Quincy.  John  Schlag  was  a  tinner,  and  fol- 
lowed his  trade  until  he  died.  May  5,  1860,  his  wife  departing  this 
life  July  16,  1896.  George  Schlag,  the  son,  born  March  8.  1858, 
after  receiving  a  fair  common  school  education,  early  in  life  went 
to  work  in  the  tobacco  factory  of  Goodman  &  Turner.  Later  he  was 
employed  in  the  grocery  store  of  Ording  &  Gla.ss  for  four  years.  In 
December,  1885,  he  joined  the  fire  department  as  minute-man,  and 
the  following  spring  was  appointed  as  roundsman.  After  five  years' 
work  he  was  appointed  chief  engineer,  ^lay  6,  1891,  a  position  he  held 
for  many  years. 

Senator  Bernard  Arntzen,  born  1884  in  Suedlohn.  Westphalia, 
came  to  Quincy  in  1849,  where  lie  for  four  years  was  engaged  in  the 
drug  business.  He  then  studied  law,  and  attended  a  college  in  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  in  1856  and  1857,  graduating  with  high  honors.  Locat- 
ing in  Quincy,  he  was  elected  as  city  attorney  in  i860,  and  soon 
gained  a  reputation  as  public  speaker.  In  1861  he  married  Martha 
M.  Munn  of  Keokuk,  Iowa.  Being  nominated  for  the  Senate  of  the 
State  Legislature  by  the  democratic  party  in  1874,  he  was  elected 
and  served  for  four  years  as  representative  of  this  district  in  the 
upper  house  at  Springfield.  During  President  Cleveland's  second 
term,  Bernard  Arntzen  was  appointed  as  Indian  agent  in  Montana. 
Bernard  Arntzen  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  many  years  ago. 
One  son  was  engaged  in  business  in  St.  Louis,  another  son  in  C'hicago. 


390  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  daughter  became  the  wife  of  Major  Townsend,  Government  engi- 
neer in  Rock  Island,  Illinois. 

Frank  Henry  Kehlenbrink,  born  December  3,  1811,  in  Borgholz- 
hausen,  Westphalia,  in  1829  married  ilarie  Wittbrot,  born  Novem- 
ber 17,  1806,  in  Werder,  Westphalia.  The  family  emigrated  in  1846, 
arrived  in  St.  Louis  January  1,  1847,  remained  there  for  two  years 
and  came  to  Quincy  in  1849.  Here  they  located  on  a  farm  immediately 
south  of  the  city.  In  1855  they  moved  to  town,  where  Frank  H. 
Kehlenbrink  went  into  the  grocery  business,  also  packing  hogs  in  the 
winter  time.  In  1866  he  bought  tifteen  acres  of  land  southeast  of 
the  city  and  started  a  vineyard.  Everything  was  conducted  in  a 
systematic  manner.  Besides  the  product  of  his  own  vineyard,  he 
bought  large  cjuantities  of  grapes  from  others,  so  that  the  result 
of  his  enterprise  amounted  to  from  50,000  to  60,000  gallons  of  wine 
annually.  He  also  made  cider  in  great  quantities.  Frank  H.  Kehlen- 
brink died  April  12,  1881,  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  December 
20,  1886.  Daughters  were :  Katherine,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Foote, 
Jr.,  a  son  of  Rev.  Thomas  Foote ;  Minna,  the  wife  of  Valentine 
Stegmiller,  proprietor  of  a  boiler  works;  ]\Iarie,  the  wife  of  William 
Winkelmann,  building  contractor ;  and  Louisa,  the  wife  of  Richard 
Jansen,  notary  and  insui'ance  agent.  Oidy  Mrs.  Louisa  Jansen  sur- 
vives, having  her  home  in  Chicago. 

Dr.  ^Michael  J.  Roeschlaub  was  born  February  2,  1806,  in  Bavaria, 
where  his  father.  Dr.  Andrew  Roeschlaub  was  private  medical  coun- 
selor to  the  king  and  dean  of  the  faculty  of  the  University  of  Munich. 
Michael  J.  Roeschlaub  pursued  his  studies  at  the  University  of 
Munich,  graduated  from  the  literary  school  in  1825,  and  in  1828 
received  his  diploma  as  physician  and  surgeon.  After  practicing 
medicine  and  surgery  in  ]\Iunich  for  four  years,  he  was  appointed 
as  district  physician,  a  position  which  he  held  initil  1845,  when  he 
resigned  and  came  to  America,  locating  in  Palmyra,  Missouri.  In 
January,  1849,  he  came  to  Quincy,  where  he  for  many  years  practiced 
his  profession  until  his  death  in  1885.  Dr.  Michael  J.  Roeschlaub  was 
twice  married.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  he  married  Margaret 
Sawers  in  Bavaria,  October  10,  1843.  Children  living  are :  Robert  S. 
Roeschlaub,  wlio  during  the  Civil  war  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Eighty- 
fourth  Illinois  Infantry,  was  elected  as  sergeant,  later  as  lieutenant 
and  finally  as  captain  of  the  company ;  after  the  war  he  studied 
ai'chitecture  and  later  was  established  as  architect  in  Denver,  Colo- 
rado: he  at  present  resides  in  San  Diego,  California.  Frank,  second 
son  of  Dr.  ilichael  J.  and  ^Margaret  (Sawers)  Roeschlaub,  lives  in 
Chicago;  and  Henry,  the  third  son,  in  Denver,  Colorado.  Jessie  S. 
Roeschlaub,  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Michael  J.  and  Margaret  (Sawers) 
Roeschlaul),  was  married  to  Dr.  L.  II.  A.  Niekerson,  September  15, 
1880. 


QUINCV  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  391 

Gerdt  Gcrtjes  Arcnds,  liorii  .Marcli  14,  l!S24,  in  Xoorden,  Ostfries- 
laiid,  came  to  America  in  1846.  Three  weeks  after  his  arrival  in 
this  country,  he  enlisted  in  ('()nii)any  E.  Barnes'  Missouri  Hattalion, 
under  Gen.  Sterling  Price,  and  served  in  the  Me.vican  war.  Al'lcr 
that  war  he  located  in  St.  Louis,  where  he  married  Jantje  Hinrichs 
Tatjes,  January  11,  1S4!>.  Several  months  later  tliey  came  to  Qnincy, 
where  iir.  Arends  followed  his  trade  as  carpenter,  l)ccomin^  foreman 
for  John  Bimson,  in  who.se  service  he  remained  for  many  years, 
finally  retiring  to  pi-ivate  life.  Mi's.  Arends  died  Fchrnary  20.  189.">, 
her  luisband  followed  her  in  death  -May  1,  189!).  Gerhard  G.  Arends, 
born  April  8,  1854,  attended  school  until  seventeen  years  of  age, 
when  he  entered  upon  iiis  business  career  in  the  office  of  Richard 
Jansen  with  the  German  Insurance  Company  of  Quincy.  Then  he 
served  in  the  employ  of  George  W.  Brown,  also  in  the  insurance 
business.  Several  years  later  he  entered  the  Rii-kcr  Bank  as  as>^istaiit 
bookkeeper,  and  after  two  yeai-s  became  head  l)ookkce|)er,  in  which 
capacity  he  served  for  nine  years.  On  account  of  ill  health  he  resigned 
and  for  several  years  was  connected  with  no  active  business  enter- 
prise. When  the  Cjuincy  National  Bank  was  organized  in  1887,  he 
was  one  of  the  incorporators  and  was  appointed  assistant  cashier,  in 
which  capacity  he  served  for  years,  and  now  is  vice  president,  also  one 
of  the  directors.  In  1886  Gerhard  G.  Arends,  married  Caroline  Bit- 
ter, a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  iSIrs.  J.  H.  Bitter.  They  have  two  children, 
Henry  Gerhard,  lieutenant  in  the  American  army  in  France;  and 
Antoinette,  wife  of  Wilmer  B.  Hedges,  traveling  salesman. 

John  Ilcnry  Brocksciuuidt.  born  September  16.  1830,  in  Bohmte, 
Hanover,  emigrated  in  1848.  Leaving  Bremen  in  June,  he  landed 
in  Baltimore  in  September  of  said  year.  From  there  he  crossed  the 
Allcghenies  for  Cincinnati,  where  he  arrived  in  October,  and  found  a 
home  with  an  uncle.  Christian  Brocksciuuidt,  who  was  a  locksmith. 
After  working  in  a  tobacco  factory  for  some  time  he  took  sick  and 
was  admitted  to  a  hospital  in  the  sjiring  of  1849.  Finally  recovering 
from  a  lingering  illness,  he  appealed  to  his  uncle,  Joseph  Brock.schmidt, 
in  (^uincy,  who  sent  him  $2i)  to  pay  the  doctor  and  his  fare  to  Quincy, 
where  he  arrived  in  OctolM-r,  1849.  In  April,  ISijO,  the  uncle  secured 
an  apprenticeship  for  him  with  George  J.  Laage,  the  pioneer  hatter, 
with  whom  he  had  to  serve  four  years;  besides  his  board,  lodging  and 
laundry,  his  compensation  was  .+2.')  for  the  fii*st  year,  $50  for  the 
second,  .$75  for  the  third,  and  $100  for  the  fourth  year.  After  serv- 
ing his  apprenticesliip  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  worked  in 
different  large  hat  manufactories.  Returning  to  (juincy  he  in  Sep- 
tember, 1855,  established  a  business  of  his  own.  Being  successful  he 
took  in  his  brother,  Joseph,  as  assistant,  and  in  1860  as  partner.  Be- 
sides conducting  his  business  as  hatter  and  furrier,  he  from  1870 
to  1874  was  interested  with  William  Cramer  in  the  distilleiy  on 
Cedar  Creek.  On  September  10.  1857,  John  Henry  Broekschmidt 
married   Caroline   Epple,   daughter  of   the   old   pionet>r,   John    I'aiil 


392  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Epple.  His  wife  died  April  8,  1876,  his  brotlier,  Joseph,  died  Novem- 
ber 11, 1896,  and  John  Henry  Brockschmidt  departed  this  life  October 
23,  1897.  Alfred  J.  Brockschmidt,  the  only  son  surviving,  was  born 
in  Qnincy  August  11,  1860.  Between  the  ages  of  six  and  twelve 
years  he  attended  the  parochial  school  of  St.  Boniface  Church.  Later 
he  entered  St.  Francis  College,  devoting  three  years  to  the  preparatory 
and  four  years  to  the  collegiate  coui-se,  and  later  pursued  a  two  years' 
post-graduate  course.  In  1879  he  graduated,  receiving  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  During  the  last  two  years  of  his  college  course 
he  read  law  under  the  direction  of  0.  H.  Browning.  In  1881  he 
received  the  degree  of  Ma.ster  of  Arts  from  his  alma  mater,  and  in 
the  same  year  was  enrolled  as  a  law  student  in  Yale  University, 
where  he  remained  two  years  and  graduated  in  1883  with  the  degi-ee 
of  Bachelor  of  Laws.  He  afterward  took  a  post-graduate  course  of 
two  years,  the  degree  of  Master  of  Laws  being  conferred  on  him 
in  1884,  and  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Civil  Law  in  188.5.  He  also 
won  the  Winchester  scholarship,  which  entitled  him  to  spend  one 
year  at  Berlin  and  one  year  at  Paris,  but  he  did  not  take  advantage 
of  this  at  the  time.  For  many  years  Alfred  J.  Brockschmidt  has 
been  active  in  his  profession.  In  June,  1884,  he  was  admitted  to 
practice  before  the  Supreme  Court  of  Connecticut,  in  October  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Illinois,  and  in  November  of  the  same 
year  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  New  York.  In  1885  he  was  permitted 
to  practice  in  the  high  courts  of  Canada,  while  in  1886  he  was 
admitted  to  practice  in  the  federal  courts  at  Springfield.  August  28, 
1901,  Alfred  J.  Brockschmidt  married  ilathilde  Loire,  daughter  of 
Philibert  Loire  of  St.  Louis. 

Capt.  William  Steinwedell,  who  came  to  Quiney  in  1849,  for 
many  years  occupied  a  prominent  position  in  the  business  and  social 
circles  of  this  city.  He  was  born  December  21,  1827,  in  Hanover. 
His  father  was  George  Frederick  Steinwedell,  born  in  Hanover  in 
1790,  and  his  mother,  Sophia,  nee  Firnhaber,  born  1797,  her  father 
being  a  superintendent  in  the  Lutheran  Cliurch  of  Hanover.  His 
father,  George  Frederick  Steinwedell,  fought  in  the  Battle  of  Water- 
loo, June  18,  1815,  as  a  lieutenant  in  a  Hanoverian  regiment,  occu- 
pied a  prominent  position  in  the  army,  finally  being  commanilant 
of  the  fortifications  at  Stade.  He  died  in  1880,  his  wife  having  pre- 
ceded him  in  death  in  1877.  William  Steinwedell  attended  the  com- 
mercial college  at  Osnabrueck,  where  he  learned  English,  French 
and  Spanish,  having  previously  been  educated  in  the  classics.  When 
the  Revolution  of  1848  broke  out,  William  Steinwedell  was  carried 
away  by  the  movement.  Consequently  his  father  advised  him  to  go 
to  America.  Well  supplied  with  money  he  with  200  others  loft 
Bremen  early  in  1849,  on  the  small  sailing  vessel  Meta.  The  party 
consisted  of  well  educated  men  of  the  different  callings  and  pro- 
fessions, students  and  graduates,  all  well  supplied  with  finar>cial 
means,  and  the  vessel  arrived  in  the  Harbor  of  New  York  ]\Iay  1, 


IP 

I 


CjnXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  393 

1849.  But  they  did  not  ti.rr.v  long,  continuing  their  trij)  to  Niagara 
Falls,  Buffalo,  Sandusky,  by  eanal  to  Porstmouth,  Ohio,  and  then  by 
steamboat  down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mississippi  to  St.  Louis.  Tliere 
were  150  passengei-s  on  the  boat,  and  tlie  cholera,  which  raged  at 
that  time,  also  had  its  victims,  fifteen  of  the  passengers  dying.  The 
boat  landed  at  night  above  Cairo,  where  the  dead  were  buried  bj' 
torchlight,  William  Stcinwedell  acting  as  speaker  at  the  impressive 
funeral  services.  When  the  boat  arrived  at  St.  Louis  it  was  quar- 
antined. It  was  on  May  22  and  23,  1840,  when  the  terrible  conflagra- 
tion raged  on  the  levee  at  St.  Louis.  Then  the  cholera  broke  out  in 
tbat  i-ity  of  about  40,000  inhabitants,  hundreds  of  people  dying  daily, 
and  so  William  Stcinwedell  came  to  Quincy,  where  he  became  ac- 
i|uaiiitC(!  witli  Uttu  Bertscliingcr.  who  came  from  Lenzburg.  Switzer- 
land, and  they  organized  the  firm  Bertschinger  &  Stcinwedell,  con- 
ducting a  hardware  business  from  18.51  to  1873.  Capt.  William  Stein- 
wedcll  during  his  nuuiy  years  of  residence  in  Quincy  became  inter- 
ested in  different  industrial  enterprises,  was  president  of  the  Arrow- 
rock  Alining  &  Milling  Company,  treasurer  of  the  Dick  Brothers' 
Milling  Company,  secretary  of  the  Dick  Brothei-s'  Quincy  Brewing 
Company,  etc.;  he  also  was  president  of  the  Quincy  Gas  Company, 
stockholder  of  the  First  National  Bank  and  later  of  the  State  Savings, 
Loan  and  Tnist  Company.  When  John  P.  Altgeld  had  been  elected 
as  governor  of  Illinois,  Capt.  William  Stcinwedell  was  appointed  as 
president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Illinois  Soldiers'  Home  at 
Quincy.  Soon  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  Capt.  William 
Stcinwedell  organized  the  Quincy  National  Rifle  Guards,  comprised 
of  prominent  German  citizens,  who  acted  as  home  guards,  rendering 
valuable  senice  to  the  National  Government  during  that  war,  with- 
out receiving  any  pay.  In  1859  William  Stcinwedell  married  Louisa 
A.  ^forphx-.  born  in  New  Orh-ans  of  French  parents,  who  had  come 
to  Quincy  in  1857  with  her  parents.  His  wife  died  in  1901,  leaving 
her  husband  with  five  children :  William  E.  Stcinwedell,  George  Stein- 
wedell,  Carl  Stcinwedell,  :Mrs.  Leila  Evatt  and  Miss  Elisc  Stcinwedell. 
Capt.  William  Stcinwedell  died  in  1910.  William  E.  Stcinwedell, 
the  eldest  son,  is  interested  in  the  Gas  Machinery  Company,  Cleveland, 
Ohio:  George  Stcinwedell  is  general  manager  of  the  Binghampton 
Gas  Light  Company,  New  York ;  and  Carl  Stcinwedell  is  in  Quincy, 
member  of  the  firm  Steinwedell  &  Seehorn,  dealers  in  cigars. 

Settlers  of  1850 

Conrad  Hcinekani]).  born  F'ebruai-y  9,  1827,  in  Iloni,  Lippe 
Detmold,  where  his  father  was  manufacturer  of  pianos  and  organs, 
learned  the  art  of  constructing  nnisical  instruments  from  his  father. 
In  1850  he  came  to  Quincy,  and  in  1851  was  elected  as  teacher  of 
Salem  Parochial  School,  a  position  he  filled  at  two  different  periods, 
serving  ten  years  in  all.  Later  he  was  engaged  for  thirty  years  in 
the  faetorj'  of  Henry  Sehenk,  the  altar  liuildcr.     Conrad  Heinekamn 


394  yUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

married  Friederike  Fogt.  April  19,  VMi,  he  died,  survived  by  his 
wife  aud  three  daughters,  Lillian,  wife  of  Phiueas  Haggas,  the 
music  teacher,  and  the  Misses  Dina  and  iMiniia  Heiiiekamp. 

George  Fischer,  born  in  Quincy  January  3,  1850,  was  the  son  oC 
John  J.  and  Walburga  (Wittmann)  Fischer.  His  parents  were 
among  the  early  pioneers,  aaid  his  father,  who  worked  for  the 
merchant  tailors,  Powers  &  Finlay,  died  June  5,  1851,  leaving  his 
widow  and  the  son  mentioned.  After  attending  St.  Francis  College  for 
iive  years,  George  Fischer  was  apprenticed  to  Henry  Kidder  arid 
learned  the  tinner's  trade.  Later  he  opened  a  tin  shop  of  his  own. 
This  proved  successful  and  in  1890  he  bought  the  hardware  busi- 
ness of  Lemley  Brothers.  In  1896  he  erected  a  large  five-story  build- 
ing, in  which  the  Fischer  Iron  and  Steel  Company  for  many  years  did 
a  great  business.  George  Fischer  died  Feliruary  26,  1916,  leaving  his 
widow,  Euphemia  Fischer,  nee  Rickcr,  with  two  sons,  George  Joseph 
Fischer,  manager  of  the  IModern  Iron  Work,  and  Joseph  J.  Fischer, 
assistant  cashier  of  the  Ricker  National  Bank,  and  one  daughter.  Mrs. 
Joseph  H.  VandenBoom,  Jr.  In  March,  1918,  the  Fischer  Iron  and 
Steel  Company  sold  their  business  to  the  Tenk  Hardware  Company. 

Joseph  Granacher,  born  April  23,  1827,  in  Oberbergen,  Baden, 
came  to  Quincy  in  1850,  and  was  employed  in  the  hardware  store 
of  L.  &  C.  H.  Bull ;  then  he  worked  for  Pantaleon  Sohm,  the  cooper, 
and  later  for  Bertschinger  &  Steinwedell,  hardware  merchants.  For 
ten  years  he  was  with  the  Sligo  Hardware  Company  in  St.  Louis. 
Returning  to  Quincy  he  was  in  the  grocery  business  with  Joseph 
Weltin.  Joseph  Granacher  married  Magdalene  Burkhardt,  born 
August  19,  1836,  in  Oberbergen,  Baden,  who  came  to  Quincy  in 
1852.  She  died  July  28,  1907,  while  her  husband  departed  this 
life  November  2,  1909.  Two  sons,  Geoi-ge  and  Joseph,  and  two  daugh- 
ters, Mrs.  Marie  Weltin,  and  Mrs.  Wm.  H.  Sohm,  are  among  the  liv- 
ing. Theodore  Granacher,  bom  November  21,  1829,  came  to  Quincy 
with  his  brother,  and  entered  the  service  of  Martin  Kaltenbach,  the 
cooper.  Later  for  many  years  he  was  with  Abraham  Jonas  &  Bros., 
hardware  dealers.  He  married  Rosina  Burkhardt,  born  1834:  in  Ober- 
bergen. She  died  March  3,  1877,  her  husband  departed  this  life  April 
11,  1904.  Three  sons,  Sebastian,  Edward  and  Ferdinand,  survived, 
and  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Anna  Menke,  wife  of  the  grocer,  A.  F.  C. 
Menke. 

Reinhold  Waldin,  born  October  27,  1828,  in  Gera,  Principality  of 
Reuss,  was  a  watchmaker  and  came  to  America  in  1848,  landing  in 
New  York.  From  there  he  came  via  Erie  Canal  to  Cincinnati,  and 
then  to  Burlington,  Iowa,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  jewelrj'  busi- 
ness of  his  brother  for  a  year.  Then  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  and  finally 
located  in  Quincy  in  1850,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  jewelry 
business  of  William  Gage  for  three  yeai-s.    The  latter  was  surprised 


(,1I1\('V    AM)   ADAMS  COrXTV  395 

to  see  so  many  Germans  visit  his  l)usiuess  shortly  before-  Christmas, 
buying  presents  for  their  relatives  and  friends,  a  eustom  wiiieh  at 
that  time  was  unknown  anion"  Anglo  Amcrit-ans.  In  IHoM  Reinhold 
AValdin  iioujriit  the  jowi'lry  business  of  a  Mr.  Parsons,  west  side  of  thu 
si|uare,  whieh  he  conducted  until  1861,  when  he  moved  to  Warsaw, 
Illinois,  Itut  a  year  later  returned  to  Quincy.  and  ciiCTsred  in  the 
jewelry  business  until  1!M)0,  when  he  died.  Keinhold  Waldin  was 
twice  married.  In  1856  he  married  -Margaret  Kaiser,  born  in  Chur, 
Switzerland,  and  .she  died  in  lS6o.  In  1870  he  again  married,  ehoosing 
Louisa  Koi-ii.  liorii  in  \'loth(i,  \Vi>sti)halia.  and  she  died  in  1903.  Al- 
bert Waldin.  the  eldest  son,  (initiiiued  the  jewelry  business  for  years, 
while  Edward  Waldin,  the  other  son,  was  emplnyed  in  the  business  of 
the  Tenk  Hardware  t'ompany. 

Christopher  Weber,  born  September  2,  1838,  in  Glanis,  Switzer- 
land, came  to  xVmeriea  with  his  parents.  Jacob  and  I'rsula  (Stuesse) 
Weber,  in  1843,  the  family  locating  in  Highland,  Illinois,  where  the 
mother  was  a  victitn  of  cholera  in  1849,  and  the  father  died  1888.  In 
June,  1850,  Christopher  Weber  eauie  to  Quiney  and  was  employed 
in  the  drug  store  of  his  unele,  Dr.  Michael  Doway,  learning  pharmacy. 
Later  he  conducted  a  drug  store  of  his  own  for  twenty-two  years. 
Early  in  the  "TOs  he  was  elected  city  collector  for  two  years.  Then 
he  was  in  the  insurance  Iiusiness.  Under  Samuel  Baumgaertner  he 
was  assistant  a.ssessor,  and  for  many  yeai-s  clerk  of  the  police  depart- 
ment until  1890.  An  occurrence  in  his  life  he  never  forgot,  as  it 
came  near  costing  his  life  in  the  night  of  December  31,  1863.  He 
had  attended  to  some  business  in  Canton,  Missouri,  and  came  to 
West  Quincy  by  train.  There  being  no  bridge  across  the  river  at 
that  time,  he  had  to  cross  the  ice  afoot.  It  was  a  terribly  cold  night, 
Mr.  Weber  was  caught  in  a  snowdrift,  lost  consciousness  and  would 
have  frozen  to  death  if  his  friends  had  not  come  to  the  rescue.  They 
had  a  Sylvester  .Vight's  festival  in  Liederkrenz  Hall,  at  whieh  Chris- 
topher Weber  was  expected.  He  not  appearing,  a  inirty  was  organ- 
ized to  search  for  him.  They  found  him  and  lirought  him  to  town. 
Life  seemed  almost  extinct,  but  he  soon  revived;  his  left  iian.l  was 
frozen  so  badly  that  it  luid  to  be  aniinitated.  September  1,  1864, 
Christoi)lier  Weber  married  Caroline  RutV,  a  daughter  of  the  old 
pioneer,  Jacob  Ruff.  Christopher  Weber  died  August  23,  1917,  leav- 
ing his  wife,  two  sons.  Carl  Weber,  an  electrician,  now  a  farmer  in 
Colorado,  and  Frederick  Weber,  a  machinist  in  St.  Louis;  also  two 
daughters,  Annette,  the  wife  of  John  Welton  in  Galesburg,  Illinois, 
and  Emma  Ursula,  the  wife  of  Alex  Brown,  in  the  insurance  busi- 
ness in  Chicago. 

Gerhard  ^lueller.  born  May  13,  1801,  in  Xoonkn,  Ostfriesland. 
married  Tlioma  Bockmeyer,  born  April  17.  lS2i>.  in  the  same  town. 
In  1849  the  family  cmigi-ated  and  came  to  New  Orleans,  where  they 
remained  during  the  winter.     In   the  spring  if  18.')()  they   came  uji 


396  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  river  and  landed  in  Quincy  April  15,  where  they  located.  Gerhard 
Mueller  was  a  shoemaker  and  followed  his  trade  for  many  years, 
his  death  occurring  July  10,  1876.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Thoma  Mueller, 
for  many  years  conducted  a  millinery  store  in  this  city,  she  departed 
this  life  September  3,  1891.  Bernard  H.  Miller,  the  eldest  son,  born 
in  Noorden,  January  4,  1848,  grew  up  in  Quincy  and  attended 
Salem  Parochial  School.  His  first  work  was  selling  newspapers  dur- 
ing the  Civil  war  on  the  MeCune  line  of  packets.  March  1,  1864,  he 
secured  a  place  in  the  drug  store  of  Adolph  Zimmermann,  but  in 
the  following  fall  obtained  a  position  in  the  laboratory  of  Jacob  S. 
Merrill,  St.  Louis,  and  later  was  employed  by  E.  J.  Williamson  in 
the  same  city.  He  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  St.  Louis 
College  of  Pharmacy.  In  1866  he  returned  to  Quincy  to  accept  a 
position  with  Rutherford,  Hurlbut  &  Company,  afterwards  Sommer 
&  Metz,  and  three  years  later  associated  himself  in  the  drug  business 
with  George  Terdenge.  In  1874  the  firm  Sommer,  Miller  &  Terdenge 
was  formed.  The  year  following  Mr.  Sommer  withdrew  and  Albert 
Sellner  became  interested  in  the  business.  January  1,  1884,  W.  H. 
Arthur  bought  out  Mr.  Terdenge 's  interest  and  January  1,  1889,  the 
firm  Miller  &  Arthur  became  the  sole  proprietors.  Today  the  great 
business  is  conducted  under  the  firm  and  style  The  Miller  & 
Arthur  Drug  Company.  June  6,  1872,  Bernard  H.  Miller  married 
Harriet  Henshall  of  this  city,  she  died  in  1910,  leaving  her  husband 
with  one  son,  Bernard  H.  Miller,  Jr.,  who  was  with  the  Fisk  Rubber 
Tire  Company  in  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  where  he  died  two  years 
ago,  aged  twenty-one  years;  also  two  daughters,  Cora,  wife  of  Don 
Rapp,  Springfield,  Ma.ssachusetts,  and  Thoma,  wife  of  Byron  Gilbert 
in  Chicago.  Bernard  H.  Miller  later  married  for  the  second  time, 
choosing  for  his  wife  Mrs.  Frances  Connelly,  of  Red  Bluff,  California. 
Gerhard  Miller,  Jr.,  the  second  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gerhard  Mueller, 
was  a  traveling  salesman  for  a  wholesale  house  and  lost  his  life 
thirty-five  years  ago,  he  being  caught  in  the  ruins  of  a  building 
that  was  wrecked  in  St.  Louis.  Antje,  the  eldest  daughter  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Gerhard  Mueller,  was  born  in  Noorden  and  became  the 
wife  of  Leslie  Williamson,  machinist  in  Quincy.  Etta,  another  daugh- 
ter, became  the  wife  of  Jesse  Laird  in  this  city. 

Clemens  August  VandenBoom,  born  December  8,  1818,  in  Stadt- 
lohn,  Westphalia,  married  Gertrude  Jessing,  born  1822  in  Leyden. 
In  1847  they  emigrated  and  located  in  Cincinnati,  where  they  re- 
mained until  1850  when  they  moved  to  Quincy.  Clemens  A.  Vanden- 
Boom was  a  wood  turner  and  established  a  furniture  factory  in 
Quincy,  first  utilizing  horse  power  and  later  steam  power.  In  1869 
he  sold  out  and  went  into  partnership  with  Henry  Blomer  in  the 
pork  packing  business,  under  the  firm  name  VandenBoom  &  Blomer. 
In  1883  the  senior  partner  withdrew  and  retired  from  business,  depart- 
ing this  life  in  1885.  Clemens  A.  VandenBoom  was  several  times 
elected  as  alderman,  representing  the  Sixth  Ward  in  the  city  council. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  397 

lit-  was  twice  married,  his  Hrst  wife  died  iu  1860,  and  later  lie 
married  Eiizabetli  EUers,  she  departed  this  life  in  1888.  Henry 
Alexander  VandenBooni,  born  1848  in  Cincinnati,  a  son  of  Cleinens 
A.  VandenBooni,  for  many  years  conducted  a  chair  factory  in  this 
city  until  he  retired  from  business  in  1902.  He  died  September  3, 
1916,  leaving  his  wife,  Edith,  nee  Frcuud,  and  the  following  children: 
J.  II.  VandenBooni,  and  II.  J.  VandenBooni,  dealers  in  furniture, 
Kansas  City,  Missouri;  Alfred  and  Frank  in  St.  Louis;  Robert  in 
Cincinnati;  Ralph,  bookkeeper;  Oscar,  a  mechanic;  Julius,  a  draughts- 
man; Mrs.  George  (.'arncs,  in  Chicago;  Miss  Estelle  \'andciiBooni,  at 
home,  and  Mrs.  Arthur  Dick  in  (juincy.  Jo.seph  Henry  Vanden- 
Booni, horn  in  Quincy  in  18r)4,  began  his  education  in  the  parochial 
schools  and  later  attended  Bryant  &  Stratton  Busine.ss  College,  being 
graduated  in  1869.  For  three  years  he  was  employed  as  a  clerk  in 
the  Kicker  Bank,  and  in  1872  entered  the  service  of  VandeiiBoom 
&  Bloiner,  with  whom  he  continued  three  years  as  bookkeeper.  In 
1875  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Henry  Moller,  his  brother-in-law, 
they  conducting  a  lumber  business  under  the  firm  name  ^toiler  & 
VandenBooni,  which  proved  a  great  success.  August  19,  1900,  Henry 
Moller  died  and  the  following  year  the  Moller  &  VandenBooni  Lum- 
ber Company  was  incorporated,  with  Joseph  H.  VandenBooni  as 
president,  Henry  Moller,  secretary,  and  Fred  iloller,  treasurer.  Be- 
sides the  lumber  business  Mr.  VandenBoom  is  interested  in  several 
other  commercial  and  manufacturing  enterprises.  He  also  represented 
the  Sixth  Ward  in  the  city  council  for  several  terms.  In  1876  he 
married  Amelia  Kaeltz,  a  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer,  Adolph  Kaeltz; 
she  died  in  1880.  In  1885  he  wedded  Julia  Kaeltz,  a  sister  of  his 
first  wife.  Their  children  are :  Joseph  H.,  Jr.,  graduate  of  St.  Canisius 
College,  Buffalo,  New  York,  and  now  with  the  Moller-VandenBoom 
Company,  and  one  daughter,  Alvera. 

The  history  of  the  Kreitz  family  is  very  interesting.  John  Sebas- 
tian Kreitz,  born  June  24,  1805,  and  his  brother,  Wiiiand  Kreitz. 
born  May  9,  1807,  natives  of  Zuelpich,  Rhenish  Prussia,  emigrated 
December  25,  1843,  leaving  Antwerp,  Belgium,  for  San  Tomas,  Guate- 
mala, Central  America.  Wiiiand  Kreitz  and  his  wife.  Anna  Eliza- 
beth, nee  Boettgenbach,  liati  three  sons,  John  Matthew,  horn  Sej)tem- 
ber  25,  1835;  Theodore  William,  born  May  11, 1838;  and  John  Baptist, 
born  August  14.  1841.  In  1906  Theodore  W.  Kreitz  related  the  his- 
torj-  of  their  sojourn  in  Central  America  to  the  writer  of  this  narra- 
tive, as  follows:  "After  arriving  in  Central  America,  and  while  on 
our  way  to  the  colony,  we  for  half  a  day  had  to  wade  throuprh  water, 
finally  reaching  a  dense  forest.  Father,  who  was  a  gunsmith,  carried 
a  rifle  which  he  had  made  himself.  We  were  very  hungry,  and  father 
.shot  a  monkey,  which  we  fried  and  ate.  finding  the  meat  very  palatable. 
The  trip  to  our  destination  in  Guatemala  took  three  months.  The 
natives  were  friendly  to  the  colonists  and  aided  them.  Raffael  Carrera. 
the  president,  gave  orders  to  father  to  take  the  old  flintlocks  from 


398  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  rifles  and  replace  them  with  percussion  locks.  Thus  father  had 
considerable  work  to  do.  Among  other  things  he  constructed  a 
combination  lock  for  the  stockade  in  which  the  political  prisoners 
were  kept,  the  government  of  Guatemala  paying  him  one  thousand 
dollars  for  the  invention.  Then  father  opened  a  commission  busi- 
ness, sending  cochineal,  sarsaparilla,  Panama  hats,  etc.,  to  Germany 
and  France.  In  November,  1846,  we  left  Guatemala  and  returned 
to  our  old  home  in  Germany ;  two  years  later  we  again  went  to  Guate- 
mala, and  in  1850  finally  left  for  the  United  States.  President  Raf- 
fael  Carrera,  who  thought  a  great  deal  of  father,  sent  a  bodyguard  of 
twenty  men  to  escort  our  family  to  the  coast.  April  13,  1850,  we 
left  Belize,  Honduras,,  on  board  the  bark  Juanita  for  New  Orleans, 
and  from  there  came  up  the  i\Iississippi  to  Quincy,  where  father  died 
of  cholera,  July  1,  1850,  while  motlier  departed  this  life  July  28, 
1879.  Father  brought  the  first  Panama  hats  to  Quincy  in  1850  and 
sold  tliem  to  H.  F.  J.  Ricker,  who  conducted  a  general  store."  John 
Matthew  Kreitz  after  arriving  in  Quincy  worked  on  a  farm,  then 
secured  a  position  as  clerk  in  a  grocery  and  later  conducted  a  busi- 
ness of  his  own.  He  was  city  collector  of  Quincy  for  one  term,  and 
was  sheriff  of  Adams  County  in  1871  and  1872.  For  many  years  he 
was  in  the  ice  business  until  he  died,  September  6,  1888.  He  married 
Mary  Ohnomus,  daugliter  of  the  old  pioneer,  Matthias  Ohncmus,  she 
now  lives  in  Las  Angeles,  California.  Theodore  W.  Kreitz  held  dif- 
ferent offices,  being  city  collector  in  1869  and  1870,  also  deputy 
sheriff  and  harbor  master.  He  invented  an  automatic  fire  and  burglar 
alarm,  and  an  automatic  apparatus  for  the  extinction  of  fires,  but 
had  no  success  with  his  inventions,  he  died  seven  years  ago.  John 
Baptist  Kreitz  learned  the  trade  of  saddler  and  harnessmaker  in 
Quincy.  In  1861  he  went  overland  to  California,  returning  in  1866. 
He  also  was  county  treasurer  for  one  term.  His  wife  was  Rosalie 
Merssmann,  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer,  John  B.  Merssmann.  John 
B.  Kreitz  died  August  11,  1890,  his  wife  departed  this  life  November 
1-i,  1906.  Mrs.  Christine  Hutmacher,  wife  of  August  C.  Hutmacher, 
proprietor  of  the  Pacific  Hotel,  is  the  only  member  of  the  original 
Kreitz  family  among  the  living  today. 

Settlers  of  1851 

Edmund  Reichel,  born  j\Iarch  26,  1823,  in  Bremen,  as  the  son  of 
a  merchant,  came  to  America  in  1847,  landing  in  Baltimore,  where 
he  remained  two  years,  then  came  to  Cincinnati,  and  two  years  later, 
in  1851,  came  to  Quincy.  Here  he  married  Julia  von  Goetzen,  born 
in  Koenigsberg,  Prussia.  After  being  in  business  for  some  time,  he 
located  in  Gilmer  Township  and  followed  agricultural  pursuits.  Later 
he  returned  to  the  city,  where  he  conducted  a  grocery  store  in  con- 
nection with  a  commission  business.  Then  he  sold  out  and  again 
went  to  farming  in  Burton  Township.  In  1870  he  retired  having 
devoted  ten  years  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  came  to  Quincy  to 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAJIS  COUNTY  :j<J9 

spend  tin-  remainder  of  liis  lil'e  in  tliis  cit.w  In  ISST  his  wife  died 
and  in  18'.)2  he  went  to  the  Old  Peoples'  Home,  founded  liy  the  Ger- 
man Methodists  in  this  city,  where  he  died  several  years  ago. 

George  Gutapfel,  hoi-n  July  24,  1821,  in  Geisweiler,  Alsace,  eame 
to  America  with  his  parents  in  182S,  tiie  family  locating  in  Huflfalo, 
New  York,  where  the  father,  Michael  Gutapfel,  died  in  LS;j2,  while 
the  mother,  Katherine,  nee  Wollion.  departed  this  life  in  1864.  George 
Gutapfel.  the  son,  in  1838.  eame  to  Keil's  Colony  in  Zoar.  Ohio,  where 
the  founders  of  the  colony  estahlished  great  iron  works.  In  1841 
George  Gutapfel,  who  was  a  smith,  eame  to  St.  Louis,  and  in  1851 
located  in  Qnincy.  where  he  for  many  years  eondneted  a  smith  shop. 
His  wife  was  .Margaret,  nee  Wolf,  horn  December  21,  1821,  in  Geis- 
weiler, Alsace;  she  died  March  16,  1899,  while  her  husband  departed 
this  life  in  1912.  George  Goodapjilt',  the  eldest  .son,  served  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Forty-eiglitli  Illinois  Infantry  during  the  Civil 
war,  ami  lives  in  Quiney,  besides  John  Goodapple,  the  second  son, — 
as  is  seen  here,  the  name  becoming  Americanixcd.  Katherine,  the 
eldest  daughter,  became  the  wife  of  Louis  Lamliur,  and  she  resides 
at  the  Soldiers'  Home  as  a  widow. 

John  Halthasar  Hettig.  born  September  29,  LSd.j,  in  Gross-Biberau, 
Grandduchy  of  Ilessen,  learned  the  cooper's  trade,  and  later  married 
Elizabeth  Muench.  born  in  Klein-I'mstadt.  Hessen.  In  1851  the  couple 
came  to  (^uincy,  wiiere  John  B.  Kettig  for  many  years  worked  for 
John  ^Vood,  the  founder  of  Quincy.  ^Ir.  Rettig  died  in  1881,  while 
his  wife  departed  this  life  November  11,  1901.  John  Rettig,  the 
son,  born  March  2U,  1854,  grew  up  in  Ijuincy,  and  for  many  years 
has  been  employed  in  the  paint  shop  of  the  Collins  Plow  Company  in 
Quincy.  He  nuirried  ]\Iathilde  Linz,  a  daugliter  of  the  old  pioneer, 
George  Linz.  Their  sons  are:  John  Kettig,  Jr.,  who  was  educated 
in  the  schools  of  Quincy,  later  attended  the  Chicago  School  of 
Pharmacy,  passed  the  prescribed  examination  l>efore  the  State  Board 
of  Pharmacy,  and  as  a  registered  pharmacist  has  been  in  the  drug  busi- 
ness for  a  number  of  years,  being  the  senior  member  of  the  firm 
Rettig  &  Bi'emser;  George  Rettig.  the  second  son,  is  engaged  as 
pattern  maker  in  I'eoria,  Illinois;  Harry  and  Carl  Rettig  are  twins, 
and  Harry  is  in  France  with  tlic  United  States  army  as  member 
of  the  Engineer  Corps,  while  Carl  is  engaged  as  a  plumber  in  Okla- 
homa City,  Oklahoma.  Daughters  of  John  and  -Mathilde  (Linz) 
Rettig  are:  Mrs.  Harry  Boorman  and  Mrs.  Andrew  Paul,  both  in 
Los  Angeles,  California,  and  Mrs.  Eugene  Isselhardt  in  Quincy. 

Rev.  August  Henry  Sehmieding  deserves  especial  mention  in  the 
history  f)f  the  German  pioneers  of  Quincy.  as  it  was  due  to  his  in- 
fluence that  many  emigrants  from  Westphalia  located  in  this  city. 
August  Henry  Sehmieding  was  born  March  16,  1804,  in  Bielefeld, 
"Westphalia.     In  1816,  when  twelve  years  of  age,  he  entered  the  col- 


400  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

lege  of  his  home  town,  which  he  attended  for  seven  years,  graduating 
in  1823.  Then  he  matriculated  in  the  Univei'sity  of  Halle,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  1826.  In  the  same  year  he  was  apjjointed  as  assistant 
pastor  in  Loehne,  and  in  1829  as  pastor  in  Valdorf,  near  the  Weser. 
There  he  married  Clara  Margaret  Schroeder,  born  in  Detmold,  who 
died  twelve  years  later.  In  1851  Reverend  Schmiediug  emigrated 
and  came  to  America  with  five  children,  one  son  and  four  daughters, 
locating  in  St.  Louis,  where  a  brother  and  a  sister  had  settled  in 
1835.  While  not  intending  to  accept  a  pastorate  so  soon,  as  he 
wanted  to  first  acquaint  himself  with  this  country  and  its  people,  yet 
there  was  such  an  urgent  need  of  ministers  of  the  gospel,  that  he  was 
induced  to  follow  a  call  from  Quincy,  after  a  delegation  from  this 
city  had  visited  him  personally.  It  was  in  August,  1851,  when  Rev. 
August  H.  Schmiediug  organized  St.  Jacobi  congregation,  and  be- 
came_  its  pastor,  a  position  which  he  held  for  twenty -two  years,  being 
compelled  to  resign  in  1873,  on  account  of  his  advanced  age.  He 
departed  this  life  October  13,  1879.  As  stated  in  the  beginning  of 
this  narrative,  it  was  due  to  the  influence  of  Rev.  August  H.  Schmied- 
iug that  many  emigrants  from  Westphalia  came  to  Quincy,  the 
greater  part  of  the  south  side  being  settled  by  them  and  their  descend- 
ants. Often  he  received  inquiries  of  friends  and  acquaintances  in 
the  fatherland  about  the  condition  of  things;  he  always  gave  them  a 
fair  statement,  assuring  them  that,  with  strong  hearts  and  willing 
hands,  they  would  find  this  the  land  of  opportunities  and  possibilities. 
And  so  they  came  and  made  their  mark  in  the  City  of  Quincy  and 
Adams  County,  contributing  their  share  to  the  upbuilding  of  this 
community.  Of  the  four  daughters  of  Rev.  August  H.  Schmieding 
only  one  is  among  the  living,  Mrs.  ilinna  Ringier,  widow  of  Oscar 
Ringier,  the  latter  a  native  of  Switzerland,  who  for  many  years  was 
prominent  in  business  in  this  city ;  Miss  Margaret  Ringier,  librarian 
of  Quincy  "s  public  library,  is  a  daughter  of  ilrs.  Minna  Ringier. 

Settlers  of  1852 

Henry  G.  Klipstein,  born  June  29,  1835,  in  Kalt  Ohrafeld,  Prussia, 
came  to  America  in  1852,  arriving  in  Quincy  November  21  of  said 
year.  Here  he  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade,  and  also  was  engaged  as 
machinist  in  a  planing  mill.  For  twenty  years  he  was  overseer  of 
Quincy 's  parks,  having  gained  the  necessary  knowledge  from  his 
grandfather,  who  was  civil  engineer  and  landscape  gardener  in  Ger- 
many. 

August  Hammerschmidt,  born  in  1830  near  the  Rhine,  came  to 
Quincy  in  1852.  He  was  a  cabinet  maker,  and  for  many  years  em- 
ployed in  the  furniture  factory  of  Frederick  W.  Jansen ;  later  he 
for  a  number  of  years  was  foreman  in  the  Quincy  Show  Case  Works. 
In  1855  he  married  Julia  Jansen.  Both  departed  this  life  years  ago. 
J.  William  Hammerschmidt,  for  years  engaged  in  the  coal  business, 
is  a  son  of  Aiigust  and  Julia  (Jansen)  Hammerschmidt. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  401 

Frederick  William  Nieliaus  was  l)orii  .January  28,  1829,  in  Filsen- 
dorf,  Westphalia,  where  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  cabinet  maker. 
In  1852  he  came  to  Quincy.  where  he  for  years  was  engaged  as  car- 
penter, being  very  proficient  at  his  trade.  Here  he  married  Maria 
Anna  Menke,  bom  near  Ilerford,  Westphalia,  who  came  to  Quincy 
with  her  parents  in  18.")2.  March  18,  1864,  PYederick  William  Nie- 
haus  died,  leaving  his  widow  with  one  son,  William,  now  a  farmer 
in  Lewis  County,  Missouri,  and  two  daughters,  Mrs.  Hanua  Born- 
mann  and  ilrs.  Wilhelmine  Ilolzgraefo,  both  in  Quincy.  The  widow 
later  married  John  Fohrniann,  a  farmer  in  Lewis  County.  Mis.souri, 
who  had  served  in  the  Sixteenth  Illinois  Infantry;  he  died  in  1908. 
The  widow  later  moved  to  Quincy.  where  she  departed  this  life 
in  1916,  leaving  five  .sons,  Henry.  George,  .John,  Frank  and  Fred  Fohr- 
niann. and  one  daughter,  Emma  Fohrmann. 

John  Henrj-  Heitland,  born  March  11,  1814,  in  Heepcn,  West- 
phalia, was  a  linen  weaver.  lie  married  Henrietta  Pankoke,  bom 
1814.  and  in  18.")2  the  faniilx'  emigrated,  coming  by  way  of  New 
Orleans  to  Quincy,  where  they  arrived  November  25,  of  said  year. 
Three  days  later  John  H.  Heitland  died  of  lung  fever,  which  he  had 
contracted  during  the  tri])  to  this  city,  his  wife  followed  him  in  death 
in  186.3.  John  II.  Heitland,  the  son,  born  Januarj-  25,  1845,  came  to 
Quincy  with  his  parents  and  later  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  with 
Frederick  J.  Reinecker,  the  contractor.  During  the  war  he  served  in 
the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Illinois  Infantry.  After  the  war 
he  returned  to  his  trade,  and  later  organized  the  Heitland  Grate 
and  Mantel  Company,  his  sons  John  and  Jesse  Heitland  being  con- 
nected with  the  business.  John  II.  Heitland  married  Mary  Voth, 
born  in  Germany,  who  early  in  life  came  to  Quincy  with  her  parents. 

Jolin  Wible  (Weibel)  was  Iwrn  1811  in  Greensburg,  Westmore- 
land County,  Pennsylvania,  and  married  Mary  Rugh,  born  1816  in 
the  same  county.  In  1852  the  family  came  to  Adams  County,  locating 
near  Menden,  where  John  Wible  for  nmny  years  followed  agricultural 
pursuits.  John  Wible  died  1887,  his  wife  departed  this  life  in  1895. 
William  J.  Wible.  a  son,  attended  Carthage  College  for  four  years, 
then  took  a  course  in  the  State  Normal  School  and  for  a  number  of 
years  was  principal  of  the  Golden  High  School ;  while  the  German 
language  had  in  the  course  of  time  been  lost  to  the  family,  William 
J.  Wihle  iigain  learned  Gernuvn.  Other  sons  were:  Jai'ol),  Carl, 
Joseph  and  Edward  Wible;  the  daughters  were:  Mrs.  Mary  Randels, 
Mrs.  Sarah  Steinbeck,  ^frs.  Ella  Nichols.  Mrs.  ^largaret  Turner  and 
Caroline  Wible.  David  Wible  (Weibel),  born  April  G,  1S14.  in 
Westmoreland  County,  married  Anna  C.  Riunhaugh  (Rumbach),  born 
January  2.  1819,  in  the  same  county.  In  1852  the  family  came  to 
Adams  County,  locating  in  Ur.sa  Township.  'Mrs.  Wible  died  Decem- 
ber 6,  1904,  while  her  husband  departed  this  life  later.  One  son. 
Josiah,  went  to  Chicago,  another  son.  Frank,  to  Palmyra.  Miss(mri. 


402  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Dr.  Henry  Oehlmann,  born  March  12,  1817,  in  Goslar,  Hanover, 
studied  medicine  at  the  University  of  Jena,  graduated  and  later  was 
appointed  surgeon  of  the  royal  body  guard  in  Hanover.  He  married 
Johanna  Herighausen,  born  April  17,  1819,  in  Wolfenbuettel,  Braun- 
schweig. In  1852  the  family  came  to  Quincy,  where  Doctor  Oehlmann 
for  many  years  practiced  medicine  until  his  death  in  1891,  his  wife 
having  preceded  him  in  death  in  1884.  Charles  Oehlmann,  son  of 
Dr.  Henry  Oehlmann,  was  born  July  21,  1849,  in  Hanover,  came  to 
Quincy  with  his  parents,  and  on  July  1,  1864,  secured  a  position  in 
the  drug  store  of  Sellner  &  Weber,  remaining  in  that  store  for  eleven 
years  through  several  changes  of  ownership,  becoming  an  experienced 
chemist  and  pharmacist.  In  1875  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Dr. 
C.  F.  Durant,  and  the  firm  of  Durant  &  Oehlmann  continued  for 
thirteen  years.  As  dental  supplies  were  added  to  the  drug  trade, 
Charles  Oehlmann  in  1888  established  the  Quincy  Dental  Depot, 
which  he  conducted  for  a  number  of  years,  finally  retiring  from  active 
business  life.  December  19,  1878,  Charles  Oehlmann  married  Anna 
Struck  at  Maryville,  Missouri. 

Peter  Henry  Boschulte,  born  in  1801  in  Hoerst,  Westphalia,  mar- 
ried Maria  Elizabeth  Springmeier,  born  April  4,  1804,  in  the  same 
town.  The  family  came  to  America  in  1852,  and  located  in  Quincy, 
where  Peter  H.  Boschulte  died  July  31,  1855,  while  his  wife  lived 
for  many  years,  her  death  occurring  July  16,  1887.  Sons  were: 
Herman,  born  in  1835,  for  manj-  years  was  a  member  of  the  firm 
Henry  Durholt  &  Company,  manufacturers  of  soda  water,  later  mov- 
ing to  Nebraska,  where  he  died;  William  Boschulte,  born  1837,  also 
was  a  member  of  the  firm  Henry  Durholt  &  Company ;  during  the 
Civil  war  he  was  orderly  sergeant  of  Company  H,  Forty-third  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  and  after  the  war  again  was  active  in  the  soda-water 
business,  until  his  death,  December  21,  1904;  Henry  Boschulte,  born 
October  22,  1840,  served  through  the  Civil  war  in  Company  A, 
Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry,  and  after  the  war  returned  to  his 
trade,  that  of  a  stove  molder;  he  died  some  years  ago:  August 
Boschulte,  born  1843,  also  served  through  the  Civil  war  in  Company 
A,  Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry,  and  after  the  war  was  active 
in  public  life  as  street  commissioner  of  Quincy,  later  moving  to 
Kansas,  where  he  still  lives;  Charles  Boschulte,  born  in  1845,  served 
in  Company  H,  Forty-third  Illinois  Infantry,  returned  to  this  city 
and  later  moved  to  Nebraska,  where  he  lives  at  the  present  time. 

John  Heurj'  Bitter,  born  August  3,  1834,  in  Laar,  Westphalia, 
came  to  Quincy  in  1852,  where  he  located  and  learned  the  trade  of 
stone  cutter,  and  later  for  many  years  was  a  member  of  the  F.  W. 
Menke  Stone  and  Lime  Company,  contractors  and  builders.  In 
1855  he  married  Anna  Menke,  who  came  to  Quincy  with  her  parents 
in  1852.  John  H.  Bitter  died  in  1891,  and  his  wife  departed  this 
life  in  1917.    Dr.  J.  W.  Edward  Bitter,  born  April  4,  1863,  attended 


C^riXCV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  403 

yt.  Jacobi  Parochial  School,  then  Franklin  School,  at  that  time  the 
high  school  of  Quincy,  going  throufrh  all  the  (iiflVn-nt  grades.  lie 
K-arned  stone  cntting.  hut  later  deuiilcd  to  hecomc  a  iiieinl)er  of  the 
niedit-al  profes.sion,  and  entered  ('haddock  College,  then  attended 
Quincy  College  of  Medicine,  from  which  he  graduated.  Later  he 
took  a  course  m  the  Philadi'li>hia  I'olycliiiic  and  ■rraduat'-d  in  Xovein- 
her,  1898.  Since  that  time  he  has  hcen  practicing  medicine  in  Quincy. 
Dr.  .1.  \V.  Edward  Bitter  in  1886  married  Joanna  Luella  Beatty,  of 
^laysville,  ^lis.souri.  Their  sons  are:  Arthur  Hitter,  wlio  was  a 
graduate  of  Columhia  University,  Columhia,  Missouri,  then  took  a 
regular  course  in  the  medical  department  of  the  Pennsylvania  State 
University,  from  wliich  he  graduated:  Stilton  Bitter,  a  graduate  of 
Quincy  High  School.  The  daughters  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Edward  and 
Joanna  Luella  (Beatty)  Bitter  are:  Eleanor:  Lauia.  wife  of  Percy 
C.  Henrj':  Florence,  nurse  in  Blessing  llosi)ital:  and  .\gnes  at  home. 
The  other  children  of  John  Henry  and  Anna  (.Menkej  Bitter  are: 
Henry  Bitter,  who  for  a  number  of  years  was  mail  carrier;  Lina, 
wife  of  Gerhard  Arends,  vice  president  Quincy  National  Bank:  Miiuia, 
wife  of  Henry  P.  Behrensmeyer,  artist  penman,  and  principal  of 
normal  penmanship  department.  Gem  City  Business  College,  Quincy; 
and  Lydia.  wife  of  AViJltur  McKiin,  St.  Louis. 

John  Bernard  Heuer,  born  1790  in  Goesfeld,  Westphalia,  came 
to  Cincimiati  in  1845.  His  wife.  IClizabeth,  nee  Wolter.  horn  in 
1807  in  Coesfeld,  with  her  three  children  joined  her  husband  in 
1846.  The  children  were  two  sons,  Bernard  and  Henry,  and  one 
daughter.  Elizabeth.  July  18,  18.52,  the  family  came  to  Quincy, 
where  John  Bernard  Heuer  died  July  4,  18.53,  while  his  wife  lived 
for  many  years,  her  death  occurring  November  1.  1894.  The  son, 
Bernard,  died  November  8,  1890:  the  other  son.  Henry,  for  many 
yeai-s  was  engaged  as  cutter  with  the  John  B.  Schctt  Saddlery  Com- 
pany. Elizabeth,  the  daughter  of  John  Bernard  and  Elizabeth 
(Wolter)  Heuer,  on  Fel)ruary  28,  1867,  was  married  to  Henry  A. 
Oenning,  Rev.  H.  Schacfermeyer  performing  the  ceremony  in  St. 
Boniface  Church.  Henry  A.  Oenning  was  born  May  9,  1834.  in  Nord 
Vehlen,  Westphalia,  whore  he  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  and 
cabinet  maker.  He  came  to  Quincy  in  1856  and  worked  at  liis  trade 
until  1860,  when  he  became  a  teacher  in  St.  Boniface  School,  being 
engaged  as  .such  until  1866.  Then  he  formed  a  partnei-shi])  with 
John  Bcnning,  under  the  firm  style  Bciniing  &  Oenning,  general 
merchants.  Several  years  later  he  purchased  liis  partner "s  interest, 
and  ceasing  to  deal  in  general  merchandise,  he  contined  his  attention 
to  the  trade  in  books,  glass  and  picture  framing.  In  1891  the  tinn 
name  was  changed  to  H.  A.  Oenning  &  Company,  and  in  1900  the 
Jiusiness  was  incorporated  under  the  name  Oenning  Glass  &  Book 
Company,  with  II.  A.  Oenning  as  president:  (icorgc  Wewer,  secre- 
tary; and  Alfred  Kurz,  treasurer.  Besides  dealing  in  books,  pictures, 
stationery,  etc.,  they  also  diil  a  wholcside  business  in  window  glass, 


404  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ever  maintaining  a  foremost  place  in  business  circles,  and  known  for 
strict  reliability.  Henry  A.  Oemiing  departed  this  life  January  24, 
1908.  ]\Irs.  Elizabeth  Oenning,  the  widow,  who  has  been  a  con- 
tinuous member  of  St.  Boniface  Church  since  the  arrival  of  her 
family  in  this  city,  is  a  woman  unassuming  in  life,  a  woman  of 
charity,  doing  many  things  for  poor  deserving  people,  and  all  char- 
itable purposes. 

Hinrieh  R.  Emminga,  born  in  1829  in  Ostfriesland,  was  a  mill- 
wright. He  married  ilargaret  H.  Franzen,  who  was  born  in  1824. 
In  1851  the  family  emigrated,  coming  by  way  of  New  Orleans,  and 
in  1852  located  on  what  was  called  the  Golden  Prairie,  today  the 
Town  of  Golden,  in  this  county,  arriving  there  in  February.  Hin- 
rieh R.  Emminga  built  several  windmills  in  this  county  for  the 
grinding  of  grain,  which  he  operated.  In  1863  he  returned  to  Ger- 
many, where  his  wife  died  in  1868.  In  1872  he  again  came  to  Amer- 
ica, but  seven  years  later  returned  to  Germany  where  he  departed 
this  life  in  1888.  Harm  H.  Emminga,  the  son  born  December  25, 
1850,  in  Wiesens,  Ostfriesland,  came  with  his  parents  and  grew  up 
in  this  county,  in  the  course  of  time  becoming  one  of  the  most  prom- 
inent citizens  of  Golden.  In  1872  he  married  Marie  Gembler,  bom 
December  12,  18.54,  in  San  Antonio,  Texas,  daughter  of  John  J. 
Gembler,  one  of  the  German  pioneers  who  located  in  Texas  in  1847. 
Harm  H.  Emminga  was  a  miller,  and  in  1879  went  into  the  grain 
business,  in  which  he  was  very  successful.  In  1889  he  built  a  mill, 
modern  in  every  respect,  with  the  full  roller  process  and  a  capacity 
of  200  barrels  per  day,  which  he  named  the  New  Era  Mills.  He 
then  opened  direct  communication  with  the  West  Indies,  England, 
France,  Holland  and  other  foreign  countries.  Golden  being  in  need 
of  a  bank.  Harm  H.  Emminga  on  July  1,  1894,  opened  the  Peoples 
Exchange  Bank,  which  proved  successful,  and  in  1905  he  erected  a 
modern  bank  building  covering  an  era  of  40  by  50  feet,  a  model  of 
its  kind.  Harm  H.  Emminga  traveled  extensively  in  the  cour.se  of 
years,  partly  on  account  of  business,  and  partly  for  pleasure,  from 
an  inclination  to  see  and  learn  something  of  the  world  and  its  peo- 
ple. He  crossed  the  Atlantic  between  America  and  Europe  a  num- 
ber of  times.  In  1910  he  took  a  trip  to  Palestine  and  the  Holy  Land 
of  the  Bible,  the  land  where  the  scenes  of  the  oldest  history  of  the 
human  race  were  laid  and  enacted,  spending  three  months  in  that  trip. 
His  trip  at  that  time  was  of  a  philanthropic  nature,  he  being  interested 
in  the  work  of  Dr.  Ludwig  Schneller,  the  founder  of  the  Syrian 
Orphan  Home  at  Jerusalem,  a  work  to  which  ilr.  Emminga  in  the 
course  of  years  had  contributed  considerable  of  his  means.  Mr.  Em- 
minga was  a  friend  of  books  and  in  the  course  of  time  acquired  a 
great  collection  of  rare  and  valuable  works.  Harm  H.  Emminga 
departed  this  life  December  9,  1915,  mourned  bj'  a  large  circle  of 
relatives  and  friends.     He  was  survived  by  his  wife,  one  son,  John 


QUIXCV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  405 

J.  Eiuiuiiiga.  I'Hshier  of  the  Peoples  Exchange  Hank,  ami  one  daughter, 
ilargaret  Eniininga. 

Herman  Henry  Jlenke,  horn  in  ISO'.i  near  Herford,  Westphalia, 
and  his  wife,  Hannah  Friederike,  nee  Re<'ksiek,  horn  1807  in  the  same 
plaee,  emigrated  in  1852.  They  left  Bremen  in  Oetolier  of  said 
year,  and  with  the  sailing  vessel  Edmund  came  to  New  Orleans,  the 
trip  taking  nine  weeks.  December  I'-i,  1852.  they  arrived  in  Quincy. 
Hennan  H.  Menke,  who  was  a  veterinarian,  died  in  1859,  and  his 
wife  departed  this  life  in  1882.  Frederick  William  .Menke.  the  eldest 
son,  born  April  21,  1832,  came  with  his  jiarents  and  learned  the  trade 
of  stone  cutter  with  Wendelin  Weber.  In  1863  he  went  into  the  con- 
tracting business,  and  the  firm  F.  \V.  Menke  &  Company  was  organ- 
ized, the  members  being  Frederick  William  Menke,  George  Goetsehe, 
William  Tiemann  and  John  Henry  Hitter.  While  they  in  the  begin- 
ning did  all  the  work  themselves,  the  business  of  the  tirm  grew  so 
rapidly  that  they  soon  were  compelled  to  secure  assistance  and  hire 
help,  ill  the  course  of  time  employing  150  men,  acquiring  stone  quar- 
ries, erecting  lime  kilns,  dealing  in  cement  and  carrying  out  building 
contracts.  Many  were  the  courthouses,  public  library  buildings,  hos- 
pitals, Government  buildings,  state  buildings,  churches,  schools,  bank 
buildings,  hotels,  factories,  business  houses,  and  private  residences 
erected  by  the  company  in  Illinois,  Iowa  and  Mis,sonri.  Frederick 
William  Menke  also  served  in  the  city  council,  representing  the 
Fourth  Ward  for  thirteen  years.  His  wife  was  Friedericke  Louise, 
nee  Wulfmcyer,  lK)rn  February  23,  1837,  near  Herford,  Westphalia; 
he  died  in  1908,  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  in  1916.  Children 
living  are:  George  AVilliam  ^lenke,  Edward  IT.  ]\Ienke,  and  Frederick 
C.  Menke,  .sons;  and  Mrs.  Einilic  Ilagcnbruch,  and  Anna  F.  Ruff,  wife 
of  Edward  Rufl",  daughters.  George  William  Menke,  eldest  son  of 
Frederick  William  and  Friederike  Louise  (Wulfmeyer)  Jlenke.  in 
1884  married  Sophia  Brehm,  of  Warsaw;  they  have  two  sons,  Edgar 
and  Ralph  Menke,  and  one  daughter,  Helen,  the  wife  of  William  Rupp, 
Jr.,  cashier  of  the  Illinois  State  Bank.  Edward  H.  Menke,  the  next 
son,  married  Mathilde  Dick,  daughter  of  the  pioneer,  John  Dick;  she 
died  April,  1898,  leaving  her  husband  with  two  children,  Edward 
and  Louise  Jlenke;  they  now  reside  in  Los  Angeles,  California.  Fred- 
erick C.  Menke,  the  youngest  son,  married  Hannah  Mathers,  and  they 
have  three  sons  and  two  daughters.  George  William  Menke  is  presi- 
dent ;  Harold  F.  Metzger  is  secretary :  and  Frederick  C.  ^lenke  is  treas- 
urer of  the  .Menke  Stone  and  Lime  ("(tmpany. 

Many  were  the  hardships  and  trials  of  the  old  |)ioneers.  some  of 
them  suffering  a  great  deal  more  than  others.  John  Frederick  Heid- 
hre<ler,  born  1797  in  the  Altstaetter  Feldmark  near  Herford,  West- 
phalia, married  Anna  Maria  Elizabeth  Hufendiek.  born  1805.  John 
Heidbrcder  had  a  large  faTiiily,  eight  sons  aiul  one  daughter.  In  1852 
he  sold  his  estate  in  the  fatherland,  intending  to  found  a  home  for 


406 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


his  family  in  the  new  world.  They  eanie  to  New  Orleans  with  the 
sailing  vessel  Edmund,  arriving  in  December.  Continuing  their  trip 
up  the  Mississippi,  they  landed  at  Quiney  shortly  before  Christmas. 
Here  John  P.  Heidbreder  bought  forty  acres  of  woodland  .south  of 
Curtis  Creek  near  Twelfth  Street,  where  the  family  settled  in  the 
spring  of  1853.  In  June  of  that  year  John  F.  Heidbreder  was  taken 
down  with  typhoid  fever  and  ou  July  12,  he  died.  August  19,  the 
son,  John  Frederick,  Jr.,  aged  twenty-one,  followed  his  father  in 
death;  November  4  Mrs.  Heidbreder  died;  Gottlieb  Frederick,  aged 
fifteen,  followed  November  11,  while  Joseph,  a  younger  son,  had  died 
in  the  meantime — five  members  of  the  family  within  four  months! 
Those  were  sad  times  for  the  remaining  members  of  the  family.  John 
Henry  Heidbreder,  the  eldest  son,  born  July  27,  1827,  married  Johanna 
Sehaeffer,  born  in  Elverdissen  near  Herford,  and  he  for  many  years 
was  engaged  in  teaming ;  then  on  Fe])ruary  15,  1875,  he  with  his  son, 
August  Henry  Heidbreder,  went  into  the  drug  business,  which  proved 
very  successful.  In  1898  John  Henry  Heidbreder  retired  from  active 
Inisiness,  which  was  continued  by  his  sons,  Augi;st  H.  and  George 
H.  Heidbreder. 

August  Henry  Heidbreder  born  March  6,  1856,  attended  St. 
Jacobi  Parochial  School,  then  Irving  School,  and  finally  Gem  City 
Business  College,  graduating  in  1873.  He  went  to  work  for  the 
druggist,  Herman  Sehroeder,  as  prescription  clerk  in  1874,  and  in 
1875  went  into  business  for  himself  with  his  father,  and  has  continued 
in  business  ever  since.  August  24,  1876,  August  H.  Heidbreder  mar- 
ried IMaria  Niekamp,  the  daughter  of  an  old  German  pioneer.  Their 
children  are:  Albert,  the  eldest  son,  is  a  member  of  the  firm  Heidbreder 
Bros.  &  Co. ;  Charles  Heidbreder,  the  second  son,  is  secretary'  and  treas- 
urer of  the  Quiney  Stove  Manufacturing  Company;  Frank  H.  died 
eight  years  ago;  Herbert  H.:  and  Edgar  P.  Heidbreder,  now  at 
Camp  Dodge  in  the  service  of  the  Government.  All  the  sons  were 
graduates  of  pharmacy  and  are  engaged  in  the  diffi'erent  Heidbreder 
stores,  five  in  all.  ilinna,  the  eldest  daughter  of  August  H.  and 
Maria  (Niekamp)  Heidbreder,  is  the  wife  of  William  Evers,  with 
the  Quiney  Stove  Company ;  and  Ella,  the  youngest  daughter,  is  the 
wife  of  Albert  Niemeyer,  associated  with  the  Heidbreder  drug  stores. 
August  H.  Heidbreder,  besides  being  the  founder  of  five  drug  stores 
in  this  city,  also  was  the  promoter  of  the  Quiney  Stove  Manufactur- 
ing Company,  of  which  he  has  been  the  president  up  to  the  present 
time,  and  is  interested  in  other  industrial  enterprises.  George  H. 
Heidbreder,  the  other  son  of  John  Henry  and  Johanna  (Schaeifer) 
Heidbreder,  born  October  19,  1870,  was  a  member  of  the  firm.  He 
married  Julia  Beamer,  who  preceded  him  in  death  six  years,  while  he 
departed  this  life  July  9,  1917.  There  are  two  sons.  Grant  Heid- 
breder, a  druggist,  and  Chester  K.  Heidbreder.  Grant  is  in  the  navy, 
and  Chester  a  sergeant  in  Camp  Logan.  The  daughter,  Grace,  is 
with  her  aunt,  i\Irs.  H.  Westerbcck,  Kansas  City,  ^Missouri. 

William  Heidbreder,  born  October  21,  1829,  learned  the  cooper's 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  407 

trade  and  also  was  a  brickmason,  being  engaged  for  many  years  as  a 
building  contractor.  Later  he  went  to  fanning  in  Ellington  Town- 
ship. His  wife  wa.s  Mary  Lchmann.  born  in  Hanover,  she  died  iininy 
years  ago.  He  married  for  the  second  time,  choosing  the  widow  of 
Henry  Meyer  as  his  wife,  she  i)receded  him  in  death,  while  ^Villia^l 
Hcidbreder  died  in  1917.  Children  were:  William  II.  Ilcidbredcr  the 
druggist ;  Edward,  farmer  at  Palmyra,  and  ^Ii-s.  William  Schacht- 
sick  in  St.  Louis.  John  Philip  Ileidbrcder,  born  April  27,  1836,  for 
many  years  was  engaged  as  a  cooper  in  Quincy.  During  the  Civil 
war  he  served  as  a  corporal  in  Company  II,  Forty -thiril  Illinois  In- 
fantry. His  wife  Friederike,  nee  Stockhecke,  died  1«9'J,  and  he 
departed  this  life  June  lo,  1901.  One  son,  John  Ileidbrcder.  is  in 
Santa  Anna,  California:  Henry  is  a  farmer;  George  is  a  member  of 
the  Gem  City  Pattern  Company;  William  is  a  printer;  the  daughtei-s 
are:  Mrs.  Charles  Gay.  Miss  Amanda,  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Rcidy.  Her- 
man Ileidbrcder,  born  March  7,  1842,  early  in  life  felt  what  it  means 
to  lose  parents  and  three  brothers  within  a  brief  period  of  four 
months.  When  but  ten  years  of  age  he  drove  an  ox  team  for  about 
three  months,  a  feat  to  which  he  later  in  life  always  referred  with 
pride.  At  the  time  of  his  parents'  death,  C.  H.  Bastert,  proprietor 
of  a  store,  was  ai)pointcd  administrator  of  the  estate,  and  adopted  the 
boy,  who  remained  witli  him  until  1856,  when  Mr.  Ba.stert  sold  his 
store.  Herman  Heidbreder  remained  as  employee  in  the  store  through 
three  successive  changes,  working  for  ^6  a  month  and  board  until  1860, 
when  he  entered  the  employ  of  Frank  II.  Kchlcnbrink,  as  clerk,  at 
$35  per  month.  This  wa.s  a  grocery  and  dry  goods  store,  in  which 
he  remained  until  September  1,  1863,  when  he  bought  out  the  basi- 
ness  and  thus  became  a  merchant,  being  engaged  a.s  such  until  1885, 
when  he  went  into  the  real  estate  business,  and  five  years  later,  with 
other  prominent  men,  established  the  State  Street  Bank,  a  venture 
which  proved  successful  from  the  beginning,  and  today  ranks  with 
the  solid  financial  institutions  of  Quincy.  In  October,  1866,  Herman 
Ileidbrcder  married  Anna  Junker,  a  niece  of  Frank  II.  Kehlenbrink. 
August  28.  1907,  Herman  Ileidbrcder  departed  this  life,  and  :March 
18,  1911,  his  widow  followed  him  in  death.  Children  living  are:  Wil- 
liam, the  eldest  son,  is  president  of  the  Gem  City  Stove  Company; 
Walter  is  assistant  cashier  of  the  State  Street  Bank:  and  Harry  is 
teller  of  the  same  bank.  Clara,  the  eldest  daughter,  is  the  wife  of 
Henry  C.  Spriek,  cashier  of  the  State  Street  Bank;  Minnie  is  the 
wife  of  Charles  Seifert.  the  merchant ;  and  Alma  is  the  wife  of  Monroe 
M.  Ile.ss,  the  electrician. 

Charles  Henry  Heidbreder,  born  December  8,  1843,  grew  up  in 
Quini'y,  during  the  Civil  war  was  instrumental  in  raising  Company 
II,  Forty-third  Illinois  Infantry,  and  in  February,  1865,  was  elected 
as  captain  of  said  company.  After  the  war  he  became  a  partner  in 
the  business  of  his  brother,  Herman  Heidbreder,  and  later  married 
Emma  Rotligeh.  a  daugliter  of  the  jiioncer  Frank  Rothgeb.     April  6. 


408  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1868,  Charles  H.  Heidbreder  departed  this  life,  while  his  widow,  Mrs. 
Emma  Heidbreder,  lives  in  Quiney  today. 

Settlers  of  1853 

Jacob  Ebert,  born  November  24,  1827,  in  Wuerttemberg,  came  to 
Quiney  in  1853,  and  for  many  years  was  engaged  as  contractor  of 
stone  work.  When  John  Wood  built  his  tine  mansion,  Jacob  Ebert 
was  engaged  as  foreman,  and  many  were  the  buildings  erected  by 
him  in  the  course  of  time.  Jacob  Ebert  married  ]Mary  Schaefer,  born 
July  28,  1836,  in  the  Grandduchy  of  Hessen.  He  died  November 
25,  1882,  while  his  wife  departed  this  life  years  later.  A  number  of 
descendants  are  among  the  living. 

John  J.  Metzger,  bom  1843  in  Kuenzelsau,  Wuerttemberg,  came 
to  this  country  with  his  parents,  Martin  and  ^Margaret  (Wilhelni) 
Metzger,  the  family  locating  at  Brownsville,  Texas,  in  1846.  Con- 
ditions there  being  unsafe  at  that  time,  the  family  soon  came  North 
and  located  at  Edwardsville,  Illinois,  where  Martin  Metzger  went  to 
fai-ming  until  he  died  in  1853.  Then  the  widow  came  to  Quiney, 
where  she  died  in  1882.  John  Metzger,  the  son,  .ioined  the  volunteer 
fire  department,  and  in  1872  was  elected  as  chief  by  popular  vote. 
In  1873  he  was  appointed  to  the  office  by  ]\Iayor  Frederick  Rearick ; 
in  1884  he  was  appointed  to  the  same  office  by  Mayor  James  Jar- 
rett ;  and  in  1893  he  again  was  appointed  by  :Mayor  John  P.  Mikesell, 
serving  four  terms  in  all  as  chief  of  the  Quiney  fire  department.  He 
died  years  ago. 

John  C.  Roller  was  born  in  1833  near  Stuttgart,  Wuerttemberg, 
where  he  learned  to  be  a  confectioner.  In  1853  he  came  to  Quiney 
and  was  employed  by  William  Buehrer,  the  confectioner.  In  1862 
John  C.  Roller  opened  a  confectionery  of  his  own  in  this  city.  In 
1863  he  married  Charlotte  Behrensmeyer,  born  in  Westphalia,  and 
in  1878  the  family  moved  to  Waco,  Texas,  where  John  C.  Roller 
started  an  ice  factory,  he  being  among  the  very  first  who  introduced 
the  ammonia  refrigerator  process  in  the  manufacture  of  artificial 
ice  in  America,  which  at  that  time  sold  at  $50  a  ton.  In  1883  he 
started  an  ice  factory  in  Terrell,  Texas,  and  in  1893  the  family 
moved  to  Buena  Park,  California,  where  they  raised  oranges  on  a 
large  scale.  John  C.  Roller  died  February  3,  1911,  survived  by  his 
wife  and  children. 

Edward  Levi,  born  April  15,  1835,  in  Ober-Urf,  Principality  of 
Hessen,  attended  the  high  school  at  Cassel,  and  then  was  engaged 
in  a  hardware  store  in  Giessen.  In  1853  he  came  to  Quiney  upon 
the  request  of  his  uncle.  Dr.  Daniel  Stahl.  Here  he  became  a  clerk 
in  the  store  of  James  T.  Baker,  and  later  with  A.  &  L.  Budde.  From 
1858  to  1860  he  was  bookkeeper  of  the  Washington  brewery  and  the 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUXTY  409 

mill  of  -Martin  and  George  Grimm.  At  the  begrinniiig  of  the  Civil 
war  he  \va<  manajrer  of  the  government  bakery  at  Cairo.  Later  he 
retnrned  to  C^ninc-y,  being  engaged  a.s  railway  mail  agent.  In 
1874  and  1875  he  was  eomptroller  of  Qniiu-y.  In  18r)4  P^dwanl 
Levi  married  Wilhelmina  Aumann.  who  preecded  him  in  death 
in  1900,  while  he  departed  this  life  Ajiril  2!).  1911.  The  el.ler  son. 
George  1).  Levi,  for  man\-  years  was  engaged  by  Dun's  Commercial 
Ageney,  and  at  ]>re.sent  is  manager  of  their  oflBee  in  this  city;  he 
also  is  i)resident  of  the  Quincy  Chandler  of  Commerce;  Walter, 
the  other  son,  is  engaged  in  the  cigar  business. 

John  L.  Soebbing  is  among  the  men  who  made  tlieir  mark  in  this 
city.  Ilis  father,  Anton  Stubbing,  came  to  Ijuincy  iu  1853,  and  his 
mother  in  1847.  John  L.  Soebbing  was  born  February  2,  1861,  and 
received  a  good  common  school  education.  When  a  mere  bov  he 
worked  for  Dr.  J.  F.  Kittlcr.  then  for  P.  Cams,  the  druggist,  later 
for  C.  R.  Oliver,  the  grocer,  and  for  John  J.  ^letzger,  who  induced 
him  to  take  a  thorough  eonnnercial  course.  After  leaving  the  busi- 
ness college  he  worked  for  diflfercnt  firms.  In  the  spring  of  1884 
he  accepted  a  position  with  John  Altmix,  and  in  1887  engaged  in 
the  grocerj'  business,  three  years  later  building  a  spacious  store  of  his 
own.  In  1896  he  retired  from  the  retail  trade  and  became  inter- 
ested in  the  wholesale  house  of  the  N.  Kohl  Grocer  Company,  being 
elected  as  secretary.  In  1900  tlie  Quincy  Grocer  Company  was  or- 
ganized, of  which  John  L.  Soebbing  is  treasurer;  he  also  is  presi- 
dent of  the  Quincy  Mercantile  Bank;  besides  he  was  interested  in 
other  important  business  enterprises.  In  1889-90  he  served  on  the 
board  of  supervisors,  and  was  elected  as  a  member  of  the  conned 
at  three  different  times.  October  30,  1883,  John  L.  Soebbing  married 
Clara  Altmix,  a  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer  John  Altmix.  Their 
sons  are:  John  K.,  who  travels  for  the  Quincy  Grocer  Company;  Leo 
A.,  cashier  of  the  company;  Ralph,  clerk  of  the  company;  Robert  J., 
assistant  cashier  of  the  Mercantile  Bank :  George,  bookkeeper  of  the 
Quincy  Grocer  Company ;  and  Eugene,  the  youngest,  a  student  in 
Quincy  College. 

Julius  Freilerick  William  L'cckc,  horn  Xovcndjcr  2,  1832,  in  Car- 
nitz,  Pommerania,  came  to  America,  in  1851.  He  landed  in  New 
York,  from  there  went  to  Milwaukee,  then  to  Chicago  and  came  to 
Quincy  in  1853,  where  he  located.  He  was  a  locksmith,  also  built 
clocks  for  towers.  In  Chicago  and  Quincy  he  worked  as  machinist, 
among  others  for  AVorrell  li  Caldwell.  When  the  Civil  war  broke 
out  he  eidisted  in  the  Third  Illinois  Cavalry,  serving  three  years. 
Returning  home,  he  worked  as  a  machinist,  and  for  six  years  in  com- 
pany with  Herman  Keller  made  earn  planters  in  Camp  Point.  Then 
he  was  employed  in  the  Gardner  Governor  Works,  also  worked  for 
Brown  &  Dimock,  and  for  John  Williams.  In  1864  J.  F.  William 
Uecke  married  the  widow   Barbara   Elizabeth   Stephen,  nee   Bickel, 


410  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

born  in  Langula,  Thuringia,  September  10,  1833,  who  came  to  Quiney 
in  1852  with  her  husband  Andrew  Stephen,  also  from  Languela,  where 
he  was  engaged  as  a  linen  weaver;  he  was  engaged  as  engineer  in 
Thayer's  distillery  and  lost  his  life  in  a  distillery  at  Laeon,  Illinois, 
the  boiler  exploding.  "While  J.  F.  William  Uecke  still  survives,  his 
wife  died  in  1917.  Children  living  are:  Misses  Elizabeth  and  Mary 
Stephen  in  Chicago ;  Mrs.  Lillie  Schlagenhauf,  wife  of  William  Schla- 
genhauf ,  attorney  in  Quiney ;  Clara  E.  Uecke,  who  has  been  in  Hono- 
lulu, Hawaii,  where  she  taught  in  Oahu  College,  she  now  is  engaged 
in  Columbia  University,  New  York;  and  Florinda  A.  Uecke,  who  for 
thirteen  years  has  been  teacher  of  domestic  science  in  the  Quiney 
High  School.  Elizabeth,  a  granddaughter,  the  daughter  of  Henry 
Stephen,  also  was  in  Honolulu,  Hawaii,  wher^  she  taught  in  a 
kindergarten ;  she  now  is  married  to  Charles  Turner  in  Chicago. 

Major  Charles  Petri,  born  July  27,  1826,  in  Braunschweig,  was 
a  graduate  of  the  high  school  in  Bernburg.     He  then  studied  archi- 
tecture and  engineering  at  the  polytechnical  college  in  Munich.    Ow- 
ing to  the  revolutionary  disturbances  in  Europe  he  decided  to  come 
to  America,  and  left  Bremen  June  24,  1848,  on  the  sailing  vessel 
Emerald,  landing  in  Philadelphia  August  15.    Coming  west,  he  spent 
the  fall  and  winter  with  a  Gei'man  farmer  in  Breekenridge  County, 
Kentucky.     The  following  fall  he  bought  250  acres  of  laud  near 
Cloverpoi't,  Kentucky,  and  went  to  farming  for  several  years.     This 
not  being  a  success,  he  decided  to  come  to  Quiney,  where  he  arrived 
in  March,  1853.     Here  he,  with  Dr.  Francis  Drude,  rented  a  farm 
fourteen  miles  southeast  of  Quiney.     The  crops  proving  a  failure, 
Charles  Petri  decided  to  quit  farming  and  devoted  himself  to  his 
calling,  that  of  a  civil  engineer.     He  was  engaged  as  surveyor  on 
the  line  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quiney  Railroad,  which  was 
completed  in  1856.    Then  he  returned  to  Quiney  and  became  assistant 
of  B.   I.  Chatten,  city  engineer  and  county  surveyor.     In  1858  he 
was   appointed   engineer  on   the    Quiney   &   Toledo   Railroad.      In 
1859  he  was  elected  city  engineer,  serving  for  three  years.     When 
the  Civil  war  broke  out,   Charles  Petri  was  elected  as  captain  of 
Company   H,    the   German   company   of   the   Sixteenth  Illinois  In- 
fantry.    December  1,  1862,  he  was  promoted  as  major,  and  was  at- 
tached to  the  staff  of  Gen.  James  D.  Morgan,  as  topographical  engineer. 
Jamiary  21,  1865,  he  was  honorably  discharged,  and  in  the  following 
April  received  his  commission  as  lieutenant  colonel.     In  June,  1865, 
he  bought  the  Quiney  Tribune,  a  German  daily  and  weekly  paper, 
which  he  published  and  edited  for  some  time.     He  also  was  county 
surveyor,  engineer  of  the  Quiney.  Missouri  &  Pacific  Railroad,  again 
elected  as  city  engineer,  and  finally  assistant  engineer  of  the  Han- 
nibal &  St.  Joseph  Railroad,  a  position  wb'ch  he  occupied  from  1877 
until  his  death,  November  11,  1887.    Charles  Petri  always  took  a  great 
interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  adopted  country,  a  fact  which  was 
proven  by  his  service  in  the  army  during  the  days  of  the  Civil  war. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  411 

Although  a  republican,  lie  was  six  times  entrusted  with  a  pulilic 
office  iu  a  democratic  community,  lie  was  married  three  times  and 
left  three  cliildrcn,  one  sou,  Thomas  R.  Pi-tri,  an  attorney,  and  two 
daughters. 

Henry  Spriek,  born  Mareli  1,  1826,  near  ITerford,  Westphalia, 
came  to  Quiuey  in  1853,  where  he  in  tlie  beginning  worked  for  John 
Wood,  later  being  employed  on  a  farm.  In  1855  lie  .ioined  a 
party  wlio  started  a  eolony  in  ^Vasllington  County,  Xeljraska,  mak- 
ing tiie  trip  overland  in  a  wagon,  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen.  In  1858 
he  came  to  Quincy  looking  for  a  wife,  which  he  found  in  the  person 
of  Sophia  ^Vilkening,  born  May  'MX  1837,  in  Lindborst,  Lii)iie- 
Sehauinburg,  who  with  her  parents,  Ilcary  Wilkeniiig  and  wife,  came 
to  Quincy  in  1856,  the  family  locating  near  Mill  Creek.  The  wedding 
trip  from  Quincy  to  Fontanelle,  Nebraska,  about  450  miles,  w-as  taken 
by  wagon,  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen.  Henry  Sprick  in  the  course  of 
time  became  prominent  in  the  new  community.  In  1873  he  was 
elected  to  the  lower  house  of  the  Nebraska  Legislature,  being  elected 
for  three  successive  terms.  In  1878  he  was  elected  as  a  member  of 
the  State  Senate.  In  1884  he  served  as  presidential  elector  on  the 
republican  ticket.  Henry  Sprick  died  July  21,  1906,  after  having 
])een  active  in  the  development  of  his  communit.v  for  fifty  .vears, 
prominent  among  ids  fellow  citizens,  aiul  known  for  his  philanthropic 
spirit.  Henry  C.  Sprick,  born  January  26,  1864,  in  Fontanelle,  Ne- 
braska, a  son  of  Henry  and  Sophia  (\Vilkeiiing)  Sprick,  pursued  his 
early  education  in  his  native  town,  attending  a  parochial  school.  At 
the  age  of  seventeen  he  attended  the  high  school  at  Blair,  Nebraska, 
for  one  year;  at  the  age  of  eighteen  he  became  a  student  in  tlic 
public  schools  of  Quincy,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  entered  the  Gem 
City  Business  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1886.  Returning 
to  his  old  home  in  Nebra.ska,  where  he  worked  on  the  farm  aiul  acted 
as  private  secretary  to  his  father,  who  then  was  serving  as  State  Sen- 
ator, he  was  engaged  in  different  enterprises  until  1890,  when  he  came 
to  Quincy,  where  he  accepted  a  position  as  bookkeeper  in  the  State 
Street  Bank,  later  purcha.sed  an  interest  in  the  bank  and  was  made 
teller.  In  1902  he  l)ecame  assistant  cashier  and  at  present  is  cashier 
of  said  bank.  August  14,  1890,  Ilcnin-  C.  Sprick  married  Clara  Ileid- 
breder,  a  daughter  of  Herman  and  Anna  (Junker)  Ileidbreder.  Their 
children  are:  Harvey,  who  is  clerk  in  the  State  Street  Bank,  and 
Helen  Sprick,  a  student,  at  ho))ie. 

SETTLER.S  OF   1854 

Henr>'  Sieekmann.  born  Augu.st  19,  1831,  in  Elvcrdis.sen,  "West- 
phalia, came  to  Quiney  in  1854.  He  worked  in  VanDoorn's  .sawmill, 
also  for  John  Wood.  During  the  Civil  war  he  served  in  Company 
H,  Tenth  Illinois  Infantry.  He  died  ilay  23.  1899.  John  H.  Sieek- 
mann, the  son,  born  in  Quiney.  attended  the  parochial  school,  public 


412-  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

schools  aud  the  Gem  City  Business  College.    He  at  present  is  assistant 
cashier  of  the  Mercantile  Trust  and  Savings  Bank. 

Frank  Tubbesing  was  born  in  Quiney  April  6,  1854,  as  the  son  of 
Frank  and  Barbara  Tubbesing,  who  came  from  Germany.  He  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade  and  then  studied  architecture  in  the  office  of 
Robert  Bunce.  In  1878  he  opened  an  office  of  his  owa  and  for 
a  number  of  years  was  prominent  in  his  profession  until  his  death 
years  ago.  April  6,  1875,  he  married  Hannah  Pellman,  whose  father, 
Caspar  Pellman,  was  a  member  of  Company  A,  Twenty-seventh  Illi- 
nois, and  was  killed  in  battle  January,  1863.  Besides  the  widow  one 
son,  Frank  Tubbesing,  Jr.,  survives. 

John  J.  Wessels,  born  February  9,  1813,  and  his  wife  Gretje, 
nee  Schmidt,  born  September  23,  1814,  both  in  Ostfriesland,  were 
married  December  2,  1837,  and  came  to  Adams  County  with  their 
family  in  1854,  locating  in  Clayton  Township.  John  J.  Wessels,  Jr., 
bom  March  28,  1840,  served  during  the  Civil  war  in  the  Third  Mis- 
souri Cavalry  regiment,  and  resides  in  Quiney  at  present.  Lambertus 
J.  AVessels,  the  second  son,  born  March  21,  1845,  served  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  Thirty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry,  and  also  resides  in 
this  city.  Frederick  J.  Wessels,  the  third  son,  born  ]\Iay  20,  1854,  on 
the  sea,  is  prominent  in  business  as  a  member  of  the  Quiney  Con- 
fectionery Company. 

Henry  Meisser,  born  February  14,  1837,  in  Belleville,  Illinois, 
came  to  Quiney  in  1854,  and  worked  for  Timothy  Rogers,  the  wagon- 
maker.  Later  he  worked  for  the  lumber  dealers  Diekhut  and  Ben- 
neson.  Here  he  married  Katherine,  daughter  of  William  Diekhut. 
For  thirty-one  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  volunteer  fire  depart- 
ment, gradually  advancing  until  he  finally  became  chief  of  the  de- 
partment. For  more  than  thirty  years  he  was  president  of  the 
Firemen's  Benevolent  Association.  For  fourteen  years  he  was  con- 
nected with  the  Eagle  ]\Iills  and  was  the  originator  of  the  People's 
Ferry  Company. 

William  TenhaeiY  was  born  February  9,  1826,  in  Rees  on  the  Rhine. 
He  came  to  America  in  1851,  located  in  St.  Louis  1852,  and  in  1854 
settled  at  La  Prairie  in  Adams  County,  where  he  conducted  a  gen- 
eral store.  In  1857  he  married  Eva  Kaufmann,  born  in  Ostfriesland. 
His  brother  Charles  J.  Tenhaeff  was  a  partner  in  the  business  for  a 
time,  but  both  brothers  soon  turned  their  attention  to  agriculture. 
In  1893  William  Tenhaeff  moved  to  California  with  his  family  and 
located  at  Pasadena.  One  son,  Leopold,  in  the  railway  mail  seiwice, 
lost  his  life  in  an  accident  at  El  Paso,  Texas,  in  1907,  the  other  son, 
Alex,  was  engaged  in  the  express  business  at  Pasadena.  Marie,  a 
daughter  of  William  Tenhaeff,  in  1885  became  the  wife  of  Rev. 
George    Eisele,    who   was   pastor   ofl  St.    Peter's   Lutheran    Church 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  4i:j 

in  Quint-y,  where  he  died  in  1886.    The  son  George  Eisele,  Jr.,  was 
a  graduate  of  the  Chicago  College  of  Pharmacy. 

Heury  Arnold  Geise,  born  April  6,  1809,  in  Borringhausen,  Olden- 
burg, came  to  America  in  1833,  and  started  a  sawmill  in  Cincinnati, 
where  he  married  Thcresia  Collate,  born  November  it,  1821,  in  Lenge- 
rich,  Hanover.  In  1854  the  family  came  to  Quincy,  where  Henry  A. 
Geise  became  prominent  in  business.  He  erected  the  Broadway  Hotel 
at  a  cost  of  $25,000.  Then  he  bought  the  distillery  of  Thomas  Ja-sper, 
paying  .$20,000.  Later  he  l)ought  the  interest  of  Bernard  Borstadt 
in  the  paper  mill,  which  he  conducted  with  his  son  Bernard  Geise; 
the  mill  was  destroyeil  l)y  fire,  causing  quite  a  loss.  In  1876  he  with 
his  .sons  Bernard  and  Henry  opened  a  bank  in  this  city.  He  also 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  German  Insurance  Association  in  1860, 
and  its  president  for  a  number  of  years.  Henry  A.  Geise  died  De- 
cember 5,  1880,  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  November  19,  1889. 
Henry  A.  Geise,  Henry  B.  Geise  and  Martin  J.  Geise,  the  latter  the 
well  known  architect,  are  grandsons  of  Henrj-  Arnold  Geise. 

Cord  Henry  Stork  was  born  February  9,  1802,  in  Eilshausen, 
Westphalia,  where  he  manufactured  spinning  wheels.  His  wife  was 
Anna  Maria,  nee  Schaet'er.  The  family  emigrated  in  1854,  locating 
in  Quincy,  where  they  arrived  June  17,  and  three  days  later  Cord 
H.  Stork  died  of  cholera.  Sons  were :  All)ert  Henry  Stork,  l)orn 
December  30,  1827,  who  also  made  spinning  wheels  and  furniture, 
and  engaged  as  a  building  contractor  in  Quincy ;  he  died  March  31. 
1891.  Frank  Ludwig  Stork,  the  second  son,  was  for  many  years 
engaged  in  teaming,  and  during  the  Civil  war  served  in  the  Forty- 
third  niinois  Infantry,  his  death  occurring  April  30.  1875.  Fred- 
erick William  Stork,  the  third  son,  was  for  many  years  active  as  a 
building  contractor,  and  served  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth 
Illinois  Infantrj'  during  the  Civil  war;  he  died  August  25,  1899. 
Herman  Stork,  the  youngest  son  of  Cord  H.  and  Anna  M.  (Schaefer) 
Stork,  served  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Illinois  Infantry; 
he  departed  this  life  March  5,  1903. 

John  Schlagenhauf,  horn  .January  li),  18;34,  in  the  Black  Forest 
of  Wuerttemberg,  came  to  America  in  1852,  locating  in  Cincinnati.  In 
1854  he  catne  to  Quincy  and  entered  the  Methodist  College,  to  study 
for  tile  ministry,  being  ordained  as  minister  in  1857.  In  the  course 
of  time  he  served  fifteen  different  congregations.  In  1858  he  married 
Henrietta  Thomas,  who  died  in  1862.  In  1863  he  married  for  the 
second  time,  chosing  -Margaret  Rohn  of  Beardstown,  Illinois,  as  his 
wife.  January  18,  1911,  he  died,  leaving  his  widow  with  four  sons, 
Henry,  a  physician  in  St.  Louis;  William,  attorney  in  Quincy.  Ed- 
ward, a  dentist  in  St.  Ivouis;  and  Philip,  attorney  in  Quincy.  William 
Schlagenhauf,  the  well-known  attorney,  was  born  March  8,  1867,  in 
Belleville,  Illinois,  attended  the  public  schools,  and  eventually  entered 


414  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  German  College  at  Mount  Pleasant,  Iowa,  from  which  he  grad- 
uated. He  then  became  a  student  in  the  law  department  of  the 
Michigan  State  University,  and  in  June,  1890,  was  admitted  to  the 
bar.  He  opened  a  law  office  in  Quincy  in  connection  with  Col.  W.  "W. 
Beriy.  Under  Homer  M.  Swope  he  acted  as  assistant  city  attorney. 
In  1899  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature,  serving  three  successive 
terms.  In  1892  William  Schlagenhauf  inarried  Lillie  M.  Uecke,  and 
they  have  three  children  living,  William  J.,  Lily  E.,  and  Lenore. 

Herman  Michael,  born  October  30,  1825,  in  Hunteburg,  Hanover, 
came  to  America  in  1845  with  his  parents  Henry  and  Clara  (Boellner) 
Michael.  The  family  located  in  Cincinnati,  where  Herman  Michael 
July  5,  1853,  married  Bemardine  Klatte,  bom  May  18,  1834,  in 
Huede,  Oldeuburg.  In  1854  they  came  to  Quincy,  where  Herman 
Michael  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  was  active  as  a  cooper.  Sons 
were:  William,  a  priest  of  the  Catholic  Church;  John  B.,  traveling 
salesman,  and  Henry  H.,  bookkeeper  for  the  Blomer  &  Michael  Com- 
pany, while  that  firm  existed.  Joseph  J.  Michael,  born  March  25, 
1856,  attended  the  parochial  school,  St.  Francis  College  and  the 
Gem  City  Business  College.  Being  ambitious,  he  began  working 
when  thirteen  years  of  age,  being  employed  by  Henry  Bull  in  his 
botanical  garden,  then  in  the  soap  works  of  Flachs  &  Reimann.  He 
learned  the  brick-mason's  trade,  and  during  the  winter  months 
worked  in  the  pork-packing  establishment  of  VandenBoom  &  Blomer. 
Also  was  shipping  clerk  for  the  Bonnet  &  Duffy  Stove  Works.  Was  a 
building  contractor,  and  as  such  erected  a  hotel,  the  gas  works,  a 
schoolhouse,  church,  bank  building  and  a  number  of  residences  in 
Creston,  Iowa.  He  then  entered  the  office  of  the  pork-packing  firm 
of  VandenBoom  &  Blomer,  and  on  May  1,  1882,  associated  himself 
with  Henry  Blomer  and  Fred  Wolf  under  the  firm  name  Blomer,  Wolf 
&  Michael,  which  continued  for  eight  years.  In  1900  Fred  Wolf 
witlidrew  and  tlie  firm  Blomer  &  ]\Iichael  was  incorporated,  the  busi- 
ness being  continued  on  a  large  scale  until  the  plant  was  destroyed 
by  fire.  Joseph  J.  IMichael  became  interested  in  several  other  com- 
mercial, financial  and  industrial  enterprises,  is  vice  president  of  the 
Broadway  Bank,  and  today  enjoys  the  fruits  of  his  resourceful  busi- 
ness ability.  In  1884  he  married  Catherine  Altmix,  a  daughter  of 
the  old  pioneer  John  Altmix.  Their  son  Roman  is  stenographer; 
Clara,  a  daughter,  is  stenographer  with  the  Mercantile  Bank,  and  the 
daughters  Gertrude,  Genevieve,  Henrietta  and  Pauline  are  students. 

Settlers  op  1855 

George  Sehaefer,  born  June  1,  1828,  in  Laasphe,  Westphalia,  came 
to  St.  Louis  in  1853,  and  to  Quincy  in  1855,  where  he  for  many  years 
conducted  a  cooper  shop.  He  married  Mary  Womelsdorf  born  in  the 
Grandduchy  of  Hessen,  who  died  in  1901.  William,  the  eldest  son, 
has  been  deputy  in  the  sheriff's  office  for  more  than  twenty-five  years. 


QUlNi  V   AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  415 

Louis  Schaefer,  the  second  son,  was  assistant  postmaster  wliile  David 
^Vik•ox  was  postmaster  of  Quincy.  George  Sciiaefer,  Jr.,  tlic  third 
son,  is  engaged  as  Government  engineer. 

Jacob  R.  Urech,  born  February  21,  1845,  in  Zofingen,  Switzerland, 
in  1855  came  to  Qiiiney  with  his  parents.  Here  he  learned  the  printer's 
trade  in  the  office  of  tiie  t^uiney  Tril)une.  Later  he  learned  tlie  trade 
of  saddler  and  harnessniaker.  Li  1865  Jacob  and  his  brother  Fred- 
erick L'rech  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Illinois  In- 
fantry, serving  to  the  end  of  the  war.  October  3,  1869,  Jacob  R. 
Urech  married  Amy  S.  Wharton  in  Payson,  this  county.  In  1877  he 
began  the  publication  of  the  ]Mendon  Dispatch,  a  weekly  paper,  which 
he  published  for  a  number  of  yeai-s,  finally  retiring  from  active  busi- 
ness. 

Dr.  John  F.  Rittler,  born  December  27, 1828,  in  Altenburg,  Saxony, 
studied  in  German  universities  and  graduated  in  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  University  of  Prague.  In  IH.'iS  he  came  to  America 
and  located  in  Florence,  Massachusetts;  in  1854  he  went  to  Browns- 
ville, Pennsylvania,  and  in  1855  located  in  Quincy.  Here  he  married 
Emilic  Rossmacssler,  a  daughter  of  Emil  Adoljjh  Rossmaessler,  pro- 
fes.sor  of  luitural  history.  For  many  years  Doctor  Rittler  practiced 
medicine  in  Quincy,  until  he  died.  Ajiril  1,  1892,  his  wife  departing 
this  life  ]March  23,  1898.  They  hiitl  one  daughter,  Johanna,  who  in 
1874  became  tlie  wife  of  C.  II.  Ilcnrici,  at  that  time  publisher  of  the 
Quincy  Tribune.  Both  have  departed  this  life,  leaving  two  daugh- 
ters, Elsa,  wife  of  Lieut.  Fred  Andrews,  in  the  Philippine  Islands, 
and  Edith,  also  in  the  Philippines  as  correspondent  of  the  San  Fran- 
cisco Chronicle. 

Bernard  Awerkamp,  born  October  6,  1849,  in  Coesfeld,  Westphalia, 
came  to  Quincy  in  1855,  with  his  widowed  mother  and  one  brother, 
his  father  having  died  in  the  old  home.  At  the  age  of  twelve  Bernard 
Awerkamp  became  an  ajtprentice  in  the  office  of  tlie  Quincy  Tribune, 
published  by  Carl  Rotteek.  Later  he  was  employed  in  diiTerent 
stores,  until  finally,  in  December,  18G9.  he  secured  a  position  in  the 
Ricker  Bank,  gradually  advancing  until  in  1881,  when  the  Ricker 
National  Bank  was  organized,  he  was  selected  as  assistant  cashier,  a 
I)osition  which  he  holds  u])  to  this  day.  May  9,  1876,  Bernard 
Awerkamp  married  Louisa  Dicfenliach,  a  daughter  of  Capt.  Michael 
Diefenbach,  for  many  years  engaged  in  river  traflSc.  They  have  one 
daughter,  Mrs.  Arthur  Htui.saker.  and  six  sons,  Theodore,  paying 
teller  in  the  Kicker  Xatiunal  Bank:  William  F.,  with  the  Standard 
Oil  Company;  Frank  A.,  bookkeeper  with  S'cudder  &  Gale;  Carl, 
machinist,  foreman  with  the  Otis  Elevator  Company.  Arthur  A., 
plumber  with  Best  Brothers;  and  Walter  B.,  foreman  in  Geise's 
garage. 


416  QUINCY  AND  AUAMS  COUNTY 

John  Henry  Michelmann,  born  Noveimber  29,  1830,  in  Letz- 
lingen,  Prussia,  came  to  America  in  1853,  locating  in  Evansville,  In- 
diana. Being  a  smith,  he  was  employed  in  the  boiler  works  of  Val- 
entin Stegmiller,  with  whom  he  came  to  Quiney,  December  24,  1855. 
Later  he  opened  a  boiler  works  of  his  own,  in  which  he  was  very  suc- 
cessful, gi'adually  adding  all  kinds  of  steel  work,  such  as  bridge 
building,  fire  escapes,  etc.  December  17,  1857,  John  Henry  Michel- 
mann married  Mary  Mai'garet  Stuckert,  horn  January  25,  1839,  in 
New  Orleans,  where  her  father  died,  her  mother  coming  to  Quiney 
in  1840.  The  couple  celebrated  the  sixtieth  anniversary  of  their 
wedding  December  17,  1917.  Their  children  are :  Henry  L.  Michel- 
mann, secretary  and  manager  of  the  Michelmann  Steel  Construction 
Company;  Wilhelmina,  wife  of  Rev.  C.  E.  Miche,  in  Okawville,  Illi- 
nois; Emma,  wife  of  C.  F.  A.  Behrensmeyer,  dealer  in  shoes;  Clara, 
wife  of  William  Gerdes,  vice  president  and  superintendent  of  the 
Michelmann  Steel  Construction  Company;  Elizabeth  and  Dorothea 
Michelmann ;  and  Albert  Michelmann,  druggist.  John  H.  Michel- 
mann is  president  of  the  Michelmann  Steel  Construction  Company. 

William  August  Basse,  born  November  15,  1811,  in  Barmen,  Rhen- 
ish Priissia,  studied  mechanics,  and  in  Goettingen  worked  on  the  first 
telegraph,  which  in  1833  was  installed  by  Professors  Steinheil,  Grund 
and  Weber,  connecting  the  Sternhalle  with  the  Physical  Cabinet. 
Later  he  learned  steel  engraving,  and  in  1836  located  in  Luedenscheid, 
Westphalia,  where  he  married  Friederike  L.  Huelsmann,  born  in 
Essen.  In  1845  he,  with  H.  Fischer,  began  to  manufacture  metal 
wares.  In  1855  the  family  emigrated,  arriving  in  Quiney  June  23, 
and  in  1856  William  A.  Basse  and  Henry  Huelsmann  opened  a  jew- 
elry business  in  this  city,  which  still  exists.  William  A.  Basse  died  in 
1880.  Henry  Huelsmann  followed  him  in  death  in  1885,  and  Mrs. 
Basse  departed  this  life  in  1892.  August  Basse,  the  son,  born  in 
Essen,  January  15,  1840,  married  ]\Iarie  Kespohl,  ]\Iareh  19,  1864,  and 
was  active  in  the  jewelry  business  for  more  than  fifty  years.  Henry 
Basse,  the  son  of  August  Basse,  is  manager  of  the  husiness,  while 
^larie  Basse,  the  widow,  and  her  daughter  Bertha  live  in  this 
city.    The  widow  Augusta  Sellner  is  a  daughter  of  William  A.  Basse. 

John  Henry  Wilms,  born  February  13,  1806,  in  Leiehlingen, 
Rhenish  Prussia,  married  Katherine  Hamacher,  born  May  30,  1815, 
in  Neukirehen.  John  H.  Wilms,  together  with  F.  W.  Jansen,  had 
learned  cabinet  making  in  the  fatherland.  In  1855  the  family  came 
to  Wheeling,  Virginia,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  to  Quiney, 
where  John  H.  AVilms  for  many  years  was  employed  in  the  Jan- 
sen furniture  factory.  September  22,  1872,  Mr.  Wilms  died,  and 
January  7,  1878,  Mrs.  Wilms  departed  this  life.  Frederick  Wilms, 
the  eldest  son,  bom  October  25,  1842,  for  many  years  was  active  in 
the  coal  busines-s,  being  president  of  the  Wabash  Coal  Company,  and 
later,  when  the  Mercantile  Trust  &  Savings  Bank  was  organized,  he 


QUIXCY  AM)  AI)A:MS  COUNTY  417 

became  president  of  that  iustitution.  Ilis  wife  Anna,  nee  Dickliut, 
is  a  (iauglitcr  of  the  old  i)ioneer  William  Dickhut.  Mr.  and  Mi-s.  Wilius 
now  reside  in  San  Diego,  California.  William  Wilms,  the  twin-brother 
of  Frederick  Wilms,  for  many  years  was  secretary  of  the  Wabash 
Coal  Company,  x-esidiug  in  Springfield.  Rudolph  Wilms,  the  young- 
est of  the  brothers,  born  April  17,  1850,  for  more  than  thirty  years 
was  connected  with  the  Halbach-Schroeder  Drj'  Goods  Company,  and 
now  is  secretary  of  the  Mcyer-Wilms  Dry  Goods  Company.  His  wife, 
Helen,  nee  Magaret,  was  a  daughter  of  Kev.  Ernst  E.  JIagaret,  pastor 
of  the  First  German  Methodist  Church,  Peoria,  Illinois. 

John  Christopher  and  Maria  Franziska  (Luttinann)  Fischer,  were 
married  in  Hanover  in  1830,  and  in  1832  came  to  America,  landing 
in  Baltimore  September  13th,  with  one  daughter  Anna  Marie.  They 
located  in  Fredcricktown,  Maryland,  where  a  son  was  bom  ilarch 
29,  1833,  John  Christopher,  Jr.,  who  came  to  Quincy  in  1855.  He 
was  a  stove  molder,  and  on  August  1,  1865,  married  Mary  A.  Wielage, 
born  in  Hanover,  who  had  come  to  Quiiicy  with  her  parents  in 
1846.  The  children  of  John  Christopher  and  Mary  A.  (Wielage) 
Fischer  were:  John  J.  Fisher,  bom  in  Quincy,  July  6,  1867.  He 
attended  St.  Mary's  parochial  school,  and  later  became  a  clerk  in 
a  confectionery,  after  which  he  was  employed  in  a  grocery  store,  thus 
gaining  intimate  knowledge  of  modern  business  methods.  In  1884 
he  turned  his  attention  to  the  stove  trade,  being  employed  as  clerk 
in  the  office  of  the  Excelsior  Stove  Works,  which  company  discon- 
tinued business  in  1890.  Jlay  1,  1890,  John  J.  Fisher  went  into  the 
stove  repair  business,  under  the  firm  style  Excelsior  Stove  Repair 
Company.  In  1893  this  business  was  incorporated  under  the  laws 
of  Illinois,  in  1896  the  capital  was  increased  and  the  name  changed 
to  Excelsior  Stove  and  JIanufacturing  Company,  and  the  manufac- 
ture of  stoves  and  ranges  begun,  since  which  time  the  products  of 
the  company  have  been  marketed  in  every  state  in  the  Union,  as  well 
as  foreign  countries.  From  a  small  beginning  this  has  become  one 
of  the  important  productive  industries  of  Quincy.  John  J.  Fisher 
is  president  of  the  Quincy  Freight  Bureau.  May  31, 1902,  he  married 
Ellen  Cecelia  Xolan.  Other  children  of  John  Christopher  and  .Mary 
A.  (Wielage)  Fischer  were:  William  Joseph,  now  superintendent 
of  the  Excelsior  Stove  W^orks;  Henry  W^illiam,  foreman  in  the  tin 
room,  Excelsior  Stove  Works;  Ottilia,  wife  of  Theodore  Ehrhardt, 
superintendent  of  the  Excelsior  Stove  Works:  Martha,  wife  of  Otto 
Duker;  Henrietta,  wife  of  Fred  Rummenie,  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota. 
John  Christopher  Fischer,  Jr.,  died  November  1,  1879,  and  his  widow 
a  number  of  yeai-s  later  liecame  the  wife  of  Nicholas  Kohl,  presi- 
dent of  the  N.  Kohl  Grocer  Company. 

Settlers  of  1856 

Edward  Arntzen  was  a  brother  of  Senator  Bernard  Amtzen, 
bora  in  Sucdlohn,  Westphalia,  and  came  to  Quincy  in  1856.    He  was 


418  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

a  civil  engineer,  and  a  member  of  the  eng^ineer  coi'ps  which  sur- 
veyed the  line  for  the  Pacitie  Railroad.  Later  he  returned  to  Quincy, 
•where  he  was  active  in  business  for  some  time.  Finally  he  went  to 
St.  Louis,  and  for  twenty  years  was  engaged  in  the  city  engineer's 
department,  until  his  death  in  the  spring  of  1906. 

Peter  H.  Meyer,  born  December  25,  1840,  in  Herford,  Westphalia, 
came  to  Quincy  in  1856,  and  here  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  Later 
he  ibecame  a  building  contractor  and  as  such  built  a  number  of 
churches,  besides  many  business  houses  and  residence  buildings.  He 
married  Hannah  Menke,  who  came  to  Quincy  with  her  parents  in 
1852.  In  1912  Peter  H.  Meyer  died  in  California,  leaving  his  wife 
and  the  following  children:  Anna,  wife  of  Charles  Cottrell  in 
Quincy;  Laura,  wife  of  Prof.  William  Geiger,  in  Tacoma,  Washing- 
ton; Minna,  wife  of  George  Weaver;  and  one  son,  Harry  Meyer,  in 
St.  Louis. 

Gottlieb  Burge,  bom  in  1823  in  Homussen,  Switzerland,  came  to 
America  in  1847,  located  in  Vicksburg,  :Mississippi,  and  later  came  to 
Cincinnati,  where  he  married  Josephine  Gerschwiler.  In  1856  they 
came  to  Quincy,  where  Gottlieb  Burge  was  a  member  of  the  firm  Lark- 
worthy  &  Burge,  building  contractors,  later  Burge  &  Buerkin,  and 
finally  Burge-Huck  Company,  manufacturers  of  showcases  and  fur- 
nishing interior  work  for  banks,  drug-stores  and  business  houses 
generally.  October  6,  1902,  Gottlieb  Burge  died,  the  business  being 
continued  by  his  son-in-law  Oscar  P.  Huck,  until  the  death  of  the 
latter. 

AVilliam  Eber,  born  June  20,  1829,  in  ITnterrodach,  Bavaria,  after 
finishing  his  commercial  education,  came  to  America  in  1849,  located 
in  Baltimore,  and  a  year  later  went  to  Warren,  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  engaged  in  business  for  over  five  years.  In  1856  he  came  to 
Quincy,  and  for  many  years  was  identified  with  the  seed  business, 
gaining  an  enviable  reputation.  He  was  one  of  the  active  promoters 
of  the  beet  sugar  industry  in  this  country.  William  Eber  died  April 
4,  1910,  leaving  his  wife,  Mrs.  Susanna  Eber,  one  son,  AVilliam 
Eber,  Jr.,  and  five  daughters,  Emma,  Sadie,  Sophia,  Frieda  and  Nellie 
Eber.    The  Eber  Seed  Company  is  incorporated. 

Henry  Ording,  born  ]March  10,  1836,  in  Suedlohn,  Oldenburg, 
came  to  Quincy  in  1856,  and  worked  at  his  trade  in  a  chair  factory, 
later  he  conducted  a  general  store.  He  served  as  alderman  of  the 
Fifth  Ward  and  as  deputy  sheriff.  In  1878  he  was  elected  as  sheriff, 
and  finally  appointed  as  chief  of  police.  October  25,  1859,  he  mar- 
ried Mary  C.  Glass,  bom  in  Quincy  November  29,  1841.  In  February, 
1912,  he  died ;  his  wife  still  lives.  Sons  are :  Henry  Ording,  Jr.,  teller 
in  the  Ricker  National  Bank;  John  Ording,  secretary  of  the  J.  H. 
Duker  &  Brothers  Company;  Charles  J.   Ording,  druggist  in  Chi- 


I 


QUI.XCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  419 

cago;  August  Ording  in  Quincy.  Daughters  are:  Mrs.  Marj*  Tos- 
sick,  Mrs.  Lyle  Beers,  and  Antoinette,  known  as  Sister  Aquina,  Order 
of  Notre  Dame. 

John  Jacob  Bonnet,  bom  1830  in  Wuerttemberg,  came  to  America 
in  1833  with  his  parents.  The  family  located  in  Zanesville,  Ohio, 
where  the  son  grew  up  and  learned  the  stove  moldcrs  trade.  In  1856 
John  J.  Bonnet  came  to  Quincy,  and  in  1860  married  Margaret 
Sauber,  born  in  this  city  in  1832.  For  many  years  he  followed  his 
trade,  and  in  1862  together  with  Thomas  "Wliite  and  James  Duffy 
organized  a  company  for  the  manufacture  of  stoves,  under  the 
firm  name.  "White,  Bonnet  &  Duffy.  Later  he  was  instrumental  in 
the  organization  of  the  firm  Bonnet,  Duffy  &  Trowbridge.  Finally 
John  J.  Bonnet,  together  with  Richard  Nance,  opened  a  stove  foun- 
dry in  Chicago  Heights,  Illinois. 

Edward  Wild  was  born  in  1833,  in  St.  Gallen,  Switzerland.  In 
1856  he  came  to  Quincy  and  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Innocenz 
Moser,  also  from  St.  Gallen,  conducting  a  soap  factory,  making 
stearine  and  lard  oil,  and  dealing  in  salt,  tallow,  hides  and  wool. 
October  21,  1861,  Edward  Wild  married  Isahelle  ^I.  Obert,  a  daugh- 
ter of  the  old  pioneer  ^latthias  Obert,  she  being  a  teacher  in  the  pub- 
lic schools.  She  died  December  8,  1869,  her  husband  died  in  1878 
in  Memphis.  Tennessee,  of  yellow  fever.  Two  children  survive,  one 
son,  Edward  0.  Wild,  in  New  Orleans,  publisher  of  the  Gulf  States 
Farmer,  and  prominent  in  the  business  circles  of  the  Crescent  Citj% 
the  metropolis  of  the  South ;  also  one  daughter,  Anna  C,  the  wife  of 
Erde  W.  Beatty,  circuit  clerk  of  Adams  County. 

George  Worth,  boni  September  14,  1816,  in  Eckclsheim,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Hessen,  came  to  New  Orleans  in  1845.  He  was  a  tailor,  and 
after  an  attack  of  yellow  fever  came  to  Evansville,  Indiana,  where  he 
in  1848  married  ^Margaret  Mann,  born  in  Eckel.sheim.  February  2, 
1826.  Her  great-uncle,  Frederick  Decker,  taught  in  the  first  Ger- 
man school  in  Evansville,  and  his  son.  Christian  Decker,  was  the 
first  .school  trustee  of  Evan.s\-ille,  the  librarj'  in  the  high  school  being 
named  the  Christian  Decker  Library.  In  1856  George  Worth  and 
family  came  to  Quincy,  where  he  for  many  years  conducted  a  tail- 
oring fstablishment.  he  being  a  master  at  his  trade.  He  died  May 
17,  1877,  his  wife  departed  this  life  April  24,  1902.  Three  children  are 
living:  Mrs.  C.  F.  Bert,  Packerton,  Indiana;  Mrs.  Amelia  Roelker, 
Brooklyn,  New  York;  and  John  C.  Worth,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

C.  F.  Adolph  Behrensmeyer.  born  September  22,  1835,  in  Oeyn- 
hausen,  Westphalia,  came  to  Quincy  in  1856.  Ho  was  a  carpenter  and 
for  ten  years  was  engaged  as  contractor  and  builder.  Then  he  con- 
ducted a  general  store,  and  also  a  shoe-store,  finally  retiring  from 
active  business.    C.  F.  A.  Behrensmeyer  married  ilary  Beilstein,  the 


420  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

daughter  of  an  old  German  pioneer.  She  died  November  13,  1890, 
and  he  later  married  the  widow  Augusta  Wehner,  nee  Vohwinkel, 
of  Elberfeld.  He  died  April  5,  1910;  the  widow  sur^dves.  Sons  of 
C.  F.  A.  and  ilarj^  (Beilstein)  Behrensmej^er  are:  Charles  F.  A. 
Behrensmeyer,  Jr.,  dealer  in  shoes;  George  Philip  Behrensmeyer,  a 
graduate  of  the  University  of  Illinois  and  prominent  as  architect  in 
Quiney,  and  Edward  Behrensmeyer,  engaged  in  the  office  of  his 
brother,  the  architect. 

Herman  H.  Merten,  bona  July  9;  1823,  in  Westerkappeln,  Germanj-, 
came  to  St.  Louis  in  the  '40s  of  last  century,  where  he  leai'ned 
the  trade  of  wagon-maker.  In  1856  he  came  to  Quiney,  where  he  for 
many  j-ears  conducted  a  lumber  yard.  In  1879  he  I'etired  from  active 
business  life,  turning  the  lumber  yard  over  to  his  son-in-law,  William 
Heidemann,  who  was  born  in  1843  in  Herford,  Westphalia,  came  to 
Quiney  in  1853  with  his  parents,  worked  for  a  gardener  for  some 
time  and  later  learned  to  be  a  book-binder.  He  also  served  in  the 
Tenth  Illinois  Infantry  during  the  Civil  war.  William  Heidemann 
conducted  the  lumber  business  until  he  died,  June  1,  1906.  The 
Heidemann  Lumber  Company  is  continued  under  the  management 
of  the  son,  Arthur  H.  Heidemann,  assisted  by  his  sister  Orlinda 
Heidemann ;  the  other  sisters  are,  Meta,  Emma  and  Mathilde  Heide- 
mann. 

Henry  Freiburg,  born  October  18,  1835,  in  Allendorf,  West- 
phalia, was  a  shoemaker  and  came  to  Quiney  in  1856,  worked  as  a 
journeyman  at  his  trade  until  1862,  when  he  opened  a  shoe-store, 
which  he  conducted  until  1879.  In  1882  he  started  a  shoe  factory,  an 
enterprise  which  promised  success.  But  soon  the  competition  of 
the  large  factories  became  too  strong,  and  Henry  Freiburg  had  to 
give  up.  Then  he  started  the  Crispin  shoe  factor}^,  doing  custom 
and  repair  work,  an  enterprise  which,  since  the  death  of  Henry- 
Freiburg,  June  21,  1917,  is  continued  by  the  son  Joseph  B.  C. 
Freiburg.  January  21,  1862,  Henry  Freiburg  married  Josephine 
Meyer,  a  daughter  of  the  old  German  pioneer  Christopher  Meyer. 
Their  sons  are:  Joseph,  Christopher  and  Alphons  Freiburg;  daugh- 
ters: Veronica,  wife  of  Joseph  Geers;  Maria,  wife  of  Bernard 
Brinks;  Agnes,  wife  of  Lawrence  Wavering;  Rosa,  single;  and  Led- 
wina,  wife  of  Joseph  Adrian,  Martinsburg,  J\Iissouri. 

John  B.  Schott,  born  March  28,  1833,  in  Ki-onach,  Bavaria,  was 
a  tanner  and  currier  and  came  to  America  in  1852,  locating  in  Cin- 
cinnati, where  he  worked  at  his  trade  until  April  1,  1856,  when  he 
came  by  way  of  Chicago  and  Dubuque  to  Quiney,  landing  here 
May  16  of  said  year.  On  the  very  same  day  he  leased  the  tannerj' 
at  Sixth  and  State  streets,  which  had  been  established  by  Julius 
Schleich  in  1848,  and  conducted  the  business  for  many  years,  grad- 
ually extending  the  scope  of  his  labors,  engaging  in  the  general  leather 


QL'I.XCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  421 

business.  In  1875  he  began  the  mauufacture  of  horse  collars,  and 
in  1877  entered  into  the  wholesale  manufacture  of  saddlery  goods, 
employing  from  80  to  100  men.  January  18,  1906,  the  large  estab- 
lishment at  Third  and  Hampshire  streets  was  destroyed  by  fire,  but 
partly  rebuilt  and  the  manufacture  of  horse  collars  resumed.  Febru- 
ary 17,  1859,  John  B.  Schott  married  Adolphina  Schleich.  May  6, 
1910,  John  B.  Schott  died,  leaving  his  wife  with  three  sons,  John, 
Adolph  and  Robert  Schott,  and  three  daughters,  Mrs.  Autonie  Wolf, 
widow  of  Louis  AVolf ;  ^Irs.  Julia  Lauter,  wife  of  Charles  Lauter,  and 
Miss  Emma  Schott;  the  latter  died  in  1913. 

Bernard  H.  IMollcr,  born  November  29,  1819,  in  Mehrsen,  Han- 
nover, in  1847  married  Mary  ]\Iassmann,  and  they  in  1848  came  to 
St.  Louis,  where  a  son,  Henry  H.  Holler,  was  bom  May  29,  1848. 
In  1849  Mrs.  Moller  died  of  cholera,  and  in  1856  Bernard  H.  Moller 
came  to  Quincy  with  his  son.  The  latter  attended  St.  Francis  Col- 
lege, and  then  entered  upon  a  business  career  as  clerk  in  the  Ricker 
Bank,  where  he  remained  four  years,  finally  occupying  the  position 
as  teller.  After  being  engaged  with  different  firms  he  finally  in  1875 
entered  the  lumber  business  with  his  brother-in-law,  Joseph  H.  Van- 
denBoom,  as  a  member  of  the  firm  Moller  &  VandenBoom.  He  also 
was  interested  in  other  business  enterprises,  and  served  in  the  county 
board  of  Adams  County  for  six  years.  January  10,  1871,  Henry  H. 
Moller  married  Louisa  VandenBoom.  Sons  are:  Henrj-  B.,  secretary 
of  the  Moller  &.  VandenBoom  Company;  Frank  G.,  attorney  in  Buf- 
falo, New  York;  Frederick,  treasurer  of  the  Moller  &  VandenBoom 
Company;  and  Edward,  with  the  same  company.  One  daughter, 
Mrs.  Vincent  Hayes,  resides  in  Los  Angeles,  California. 

Charles  Sellner,  born  October  17,  1825,  near  "Weil,  Wuerttembcrg, 
was  educated  as  a  merchant,  and  in  1848  came  to  Buffalo,  New 
York,  where  he  for  several  years  was  engaged  in  the  leather  busi- 
ness of  the  firm  Schoellkopf.  In  1849  he  married  Amalie  Knorr, 
born  1829  near  Altensteig  in  the  Black  Forest.  In  1856  Charles 
Sellner  came  to  Quincy  with  his  family  and  opened  a  leather  busi- 
nes.s,  which  he  conducted  until  his  death  October  30,  1900;  his  wife 
died  September,  1914.  Children  were:  I^Irs.  William  Althans,  Mrs. 
Emil  Knittel,  Charles  Sellner,  Jr.,  and  Albert  Sellner.  The  latter, 
born  November  2,  1850,  after  receiving  a  thorough  common  school 
education,  attended  the  Royal  Polytechnic  In.stitute  at  Stuttgart, 
Germany,  graduating  from  the  chemistry  department.  Returning 
to  Quincy  in  1870,  he  devoted  himself  for  some  time  to  analytical 
chemistrj-  and  the  manufacture  of  chemicals.  In  1873  he  accepted  a 
position  with  Jliller,  Terdengc  &  Company,  two  years  later  became  a 
partner  in  the  business,  the  firm  being  Miller,  Arthur  &  Sellner,  until 
1889.    Then  he  engaged  in  the  business  of  photographic  supplies. 

George  Ertel  was  born  April  10,  1830,  in  Neuburg  on  the  Rhine, 
and  came  to  America  in  1854,  where  he  worked  in  a  furniture  factorj' 


422  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

in  Elmira,  New  York.  In  1855  he  went  to  Williarasport,  Pennsylvania, 
and  in  1856  he  came  to  Quincy,  whei'e  he  worked  for  three  years, 
when  he  opened  a  furniture  business  in  Liberty,  Adams  County. 
While  there,  he  perfected  a  hay  press,  and  in  1868  returned  to  Quincy, 
devoting  himself  to  the  manufacture  of  hay-presses.  The  business  was 
a  success,  and  the  Ertel  hay-presses  were  sold  everywhere  in  the 
Union  as  well  as  in  Canada,  Mexico  and  other  countries.  Early"  in 
1893  he  secured  a  patent  on  an  incubator,  adding  an  important 
branch  to  his  business.  In  December,  1893,  the  George  Ertel  Com- 
pany was  incorporated.  In  1873  George  Ertel  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  city  council,  serving  two  years,  and  in  1875-76  he  was  a  member 
of  the  board  of  supervisors.  December  8,  1855,  George  Ertel  married 
Elizabeth  Gardner,  at  Williamsport,  Pennsylvania.  George  Ertel 
died  February,  1902;  the  widow  and  one  son  survive.  Charles  M. 
Ertel,  the  son,  born  in  Liberty,  September  18,  1864,  is  president, 
treasurer  and  manager  of  the  Ertel  Company. 

William  J.  Winkelmann,  born  in  Germany,  September  27,  1829, 
came  to  America  in  1843,  landing  in  New  York,  where  he  attended 
night  school  to  learn  English.  He  had  begun  to  learn  the  cabinet 
maker's  trade  in  Germany,  had  also  studied  architecture,  and  worked 
in  this  country  as  carpenter  and  builder.  Was  in  Chicago  for  a 
time  with  his  sister,  and  finally  came  to  Quincy,  where  he  married 
Mary  Kehlenbrink,  September  25,  1856.  Here  he  followed  his  occu- 
pation as  building  contractor,  and  served  in  the  city  council  as  rep- 
resentative of  the  Foiu'th  Ward  from  1861  to  1864,  inclusive;  also 
on  the  board  of  supervisors  and  as  assessor.  William  J.  Winkelmann 
died  March  28,  1878,  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  July  14,  1888. 
Sons  living  are:  Frank  and  George,  both  carpenters;  and  Albert 
Winkelmann,  a  Methodist  minister.  Daughters  are :  Clara,  wife  of 
Fred  Merker;  they  have  two  daughters,  Mrs.  George  Behrensmeyer, 
Wichita,  Kansas,  and  Mrs.  Earl  Reed,  her  husband  being  a  railway 
mail  clerk.  Other  daughters  of  William  J.  and  I\Iary  (Kehlenbrink) 
Winkelmann  are:  Mrs.  H.  M.  Dido,  her  husband  being  president  of 
the  interurban  between  Belleville  and  St.  Louis;  and  Mrs.  Charles 
Merz,  on  a  farm  near  Fond  du  Lac,  Wisconsin. 

The  Dick  Brothers  were  prominent  faetoi's  in  the  development  of 
the  industries  of  Quincy.  They  were  born  in  Ruppertsberg,  Rheuisii 
Bavaria :  ilatthew,  July  8,  1819 ;  John,  October  9,  1827 ;  and  Jacob. 
October  9,  1834.  Matthew  Dick  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife, 
Lisette,  nee  Kohl,  died  after  a  short  wedded  life,  and  Matthew  Dick 
later  married  Eleonore  Elizabeth  Deidesheimer,  liorn  in  Mutterstadt, 
Rhenish  Bavaria.  In  1854  the  Dick  Brothers  came  to  America,  locating 
in  St.  Louis,  but  they  moved  to  Belleville,  Illinois,  in  1855.  ^Matthew 
was  a  cooper  and  John  a  baker,  and  they  conducted  a  hotel,  while 
Jacob  was  engaged  as  salesman  in  a  hardware  store.  In  1855  John 
Dick  married  Louisa  Steigmeyer,  born  in  1837  in  Philadelphia,  Penu- 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  423 

sylvania.  In  1856  the  Dick  Brothers  decided  to  locate  in  Quincy, 
where  they  erected  a  small  brewery,  the  beginning  of  an  enterprise, 
which  in  the  more  than  sixty  years  of  its  existence,  proved  a  great 
success.  Besides  conducting  one  of  the  largest  breweries  in  the 
state,  the  Dick  Brothers  also  engaged  in  the  grain  and  milling  busi- 
ness, this  enterprise  being  conducted  under  the  name  Dick  Brothers 
Milling  Company.  Thus  they  in  the  course  of  time  became  the  em- 
ployers of  a  great  force  of  men  in  their  two  industrial  plants,  adding 
materially  to  the  growth  of  the  city.  Jacol)  Dick,  the  youngest  of 
the  three  brothers,  in  1861  was  united  in  marriage  to  Margaret 
Redmond,  a  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer  Thomas  Redmond,  who 
had  located  in  Quincy  in  1837.  Jacob  Dick  died  December  20,  1876. 
The  originators  and  founders  of  the  great  plant  having  all  departed 
this  life,  the  enterprise  is  carried  on  by  their  sons.  August  Dick, 
the  son  of  Jacob  Dick,  is  president ;  Albert  Dick,  a  son  of  Matthew 
Dick,  is  secretary- ;  Frank  Dick,  a  son  of  John  Dick,  is  treasurer  and 
superintendent;  and  Ernest  Dick,  another  son  of  Matthew  Dick,  is 
salesman  of  the  company. 

Settlers  of  1857 

Anton  F.  Schrage,  born  July  7,  1810,  in  Frotheim,  Prussia,  and 
his  wife  Caroline  Marie,  nee  Tiemann,  came  to  Quincy  in  1857.  Mr. 
Schrage  was  a  tailor  and  for  many  years  worked  for  Jean  Philip 
Bert.  Mrs.  Schrage  died  in  1885,  her  hasband  departed  this  life 
December  25, 1894.  Their  daughter,  Marie  Louise,  in  1866  became  the 
wife  of  Adam  Fiek,  the  building  contractor.  John  L.  Schrage,  the 
son,  born  September  30,  1849,  in  St.  Louis,  has  been  engaged  in 
the  Quincy  postoffiee  since  1869,  and  for  many  years  was  superin- 
tendent of  the  mail  carriers. 

John  Michael  Eull,  born  December  26,  1824,  in  Hesslar,  Prin- 
cipality of  IIcs.sen,  was  a  teacher  at  the  high  school  in  Cassel,  also 
director  of  the  orchestra.  In  1847  he  came  to  St.  Louis,  where  he 
married  Gertrude  Ulm,  born  in  Rotenburg,  Principality  of  Hes- 
.sen.  For  two  years  John  M.  Eull  was  engaged  as  music  teacher  in 
the  ladies'  seminarj'  at  Jacksonville,  Illinois.  He  there  was  ordained 
by  Bishop  Scott  as  minister  of  the  Methodist  Church.  In  1857  he 
came  to  Quincy  and  was  appointed  as  teacher  in  German  and  Latin 
in  the  college  on  Spring  Street,  where  Jefferson  School  stands  today. 
Two  years  later  he  went  into  the  insurance  business,  which  he  con- 
ducted for  twenty-five  years.  He  died  November  10,  1887.  his  wife 
departed  this  life  November  26,  1893.  The  daughter  Linda  is  the 
wife  of  Charles  Ellebrecht.  Sons  were:  Walter,  Frank,  William 
and  Frederick  Eull. 

Nicholas  Kohl,  born  ilarch  19,  1836.  in  rnterabtsteinach.  Grand- 
duchy  of  Hessen,  came  to  Quincy  in  1857.  Times  were  dull,  not  much  / 


424  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

doing.  But  in  1861  he  secured  a  position  with  James  T.  Baker,  whole- 
sale dealer  in  groceries,  with  whom  he  remained  until  1868,  when 
Baker  sold  out.  He  then  entered  the  services  of  Austin  &  Manson, 
wholesale  grocery,  and  in  the  course  of  time  became  partner  in  the 
business.  In  1896  the  N.  Kohl  Grocer  Company  was  organized,  which 
proved  a  great  success.  Nicholas  Kohl  has  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness. George  Kohl,  the  son,  is  treasurer  of  the  company,  and  Edward 
Kohl  is  clerk.  Nicholas  Kohl  was  thrice  married.  His  first  wife,  Eva 
Katherine,  nee  Kunkel,  died  in  1880 ;  his  second  wife  was  the  widow 
Agatha  "Weber,  nee  Peters,  she  died  a  number  of  years  ago ;  then  he 
married  for  the  third  time,  choosing  the  widow  [Marie  Fischer,  nee 
"Wielage. 

Adam  Pick,  born  September  14,  1840,  in  Oberdorla,  Thuringia,  " 

was  a  carpenter.    He  came  to  Quincy  in  1857,  and  worked  on  a  farm 

for  three  years.     Then  he  came  to  town  and  worked  at  his  trade.  X 

"When  the  Civil  war  broke  out  he  was  among  the  first  volunteers,  serv-  t 

ing  three  months,  and  then  he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Twenty-seventh 
Illinois  Infantrj',  serving  three  years.  After  the  war  he  was  engaged 
as  a  building  contractor  for  many  years.  In  1866  Adam  Fick  mar- 
ried Mary  L.  Schrage.  Sons  were:  "William,  for  many  years  in  the 
Quincy  postofBce;  finally  he  with  his  brother  John  organized  the 
Fick  Coal  Company.  "Walter  Fick  was  engaged  with  his  father  in 
the  building  business.  Daughters  were:  Caroline  at  home,  and 
Ida,  wife  of  August  Westmann,  superintendent  of  the  Keliable  In- 
cubator Works.  Adam  Fick  died  in  1912 ;  William  Fick,  the  eldest 
son,  died  in  1914. 

Dr.  Julius  Guenther.  born  in  1827,  in  Beerwalde,  Sachsen-Alten- 
burg,  studied  in  the  universities  of  Leipzig,  Halle  and  Vienna.  In 
1852  he  came  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  was  active  in  the  Charity  Hos- 
pital during  the  yellow  fever  epidemic  of  1852  and  1853.  In  1854 
he  returned  to  Germany,  where  he  married  Bertha  Jaessing.  Then 
he  returned  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  continued  his  practice  until 
1857,  when  he  came  to  Quincy,  went  to  Coatsburg  in  1859,  and  re- 
turned to  New  Orleans  in  1860,  where  he  remained  until  1866,  when 
he  again  came  to  Quincy,  was  president  of  the  Medical  Association 
of  Adams  County,  and  died  August  17,  1891,  his  wife  having  pre- 
ceded him  in  death,  August  27,  1877.  His  father,  Carl  Guenther, 
died  in  Coatsburg  in  1888.  Dr.  Alfred  Guenther,  the  son  of  Dr. 
Julius  Guenther,  located  in  Chicago.  ]\Irs.  Charles  Cramer  in  Quincy 
is  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Julius  Guenther,  while  Clara  Guenther,  another 
daughter,  was  teacher  in  the  public  schools. 

Rudolph  Hutmacher,  born  February  28,  1836,  in  Dorsten,  West- 
phalia, came  to  Quincy  in  1857.  For  several  years  he  was  a  member 
of  the  firm  Stegmiller  &  Hutmacher,  manufacturers  of  soap.  Then 
he  went  into  the  ice  business,  and  was  the  first  man  who  transported 


QUINCY  AND  ADA:\IS  COUNTY  425 

ice  in  barges  from  Quincy  to  New  Orleans.  This  was  in  1878,  and 
he  was  greatly  honored  when  he  arrived  in  the  Crescent  City  with 
his  barges,  for  the  yellow  fever  raged  there,  and  ice  was  badly 
needed.  November  22,  1859,  Rudolph  Hutmacher  married  Josephine 
Stuckenburg,  the  daughter  of  an  old  German  pioneer.  Julius  Hut- 
macher, a  son,  entered  the  service  of  the  McCorniiek  Ilan'estcr  Com- 
pany when  sixteen,  was  promoted,  and  in  1900  was  sent  as  general 
representative  of  the  company  to  Europe,  with  headquarters  in  Ber- 
lin, where  he  was  for  many  years.  Rudolph  Hutmacher,  Jr.,  also 
entered  the  service  of  the  International  Harvester  Company.  The 
other  sons,  Edward,  Albert  and  Matthew,  are  engaged  in  the  ice 
business.  Rudolph  Hutmacher  died  May  14,  1906,  his  wife  de- 
parted this  life  March  27,  1917. 

Aldo  Soramer,  born  December  13,  1830,  in  Belgern,  Province  of 
Saxony,  came  to  St.  Louis  in  1848,  and  finally  located  in  Quincy  in 
1857,  where  he  became  a  member  of  the  drug  firm  F.  Flachs  &  Com- 
pany. In  1860  he  succeeded  to  the  entire  bu.siness.  Four  years  later 
the  firm  Sommer  &  Metz  opened  an  extensive  wholesale  and  retail 
drug  house.  In  1869  Aldo  Sommer  retired  from  bu-siness  to  travel 
with  his  family  in  this  countrj'  and  Europe.  In  1873  he  returned  to 
embark  in  the  wholesale  drug  business  exclusively,  xmder  the  firm 
name  Sommer,  Lynds  &  Company,  of  which  Mr.  Sommer  was  presi- 
dent and  treasurer.  In  1894  their  entire  stock  was  lost  by  water 
on  account  of  a  fire  in  an  adjoining  building.  Then  the  Aldo  Som- 
mer Drug  Company  succeeded  to  the  business,  ilr.  Sommer  was 
also  largely  interested  in  the  Van  Natta-Lynds  Drug  Company,  St. 
Joseph,  I\Iissouri,  and  was  president  of  the  Spokane  Drug  Company, 
Spokane,  Washington.  In  1862  he  with  Mr.  Hargis  established  the 
Star  Nursery,  for  more  than  twenty-five  years  one  of  the  leading 
nurseries  in  this  section.  Aldo  Sommer  married  ^lathilde  Braun  of 
Washington,  Missouri.  He  died  August  7,  1916,  leaving  his  wife  and 
family.  The  son  Walter  B.  Sommer  is  president  of  the  Aldo  Som- 
mer Drug  Company. 

Herman  Henry  Kespohl,  born  February  6,  1814,  near  Herford, 
Westphalia,  came  to  Quincy  with  his  family  in  1857,  conducted  a 
bakery  and  later  a  general  store  for  a  number  of  years.  He  died 
1880,  his  wife  departed  this  life  in  1897.  Louis  Ke.spohl,  the  eldest 
son,  for  a  number  of  years  was  active  in  the  shoe  business,  also  in 
the  dry  goods  business,  then  he  moved  to  Atchison,  Kansas.  Henry 
Kespohl,  the  second  son,  who  was  interested  in  a  wholesale  business 
in  St.  Louis  for  some  time,  came  to  Quincy,  where  he  became  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Meyer  &  Kespohl,  wholesale  grocers,  until  he 
died  in  1893.  Julius  Kespohl,  born  May  8,  1844,  completed  his 
studies  in  Quincy,  and  in  1864  went  into  the  dry  goods  business, 
which  he  conducted  for  many  years,  being  very  successful.  He  mar- 
ried Friederika  Sien,  daughter  of  an  old  German  pioneer.     October 


426 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


29,  1909,  Julius  Kespohl  died,  leaving  his  widow,  one  son,  Julius 
Kespohl,  Jr.,  and  three  daughters,  Mrs.  Otto  Mohrenstecher,  Miss 
Ada  Kespohl  and  Mrs.  Oliver  Williams.  The  business  founded  l,y 
Julius  Kespohl  more  than  a  half  century  ago,  is  continued  by  the 
son  and  son-in-law,  the  firm  Kespohl-Mohrenstecher  Company  being 
Jvidely  known.  The  other  children  of  Herman  H.  and  Augasta 
(Kuester)  Kespohl  were:  Charles.  Frederick  and  Emil  Kespohl,  Mrs. 
A.  Basse,  Mrs.  F.  W.  Halbaeh,  Mrs.  W.  Schmidt,  Mrs.  Carl  Stoffregen 
and  Elizabeth  Kespohl. 

Settlers  op  1858 

J.  Henry  Fischer,  bom  May  14,  1837,  in  Horb,  Bavaria,  came  to 
Quiney  in  1858.  He  was  a  baker,  an  occupation  which  he  followed 
for  many  years.  For  four  years  he  held  a  position  in  the  Quiney 
postoffice.  He  represented  the  Fourth  Ward  in  the  city  council  for 
twelve  years,  was  superintendent  of  streets  for  one  year,  and  en- 
gaged as  salesman  in  the  clothing  business  for  twenty  years.  He 
married  Caroline  Kinkel,  a  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer  John  Kinkel. 
She  died  in  1905,  and  he  later  married  Minna  Teuber,  born  in 
Braunschweig. 

Frederick  Kreismann,  born  March  24,  1828,  in  Frankenhausen, 
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt,  came  to  America  in  1848.  He  was  a  tinner 
and  worked  as  such  in  St.  Louis.  Then  he  conducted  a  tin  business 
in  Meredosia,  Illinois.  Being  appointed  as  railway  mail  agent  between 
Quiney  and  Decatur,  he  came  to  Quiney  in  1858.  Here  he  was  agent 
of  the  Neeleyville  Coal  Company.  Later  the  family  moved  to  St. 
Louis,  where  Frederick  Kreismann  conducted  a  grocery  business. 
Frederick  H.  Krei.smann  the  son,  born  in  Quiney  in  1868,  was  elected 
mayor  of  St.  Louis,  an  office  which  he  held  in  1910,  when  he  visited 
in  Quiucy  and  was  entertained  at  a  banquet  in  the  Hotel  Newcomb. 

Dr.  Charles  E.  Conrad,  born  ilay  16,  1820,  in  Hartraannsdorf, 
Silesia,  was  educated  as  a  missionary,  and  in  1848  sent  to  British 
East  India,  where  he  was  engaged  for  ten  years  in  his  mission  work. 
His  health  having  suffered,  he  was  compelled  to  leave  India  and  came 
to  Quiney  in  1858,  where  he  organized  the  Congregational  Zion's 
Church,  also  serving  congregations  in  Fowler  and  Fall  Creek,  being 
thus  engaged  for  more  than  forty  years.  He  also  practiced  medi- 
cine. After  a  very  active  life  he  died  January  21,  1901,  aged  over 
eighty  years.  In  1860  Doctor  Conrad  married  Mary  Bode ;  she  sur- 
vives with  two  sons,  who  are  practicing  physicians,  and  one  daugh- 
tei',  iliss  Sarah  Conrad. 


John  Henrs'  Steinkamp,  born  August  17,  1837,  in  Coesfeld,  West- 
phalia, came  to  Quiney  in  1858.  He  learned  the  trade  of  saddler  and 
harnessmaker  with  -John  B.  Koch,  and  in  1862  established  himself 


QUIXCY  Ax\D  ADAMS  COUNTY  427 

in  the  business,  which  he  has  conducted  for  many  years.  For  many 
years  he  served  in  the  volunteer  fire  department,  being  foreman  of 
No.  3,  and  later  of  No.  5.  For  one  year  he  served  as  city  marslial,  and 
two  years  as  tax  collector.  In  1880  he  was  electi-d  as  city  assessor,  an 
oflSce  which  he  held  for  more  than  thirty  years,  being  repeatedly  re- 
elected by  the  people.  In  1863  John  Henrj-  Steinkamp  married  Mary 
A.  Terliesner,  and  they  have  two  sous,  Bernard  Henry  and  \Villiam 
Aloys  St«inkamp,  and  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Anna  Dopheide. 

Dr.  John  Schmidt,  bom  November  22,  1822,  in  Castell,  Bavaria, 
came  to  this  countrj'  with  his  parents  in  1839.  They  landed  in  Balti- 
more and  went  to  Ilarrisburg,  Penn.sylvania,  where  Nicholas  Schmidt, 
the  father,  died  a  week  later.  The  son,  left  alone  with  his  mother, 
was  apprenticed  to  a  shoemaker,  to  learn  the  trade.  But  a  year 
later  left,  crossing  the  Alleghanys  afoot  to  Pittsburgh.  In  1841  be 
came  West,  down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mississippi,  to  Prairie  Du 
Chien,  Wisconsin,  where  John  Schmidt  engaged  as  fireman  on  a 
steamboat  and  went  to  New  Orleans.  Then  he  came  to  Louisville, 
Kentucky,  where  he  for  six  years  worked  at  his  trade  as  shoemaker. 
Later  he  became  a  minister  in  the  Methodist  Church,  being  engaged 
as  such  for  ten  years.  Finally  he  studied  medicine  in  Rush  ^ledical 
College  in  Chicago,  completing  his  studies  in  the  Homeopathic  Col- 
lege in  St.  Louis.  In  1858  he  came  to  Quincy,  where  he  was  pastor 
of  the  First  German  IMethodist  Church  for  two  years,  after  which 
he  devoted  himself  to  the  practice  of  medicine,  until  he  died,  July  27, 
1906.  Dr.  John  Schmidt  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife,  Wilhelmina, 
nee  Laib,  died  in  1851 ;  his  second  wife,  Pauline,  nee  Meise,  departed 
this  life  in  1900.  Three  sons  of  Dr.  Schmidt  became  physicians : 
Edgar  T.,  Albert  H.  and  William  G.  Schmidt;  all  of  them  have  de- 
parted this  life.  The  youngest  son,  John  Schmidt,  Jr.,  learned  the 
painter's  trade. 

Settlers  of  1859 

Frederick  William  Meyer,  bom  December  9,  1836,  in  Beme,  Olden- 
burg, came  to  Milwaukee  in  1850.  Two  years  later  he  came  to  St. 
Louis,  and  in  1859,  in  connection  with  Louis  Budde,  went  into  the 
wholesale  grocery  business  in  Quincy.  In  1867  he  took  a  trip  to 
Europe,  his  health  having  been  impaired.  Returning,  he  devoted 
himself  to  the  business  with  renewed  energy.  Several  years  later 
Louis  Budde  withdrew  from  the  business,  and  Frederick  W.  Meyer 
formed  a  partnei-ship  with  W.  S.  Wai-field.  This  firm  continued  until 
1890,  when  F.  W.  Meyer  withdrew,  to  devote  his  attention  to  the 
First  National  Bank,  of  which  he  became  cashier.  Finally  he  went 
to  California,  where  he  died  August  12,  1899.  Frederick  W.  Meyer 
married  Eleanor  Reyland,  a  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer  Philip  J. 
Reyland.  She  died  in  California  some  time  ago,  where  she  had  gone 
with  her  three  daughters. 


428  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Nicholas  Heintz,  born  March  25,  1839,  in  Oberlenken,  Prussia, 
came  to  America  with  his  parents  iu  1854,  locating  in  Milwaukee, 
where  both  parents  died  within  a  week  after  their  arrival,  as  vic- 
tims of  the  cholera.  A  year  later  the  sou  went  to  St.  Paul,  Minne- 
sota, where  he  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade.  In  the  fall  of  1859 
Nicholas  Heintz  came  to  Quincy,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for 
two  years,  and  then  secured  a  position  as  clerk  with  Charles  Brown, 
Jr.,  and  six  years  later  was  admitted  as  partner  in  the  business, 
being  with  the  house  for  seventeen  years.  In  1878  he  opened  a  shoe 
store  on  Main  Street,  which  has  continued  for  the  last  forty  years. 
Nicholas  Heintz  married  Wilhelmine  Einhaus,  the  daughter  of  an 
old  German  pioneer,,  and  their  sons,  Herman,  William,  George  and 
Albert  Heintz  are  connected  with  their  father  in  the  shoe  business. 

Settlers  op  1860 

John  Wich,  born  August  19,  1834,  in  Unterrodach,  Bavaria,  was 
a  cooper  and  came  to  America  in  1854,  landing  in  Montreal,  Canada. 
From  there  he  came  to  the  United  States,  worked  in  New  York,  Balti- 
more and  Washington.  Then  he  served  as  fireman  on  the  railroad 
in  South  Carolina,  and  on  a  farm  in  Ohio.  In  1860  he  came  to 
Quincy.  Here  he  married  Johanna  Eber  in  1861.  When  the  Civil 
war  broke  out  he  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Sixteenth  Illinois  Infantry 
and  served  to  the  end  of  the  war.  Then  he  started  a  vinegar  factory  in 
Quincy.  John  Wich  died  in  1909.  :Mrs.  Wich  departed  this  life  in 
1910.  Sons  were:  Oscar,  a  collar  maker;  Kudolph,  a  plumber;  Walter, 
a  druggist,  later  in  the  mail  service.  Daughters  were :  Laura,  Hed- 
wig  and  Margaret,  teachers  in  the  public  schools ;  Evalinde,  librarian 
of  the  Quincy  Library  of  Law  Books;  and  Jennie,  the  wiie  of  Frederick 
Seheid,  the  machinist. 

Henry  B.  Menke,  born  in  Germany  in  1834,  was  an  example  of 
what  a  man  with  an  honest  purpose  and  indomitable  will  power 
can  accomplish.  He  came  to  Quincy  in  1860,  and  worked  on  a  farm 
for  three  years.  Then  he  accepted  a  position  as  clerk  in  the  store 
of  A.  J.  Lubbe.  In  1873  he  started  a  retail  dry  goods  store,  and 
the  success  of  this  business  was  remarkable.  Later  W.  T.  Duker 
became  a  partner  and  the  firm  of  Menke  &  Duker  continued  the  busi- 
ness in  a  spacious  new  building  erected  for  the  firm  by  Mr.  Menke 
in  1888.  In  1893  Mr.  Menke  retired  from  active  business  owing  to 
impaired  health.  In  1896  he  again  went  into  business,  and  the  Menke 
Dry  Goods  Company  was  organized,  and  1898  a  jobbing  depart- 
ment was  added.  Finally  Mr.  Menke  retired  from  active  business. 
In  1864  Henry  B.  ilenke  married  Louisa  Brockschmidt,  and  they  had 
two  sons  and  four  daughters.    Mrs.  Menke  died  February  29,  1916. 

Ben  Heckle  was  born  June  18,  1846,  in  Schelingen,  Baden,  and 
came  to  America  with  his  parents  in  1851.    They  located  in  Detroit, 


(,iri.\(V  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  429 

Michig^an,  and  later  moved  to  Buffalo,  Iowa.  Ben  Heckle  came  to 
Quincy  in  1860  to  attend  school,  and  later  returned  to  Iowa.  After  his 
mother  died  lie  again  came  to  Quincy.  After  the  Civil  war  he  was 
engaged  as  bartender  on  steamboats  between  St.  Louis  and  New 
Orleans  until  1868.  Then  he  returned  to  Quincy,  where  he  married 
Victoria  S.  Mast,  a  daughter  of  the  old  German  pioneer  Caspar 
Mast.  Their  daughters  are:  Cecelia,  wife  of  Prof.  A.  ^I.  Simons, 
Visalia,  California;  Edith,  wife  of  Henry  Kirtlej',  machinist; 
Theresia,  wife  of  Herbert  Mueller,  civil  engineer  and  county  sur- 
veyor. Sons  are:  Alois  C,  with  his  father  in  the  insurance  busi- 
ness ;  Carl,  a  smith ;  J.  Ben,  Jr.,  a  machinist ;  Robert  F.,  a  machinist, 
with  his  brother-in-law  Henry  Kirtley  in  the  automobile  business  in 
Bushnell,  Illinois.  Ben  Heckle  became  prominent  in  public  life,  be- 
ing elected,  sheriff  in  1882,  serving  until  1886;  he  was  deputy 
revenue  collector  from  1888  to  1891 ;  in  1892  he  was  elected  as  county 
recorder;  from  1898  to  1902  he  was  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Pub- 
lic Improvements ;  then  again  county  recorder  from  1902  to  1906 ; 
and  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  for  twelve  years. 

Henry  C.  Behrensmeyer,  1862 

Henry  C.  Behrensmeyer,  born  Februarj-  26,  1826,  in  Oeynhausen, 
Prussia,  married  Henrietta  F.  Dickmann.  In  1862  the  family  came 
to  Quincy,  where  Mr.  Behrensmeyer  for  a  number  of  years  was  inter- 
ested in  pork  packing.  Ileniy  C.  Behrensmeyer  died  April  2,  1894, 
and  his  wife  departed  this  life  a  uuml>er  of  years  ago.  Henry  P. 
Behrensmeyer,  the  eldest  son,  born  Februaiy,  1868,  attended  the 
Salem  Parochial  School,  the  public  schools  and  Gem  City  Business 
College,  where  he  today  is  the  principal  of  the  Normal  Penmanship 
department.  His  wife,  ^linnie,  nee  Bitter,  was  a  daughter  of  John 
H.  and  Anna  (Menkc)  Bitter;  they  have  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Wayne 
Johnson.  Edward  T.  Behrensmeyer,  the  second  sou,  born  August 
26,  1870,  became  traveling  solicitor  for  the  Illinois  Malleable  Iron 
Company  of  Chicago.  Friederike,  the  daughter  of  Ilcni-y  C  and 
Henrietta  (Dickmann)  Behrensmeyer,  became  the  wife  of  August 
II.  Aehelpohl. 

Rev.  Jacob  Seidel,  1863 

Rev.  Jacob  Seidel,  born  February  25,  1822,  in  Walpenreuth, 
Bavaria,  in  his  youth  was  a  weaver.  Then  he  taught  school  for 
four  years,  studied  in  Rev.  'William  Loehe's  mission  school  in  Neu<let- 
telsau,  and  in  1846  came  to  America.  He  attended  the  practical 
seminary  at  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana,  for  one  year  and  graduated  in 
1847.  After  having  sen-ed  as  minister  for  twelve  years  an  affection 
of  the  throat  necessitated  an  operation  on  the  larynx,  which  compelled 
him  to  give  up  his  charge  and  engage  in  business,  at  Sugar  Grove, 
Ohio.     He  soon  became  mayor  of  the  town,  head  of  the  .school  board 


i30 


QUINOr  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


and  postmaster.  During  the  Civil  war  he  shouldered  his  musket  and 
with  others  drilled  in  a  nearby  wheat  field,  expecting  to  meet  Gen. 
John  Morgan,  the  Confederate  raider,  who  fortunately  was  cheeked 
before  he  got  as  far  as  Sugar  Grove.  In  1863  Rev.  Jacob  Seidel 
accepted  a  call  to  Quincy,  where  he  served  St.  John's  Lutheran  con- 
gregation for  ten  years.  Then  he  served  in  the  vicinity  of  Seward, 
Nebraska,  where  he  preached  in  sod  houses  and  dugouts,  and  experi- 
enced the  destructive  force  of  the  grasshopper.  After  serving  sev- 
eral other  congregations  he  finally  became  assistant  to  Rev.  L.  Hoelter 
in  Chicago,  where  he  died  May  11, 1903,  aged  eighty-one  years,  having 
served  as  minister  for  forty  years  in  all.  The  children  are:  Christ, 
a  teacher;  Fred,  Paul,  Julius;  Emilie,  Mrs.  L.  Hoelter,  and  Mrs. 
Geo.  Buss.  Julius  Seidel,  in  Quincy,  born  March  18,  1851,  in  Sugar 
Grove,  Ohio,  learned  carriage  trimming  with  the  E.  M.  Miller  Com- 
pany, and  finally  became  foreman.  In  1875  he  married  Elizabeth 
Herlemann,  a  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer,  William  Herlemann. 
Their  children  are:  Louis,  minister  in  Freeport,  Illinois;  Albert, 
physician  in  Chicago;  Selma,  wife  of  Rev.  Theodoi'e  Brohm,  director 
of  the  college  in  Oakland,  California ;  Bertha,  wife  of  Rev.  Carl  Hoff- 
mann, Snyder,  Nebraska ;  Julius,  dentist,  first  lieutenant  in  Camp 
Logan,  Texas;  and  Florence  at  home. 

Settlers  op  1866 

Frederick  W.  Halbach,  bom  April  27,  1847,  in  Borgholzhausen, 
Westphalia,  came  to  Quincy  in  1866,  entered  the  dry  goods  trade  and 
in  1873  formed  a  partnership  with  Henry  H.  Schroeder.  In  the  course 
of  time  the  firm  became  one  of  the  most  prominent  in  the  city,  of 
which  the  magnificent  building  erected  at  Fifth  and  -Maine  streets 
gives  ample  proof.  June  6,  1870,  Frederick  W.  Halbach  married 
Friederike  Kespohl.  December  15,  1905,  he  died,  his  wife  departed 
this  life  in  1914.  Sons  are:  Charles,  Robert  and  Erail  Halbach; 
Emil  is  secretary,  and  Robert  is  vice  president  of  the  Halbach- 
Schroeder  Company.  Daughters  are:  Mrs.  James  Murphy,  Mrs. 
Harry  Gage,  Mrs.  Emery  Lancaster,  JMrs.  John  Flynn  and  Mrs.  Rus- 
sell Williams. 

Andrew  Doerr,  born  in  Bavaria,  January  10,  1843,  came  to  Quincy 
in  1866,  where  he  worked  at  cigar  making  the  first  year  and  then 
went  into  the  dry  goods  store  of  Ruff  &  Rau  as  clerk,  where  he  re- 
mained four  years.  In  1872  he  bought  a  little  stock  of  merchandise 
and  went  into  business  for  himself.  His  business  grew  and  in  1885 
he  leased  two  stores  in  the  opera  house  block.  In  1888  he  bought 
the  entire  property,  and  for  six  years  conducted  the  opera  house  in 
addition  to  his  regular  business.  Finally  he  converted  the  big  biaild- 
ing  into  a  six-story  and  basement  department  store.  Andrew  Doerr 
was  known  to  everybody  and  his  career  as  a  successful  business  man 
was  most  remarkable.  He  died  in  1914,  leaving  his  wife,  Euphemia, 
nee  Arning,  with  one  daughter,  Dorothy,  the  wife  of  Leo  J.  Kadeskie. 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  431 

Joseph  Freiburg,  born  May  11,  1840,  in  Allendorf,  Westphalia, 
married  Elizabeth  C^uinkert.  The  eoiiple  came  to  Quincy  in  1866, 
where  Mr.  Freiburg  worked  in  the  furniture  factory  of  F.  W.  Jansen 
for  ten  years.  In  187G  he  in  company  with  his  brother,  Frederick 
Freiburg,  started  a  furniture  factory,  the  firm  existing  until  1892, 
when  Frederick  Freiburg  sold  his  interest  in  the  business  to  Joseph 
Freiburg,  Jr.,  the  firm  then  being  Joseph  Freiburg  &  Sons.  In  1895 
they  discontinued  the  furniture  business,  giving  their  attention  en- 
tirely to  the  undertaking  business.  February  8,  1907,  Josejjh  Frei- 
burg died,  and  his  wife  departed  tliis  life  July  30,  1917.  The  under- 
taking business  is  now  conducted  by  Joseph  Freiburg  and  his  brother, 
Herman  Freiburg. 

Christopher  Rupp,  bom  November  1,  1819,  in  Pfaffenwiesbaeh, 
Nassau,  married  Anna  Maria  Raufenbarth,  born  June  1,  1820,  in  the 
same  town.  Christopher  Rupp  was  burgomaster  of  his  home  town 
for  eighteen  years,  conducted  a  bakery  and  mill,  also  a  factory  for 
knitted  woolen  goods.  A  large  shipment  of  goods  to  a  dealer  in 
New  York,  who  went  into  bankruptcy  when  the  Civil  war  broke  out, 
caused  a  great  loss  to  Christopher  Rupp ;  he  also  lost  heavily  on  a 
grain  dealer  in  Frankfort,  for  whom  he  had  gone  security.  Conse- 
quently he  came  to  Quincy  in  1866,  where  he  by  years  of  hard  work 
laid  the  foundation  for  the  great  business  of  George  Rupp  &  Brothers 
in  this  city.  Christopher  Rupp  left  his  wife  with  eleven  children 
in  Germany,  but  in  the  course  of  time  was  able  to  bring  his  family 
to  Quincy,  where  all  of  them  made  their  mark  in  the  course  of  a 
half  century.  George  Rupj),  treasurer  of  Rupp  &  Brothel's,  died 
P^bruary  21,  1909;  and  Frederick  Rupp,  president  of  the  company, 
died  in  1917. 

Capt.  John  E.  Winter,  born  November  19,  1836,  in  Bickenbach, 
Grandduchy  of  Hessen,  came  to  America  in  1852.  For  a  number 
of  years  he  served  on  Mississippi  River  boats  as  clerk,  then  as  pilot, 
and  finally  as  captain.  AVhen  the  Civil  war  broke  out  in  April,  1861, 
his  boat  was  held  at  Memphis,  and  the  officers  and  crew  compelled 
to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Confederate  flag.  Captain  Winter 
was  a.sleep  in  his  cabin  at  the  time  and  had  been  overlooked,  but  the 
vigilance  committee  returned,  compelled  him  to  leave  his  bed  and 
wanted  him  to  take  the  oath.  The  brave  captain  declared  he  knew 
only  one  flag,  the  Star  Spangled  Banner,  and  drawing  his  revolver 
drove  the  committee  from  the  boat.  They  then  returned  with  a 
whole  company  of  armed  men  to  take  him,  dead  or  alive.  The  cap- 
tain of  another  boat,  going  up  stream,  induced  him  to  come  on  board 
of  his  boat.  Arriving  in  St.  Louis,  he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  First 
^lis-souri  Infantiy,  an  entirely  German  regiment,  Col.  Frank  Blair. 
He  took  part  in  the  capture  of  Camp  Jackson,  the  engagements  at 
Booneville  and  Duck  Springs,  and  the  Battle  of  Wilson's  Creek,  where 
his  regiment   lost    130  killed   and   410   wounded,  he  receiving  nine 


432  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

buckshot  in  his  body.  Capt.  John  E.  Winter  then  joined  the  navy, 
assisted  in  organizing  the  Mississippi  fleet,  and  became  commander 
of  the  Laurel,  took  part  in  the  Battle  of  Fort  ilcHenry,  rescued  the 
gunboat  Essex,  -was  in  the  engagements  at  Fort  Pillow,  Island  No.  10, 
Helena,  Arkansas,  etc.  He  was  with  Captain  Welke's  expedition  on 
the  Yazoo  River  in  1862,  and  finally  on  the  gunboat  Tyler.  February 
22,  1866,  he  married  Lizette  Thomas,  a  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer, 
Philip  Thomas,  in  Quincy.  For  many  years  he  was  engaged  in  busi- 
ness in  this  city  until  he  died  in  1900,  his  wife  having  preceded  him  in 
death  in  1894.  Sons  were :  William,  Albert  and  Harold ;  daughters, 
Jeanette  and  Edith. 

Settlers  of  1867 

Adolph  D.  Reichel  was  born  1834  in  Heilbrunn,  near  Odessa, 
Russia,  where  his  ancestoi's  had  gone  after  their  home  in  Wuert- 
temberg  had  been  pillaged  and  devastated  by  the  French.  His  father 
was  a  landscape  gardener  and  his  mother,  Fannie  Kylius,  of  Greek 
extraction.  Adolph,  the  son,  was  educated  in  Stuttgart,  Wuerttem- 
berg,  and  became  a  jeweler.  In  1852  he  came  to  America,  locating 
in  New  York  City.  In  1859  he  came  to  St.  Louis,  and  then  to 
Louisiana,  Llissouri,  where  he  conducted  a  jewelry  business.  Later  he 
came  to  Quincy,  where  he  married  Louisa  Elizabeth  Metz,  a  daughter 
of  William  iletz,  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  in  the  jewelty  busi- 
ness. Adolph  D.  Reichel  died  August  25,  1902,  his  wife  having  pre- 
ceded him  in  death  in  1901.  They  left  two  daughters,  Mrs.  Luella 
Bishop  and  Edith  Florence  Reichel. 

Henry  G.  Garrelts,  born  September  11,  1845,  in  Norden,  Ostfries- 
land,  came  to  America  in  1805,  locating  in  Pekin,  Illinois,  where  he 
worked  as  painter  in  the  plow  shops  and  later  at  house  painting. 
In  1867  he  came  to  Quincy  and  worked  for  Dan  Lynds  as  painter  and 
paperhanger,  and  later  for  Young  Brothers  as  foreman.  In  1887 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Peter  H.  Muegge,  doing  papering, 
painting  and  upholstering.  He  soon  decided  to  enter  business  for 
himself,  being  very  successful,  as  the  large  store  on  State  Street  in- 
dicates. November  18,  1873,  Henry  G.  Garrelts  married  Christina 
Julfs.  December  31,  1915,  the  business  was  incorporated.  December 
14,  1916,  he  died,  leaving  his  wife,  two  sons  and  four  daughters. 
Henry  H.  Garrelts  is  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  George  J.  Garrelts 
is  president  of  the  firm  Henry  G.  Garrelts  &  Sons.  Miss  Mary,  ilis.s 
Lena  and  Miss  Anna  Garrelts,  who  are  at  home,  are  also  interested  in 
the  business;  and  Miss  Clara,  at  present  is  private  stenographer  to 
Secretary  of  State  Emerson  in  Springfield,  Illinois. 

Settlers  of  1868 

Dr.  John  W.  Koch,  born  April  7,  1828,  in  Dietelsheim,  Grand- 
duchy  of  Hessen,  came  to  America  in  1851,  and  to  Quincy  in  1868, 


i 


I 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  433 

wiicre  he  for  many  years  prai.-tifed  uu-diciiie.  lie  died  November  lU, 
1887,  his  wife  departed  this  life  many  years  later.  Dr.  Charles  Koch, 
the  eldest  son,  born  July  4,  1856,  in  Red  Win<r,  Minnesota,  was  a 
graduate  of  Rush  iledieal  College,  Chicago,  and  Hahnemann  College, 
St.  Louis,  and  practiced  medicine  in  Quincy  until  he  died.  May  29, 
1909.  George  Koch,  the  second  son,  horn  Noveml)er  13.  1858,  in 
Red  AVing,  Minnesota,  also  studied  in  Rush  Medical  College,  but  i*e- 
turned  home  when  his  father  died,  and  for  many  years  served  on 
the  police  force  as  detective  and  finally  chief  of  the  department. 

Ilenrj'  Otto  Glattfeld,  bora  ]\Iay  12, 1843,  in  Pyrmont,  Principality 
of  Waldeck,  received  a  tliorough  education  in  all  branches  connoet'.d 
with  the  building  business.  He  came  to  America  and  located  in 
Quincy  August  20,  1868.  Ten  days  after  his  arrival  he  bought  a  lot 
and  began  to  build  the  house  where  he  now  resides,  Fourteenth  and 
^lonroe  streets.  He  immediately  entered  the  field  as  bi-ick  masoi., 
contractor  and  builder  and  has  erected  hundreds  of  buildings  duiing 
the  fifty  years  of  residence  in  Quincy.  March  3,  1871,  Henry  O. 
Glattfeld  married  Friederike  Menke,  who  came  to  Quincy  in  1852. 
She  died  August  13,  1917.  Their  children  were :  George,  in  the  busi- 
ness with  his  father;  Henry  Otto,  Jr.,  brickmason  with  the  firm;  Anna, 
the' wife  of  Adolph  Schott;  and  John  William  Edward  Glattfeld,  who 
attended  St.  Jacobi  Parochial  School,  a  graduate  of  Quincy  High 
School  and  of  Dartmouth  College,  and  finally  received  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Philosophj'  in  the  University  of  Chicago,  where  he  for 
many  years  has  been  engaged  in  the  department  of  chemistiy. 

Evert  Wybrant  Carl  Kaempen,  born  in  Leer,  Ostfriesland,  April 
12,  1850,  came  to  Quincy  in  1868.  He  learned  the  carpenter's  trade, 
and  was  with  Larkworthy  &  Burge  for  twenty  years,  and  was  shop 
foreman  in  1876  when  the  courthouse  was  built.  In  1888  he  Ijecaiiie  a 
member  of  the  firm  Buerkin  &  Kaempen.  In  1891  they  located  at 
Sixth  and  State  streets,  and  in  the  course  of  time  erected  many 
buildings,  among  them  the  C.  B.  &  Q.  Freight  House,  the  C.  B.  &  Q. 
Depot,  Wabash  Depot,  Jlercantile  Bank,  did  the  carpenter  work  on  the 
Masonic  Temple,  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Building, 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  etc.  In  1880  E.  W.  C.  Kaempen  married 
Louisa  Bu.xmann,  daughter  of  an  old  German  pioneer.  Sons  are : 
Emil,  Arthur,  Evert  and  Charles,  with  the  firm.  Daughters  are: 
Hermine,  wife  of  Frederick  Fredericks;  Laura,  teacher  in  Madison 
School;  Flora,  wife  of  Dr.  Herman  Wendorff,  osteopath,  she  also 
being  a  graduate  of  osteopathy.  The  parents  of  Mr.  Kaempen,  Folkert 
and  Ilermine  (Dykmann)  Kaempen,  came  to  Quincy  in  1873.  Folkert 
Kaempen,  Jr.,  another  son,  was  a  pattern  maker,  worked  for  Schcrmer- 
horn  &  WcUer.  and  the  Gem  City  Stove  Works;  he  invented  the  Ger- 
man Heater  while  working  for  the  latter  company.  Folkert  Kaempen 
died  many  years  ago,  leaxing  his  wife  and  four  daughters. 


434  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Frank  Sonnet,  1869 

Prank  Sonnet,  born  January  24,  1848,  in  Schoeneberg,  Prussia, 
■was  a  school  teacher.  In  1869  he  came  to  Quiney,  where  he  learned 
the  baker's  trade.  In  1873  he  went  to  Cheyenne,  Wyoming,  and 
joined  a  surveying  party.  Then  he  returned  to  Quiney  and  started 
a  bakery,  which  he  conducted  until  1886.  After  several  business 
engagements  Frank  Sonnet  and  wife,  Christine,  nee  Mast,  took  a 
trip  to  Germany  in  1893,  and  in  1894  they  went  to  California.  In 
May,  1895,  he  was  elected  as  special  tax  collector,  serving  as  such  for 
four  years.  Then  he  was  elected  as  city  treasurer  for  two  years.  In 
November,  1902,  he  was  elected  as  county  treasurer  for  a  term  of 
four  years.  Then  he  retired  from  active  business  until  he  died  Febru- 
ary 21,  1915,  leaving  his  widow,  Mrs.  Christine  Sonnet. 

Settlers  of  1870 

Joseph  Buerkin,  born  March  16,  1848,  in  Bahlingen,  Baden,  was 
a  cabinet  maker,  and  in  1867  with  his  parents  came  to  America.  In 
1870  he  came  to  Quiney,  where  he  followed  his  trade,  and  in  the 
course  of  time  became  prominent  as  building  contractor.  In  1888 
he  organized  the  firm  Buerkin  &  Kaempen,  which  for  many  years 
was  engaged  in  the  building  and  contracting  business.  In  1872  Joseph 
Buerkin  married  Augusta  Lerp,  whose  parents  were  among  the  early 
pioneers.  October  4,  1909,  he  died,  leaving  his  wife,  two  sons,  Edwin 
and  Julius,  and  five  daughters,  Rosa,  Augusta,  Katharine,  Emma  and 
Margaret. 

Frederick  Rearick  (Roehrig)  was  born  August  31,  1826,  in  Berle- 
burg,  the  Circuit  of  Wittgenstein,  and  came  to  this  country  early, 
where  his  parents  located  in  Cass  County,  Illinois.  For  a  time  he 
conducted  a  mill  in  Arentzville,  and  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate 
from  his  district.  Later  he  came  to  Quiney,  where  he  with  Henry 
Rensch  was  engaged  in  business,  dealing  in  stoves  and  tinware.  In 
the  spring  of  1873  he  was  elected  as  mayor  of  Quiney  and  re-elected 
in  the  spring  of  1874.  During  his  second  term  he  succeeded  in  having 
a  law  passed  by  the  Legislature,  under  which  the  police  magistrate  is 
elected  for  a  term  of  four  years.  Business  reverses  caused  financial 
losses  to  the  man.  Later  he  was  elected  as  justice  of  the  peace.  He 
died  March  31,  1885. 

Frederick  Wolf,  1871 

Frederick  Wolf,  born  February  21,  1851,  came  to  Quiney  January 
6,  1871,  and  opened  a  meat  market  in  1872.  January  14,  1879,  he 
married  Elizabeth  VandenBoom,  daughter  of  an  old  German  pioneer. 
In  1880  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  Blomer,  Wolf  &  Michael, 
packers.    In  1889  Fred  Wolf  organized  the  Western  Harness  Manu- 


QUINX'Y  AND  ADAMS  CK)UNTY  435 

facturing  Company,  today  the  Wolf  -Manufacturing  Company.  Hav- 
ing secured  a  large  contract  from  the  Government  to  furnish  saddles 
and  cavalry  accoutrements,  the  largo  factory  of  the  company  is  a 
very  busy  place  at  present.  Sons  of  Frederick  and  Elizabeth  (Van- 
deuBoom)  Wolf  are:  Frederick  A.  "Wolf,  ca.shier  of  the  Wolf  Manu- 
facturing Company;  Joseph  A.  Wolf,  chemist,  in  the  drug  business 
in  Detroit,  ilichigan ;  Leo  F.  Wolf,  traveling  solicitor  and  inter- 
ested in  the  business;  Paul  A.  Wolf,  treasurer  and  manager  of  the 
Wolf  Chemical  Company,  Fred  Wolf,  president.  Daughters  are: 
Ella,  the  wife  of  Louis  LeVoie,  in  the  insurance  business  in  Chicago ; 
and  Agnes  Wolf  at  home.  Frederick  Wolf  was  a  native  of  Gleis- 
weiler,  Rhenish  Palatinate. 

Albert  Roeder,  1882 

Albert  Roeder  was  born  July  1,  1860,  in  Bernl)urg  on  the  Saale, 
Duchy  of  Anhalt,  one  of  the  states  of  the  German  empire,  where  his 
father  was  a  contractor  and  builder.  He  attended  the  schools  of  his 
native  town,  also  an  academy  of  building  trades,  gaining  a  theoretical 
and  practical  knowledge  of  architecture  and  the  dift'erent  trades,  as 
they  are  connected  with  the  construction  of  buildings,  also  engineer- 
ing. Later  he  traveled,  working  at  his  trade  in  different  parts  of 
Europe.  On  the  advice  of  Charles  Petri,  many  years  ago  city  engi- 
neer of  Quincy,  who  was  a  personal  friend  of  his  father,  and  whose 
brother  was  judge  of  the  Circuit  Court  in  Bernburg,  Albert  Roeder 
came  to  America  in  1881,  working  at  his  trade  in  Chicago  for  a  short 
time,  then  on  a  farm  in  McHenry  County,  Illinois.  Coming  to 
Quincy  in  1882,  he  entered  the  employ  of  F.  W.  Menke  &  Company, 
the  contractors  and  builders,  and  later  went  into  business  for  him- 
self, organizing  the  firm  of  Roeder  &  Greemann,  contractors  and 
builders,  which  now  has  been  in  existence  for  twenty-five  years,  erect- 
ing buildings,  doing  street  paving,  constructing  conc'Vete  sidewalks, 
sewers,  etc.  Albert  Roeder  also  tried  farming  in  Jliiniesota,  where 
he  resided  from  1886  to  1889,  following  agricultural  pursuits  for 
three  years,  which  venture  proved  a  failure,  he  gaining  considerable 
experience  as  a  farmer,  but  no  material  profit.  Returning  to  Quincy 
he  got  back  into  his  proper  sphere,  gaining  well  earned  success.  In 
1884  Albert  Roeder  married  Louisa  .\bbath,  who  died  in  1901.  One 
son,  Otto  Roeder,  who  was  in  the  business  with  his  father,  died  Sep- 
tember, 1914:  he  aiso  has  one  daughter,  ilartha,  the  wife  of  Ernst 
Lehr.  In  1902  -Mbert  Roeder  married  for  the  second  time,  choosing 
Anna  Richard  as  his  wife. 

Jacob  B.  Reinoehl,  1887 

Jacob  B.  Reinoehl  was  born  December  27.  1834.  in  Lebanon,  Peiui- 
sylvania.    His  great-grandfather  came  from  Wucrttcmbcrg,  Germany, 


436  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

in  the  early  Colonial  days,  settling  in  America.  His  son  was  Conrad 
Eeinoehl,  who  married  Christina  Spreeher;  and  his  gi-andson  was 
John  Reinoehl,  whose  wife  was  Christina  Bender,  they  being  the  par- 
ents of  Jacob  B.  Reinoehl,  and  the  latter  maiTied  Amanda  Ziegler. 
Jacob  B.  Reinoehl  in  his  youth  learned  the  printer's  trade,  working 
on  a  German  newspaper  in  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania.  Later  he  be- 
came a  marble  cutter  and  sculptor,  in  which  art  he  acquired  quite  a 
proficiency.  In  1856  John  Reinoehl  came  to  Plymouth,  Hancock 
County,  Illinois,  in  1858  several  other  members  of  the  family  came 
West,  and  in  1863  Jacob  B.  Reinoehl  and  family  located  in  Carthage, 
Hancock  County,  Illinois,  where  he  established  a  business  as  marble 
cutter  and  sculptor.  In  1887  he  finally  came  to  Quiuey  with  his 
family  where  he  followed  his  calling  until  his  death  in  1903,  his 
wife  having  preceded  him  in  death  in  1900.  William  6.  Reinoehl, 
the  son  of  Jacob  B.  and  Amanda  (Ziegler)  Reinoehl,  born  in  Carthage 
in  1865,  where  he  learned  the  painter's  trade,  developed  to  be  quite 
a  genius  in  the  art  of  painting  and  decorating.  When  the  writer  of 
this  narrative  visited  the  home  of  William  G.  Reinoehl  in  Quincy,  he 
found  a  splendid  collection  of  fine  paintings,  a  real  art  gallery.  The 
two  sisters,  the  Misses  Sarah  and  Elizabeth  Reinoehl,  live  with  their 
brother,  William  G.  Reinoehl. 

Alexander  Sholl,  1893 

Capt.  Alexander  Sholl,  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  known  in 
Quincy 's  business  circles,  was  of  German  ancestry,  as  the  name  in- 
dicated. Alexander  IMack,  founder  of  the  Duukard  (Tunker)  de- 
nomination, who  came  to  America  in  1829,  being  his  maternal  ancestor, 
and  his  paternal  gi-andfather  figured  prominently  in  Revolutionary 
times.  His  father,  Jacob  Sholl  (Scholl),  left  Pennsylvania  in  1833, 
and  located  in  Winchester,  Ohio,  where  Alexander  Sholl  was  born. 
In  March,  1853,  the  family  came  to  Hancock  County,  Illinois,  where 
the  father  conducted  a  mercantile  business  for  many  years.  When 
the  Civil  war  broke  out,  Alexander  Sholl  was  given  a  lucrative  posi- 
tion in  the  quartermaster's  department  at  a  salary  of  $150  per  month. 
But  he  resigned  his  position  and  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  B, 
One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Infantry.  He  soon  was  pro- 
moted, being  selected  as  second  lieutenant,  then  as  first  lieutenant, 
and  in  1863  was  commissioned  captain.  After  the  war  he  engaged 
in  the  hardware  business  in  Carthage.  In  1877  he  was  appointed 
chief  clerk  of  the  Southern  Illinois  penitentiary  at  Chester,  which 
responsible  position  he  held  until  1885,  when  he  went  to  Minneapolis, 
again  to  Carthage  and  finally,  in  1893,  came  to  Quincy,  where  he 
was  vice  president  of  the  Cottrell-ShoU  Furniture  Company.  He  also 
served  on  the  Board  of  Review  of  Adams  County.     Capt.  Alexander 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  437 

Sholl  died  December  22,  1915;  his  wife,  Mrs.  Mary  Sholl,  departed 
this  life  June,  1916.    One  daughter,  iliss  Mabel  Sholl,  survives. 

I  will  close  this,  luy  narrative,  with 

An  Ode  to  the  German  Pioneers 

Ndt  as  bcgrfrars  did  they  como,  with  willing:  hearts  and  hands 

They  came,  to  found  a  new  home,  in  this  great  western  land. 

They  settled  in  the  forest,  and  filletl  the  prairie  plain, 

Also  felled  the  giant  oak,  and  raised  the  golden  grain. 

Many  were  of  humble  birth,  for  titles  did  not  care; 

Proved  themselves  of  sterling  worth,  as  neighbors  they  were  fair. 

With  their  music  and  their  song,  they  drove  tlieir  cares  away, 

Thus  the  days  seemed  not  so  long,  a  happy  folk  were  they. 

And  when  treason  led  to  war,  the  Germans  they  joined  hands. 

Loyally  offered  their  lives,  for  this  new  fatherland. 

Antietam  and  Gettysburg — Atlanta  to  the  Sea — 

German  troops  fought  gallantl.v,  to  make  this  country  free. 

None  more  loyal  were  than  they,  none  ever  proved  more  true. 

Freely  also  shed  their  blood,  for  the  Red,  AVhite  and  Blue. 

P.  S. — Nothing  is  perfect,  nothing  complete  in  this  world ;  this 
is  especially  true  of  histories  written  about  events  and  men ;  that 
truth  has  been  indelibly  impressed  on  my  mind  since  I  have  written 
"The  German  Element;  Its  Importance  in  the  History  and  Develop- 
ment of  Quincy  and  Adams  Count.v,  Illinois."  I  now  am  convinced 
that  I  might  have  written  five  hundred  pages,  or  even  more,  witlioul 
exhausting  my  subject,  as  I  have  the  material  on  hand  in  the  many 
articles  I  had  WTitten.  beginning  with  the  year  1901,  for  the  quarterly 
nmgazine  ])ublished  by  tlie  German-American  Historical  Society  of 
Illinois.  In  trying  to  stay  within  the  desired  limit,  I  was  compelled 
to  condense  my  narrative  in  a  gi'cat  many  instances;  besides  I  bad 
to  omit  writing  about  hundretls  of  otliers.  wliieli  1  would  like  to  have 
mentioned.  While  I  feel  extremely  soriy  about  tliis,  it  was  the  con- 
dition of  things,  tiie  force  of  circumstances,  that  would  not  allow  me 
to  do  so.  I  iiope  this  explanation  will  be  accepted  as  an  apology-  for 
my  shortcomings  in  connection  with  this  chapter.  Hut  the  Lewis 
Publishing  Company  certainly  deserved  great  credit  for  its  enter- 
prising .spirit  in  tliis  matter,  as  nothing  of  tliis  kind,  on  such  a  large 
scale,  has  ever  before  been  attempted  in  thf  publication  of  histories  of 
Adams  County.  The  Author. 


The  City  Hall,  Erected  1885 ;  Burned  1906 ;  Rebuilt  1906 


CIIAl'TER  XII 

CORPORATE  HISTORY  AND  PUBLIC   INSTITUTIONS 

AIagic  of  Historic  Restoration — The  Present  Laid  Upon  tue  PjVST 
— Corn  and  Coon  Grist — Quincy's  Site  Hard  Buying — Origin.vl 
Town  Platted — How  the  Lots  Sold — The  Hotel  Corner, 
IlKiiiEsT  Priced  Lot — First  Courthouse  Located — Temple  of 
Justice,  Education  and  Religion — Charles  Holmes  Comes  to 
QuiNCY — Robert  Tillson  Expands  tub  Business — John  Till- 
soN,  the  Elder — Land  Office  at  Quixcv — Some  Other  Fool 
than  Alex.vndeb — Stimudating  the  Mails — The  Bold  Quincy 
Hotel — EN-EXTFurL  Year  (1836) — Quincy,  a  Town  op  "Fair 
Play" — Becomes  a  Town  Corporation — Signs  of  Growth — 
Birth  of  the  Fire  Department — Street  Improvements — The 
City  Charter  of  1840 — Asbury  for  President  ;  Van  Buren  for 
Magistrate — First  City  Election  and  Officials — First  City 
Public  Schools — A  City  Seal  Conceived  in  Sin — A  Free 
Library  Revived — City  Grades  Established — Mails  Improved — 
Great  Flood  of  1844 — Business  Partially  Revived — Compara- 
tive City  and  County  Popul^ition — Fertile  Year  op  1848 — 
Telegram  Sent  "Quick  as  Lightning" — First  Real  City 
Directory — Growth  of  the  Town  L>  to  1848 — Quincy  Exodus 
op  Gold  Hunters,  1848-50 — First  Daily  Mail  and  DaHjT  News- 
paper— Made  a  Part  of  Entry — Illuminating  Gas  and  Other 
Bright  Local  Things — The  Lincoln-Douglas  Festhities — The 
Mayors  of  the  City — Public  Questions  Adjudged  by  Popular 
Vote — The  Public  Schools  of  Quincy — Frantvlin,  the  Father 
OF  Them  All — Jefferson  and  Webster  Schools — Other  Pub- 
lic Institutions  of  Learning — Official  School  Management — 
Strong  Featurf-s  of  the  Present  System — School  Savings — 
The  Junior  High  Sciiooii — Raising  the  Teaching  Standard — 
Present  Status  op  Schools — The  Fire  Department — The 
Quincy  Water  "Works — Quincy's  Worst  Fire — The  Park  and 
BoiLEVARD  System — Mr.  Parker's  Self-Sacrifice — Loyal  Co- 
workers— Officers  1888-1918 — Sources  of  Park  Re\t:nue — 
The  Parks  in  Detaii. — The  Cemeteries — The  Police  of  Quincy 
— Quincy  Gas,  Electric  and  Heating  Company — Local  Trans- 
portation Systems. 

Wliat  is  known  as  Quincy  has  already  emerged  indistinctly,  and 
through  various  fragments  of  history,  in  certain  of  the  printed  pages 

439 


440  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

which  have  gone  before.  In  a  few  chapters  which  follow  it  is  pro- 
posed to  develop  the  successive  settlement,  town  and  city  more  syste- 
matically, until  such  time  as  it  has  grown  to  such  proportions  that 
it  is  necessary  to  break  the  subject  as  a  whole  into  sub-topics.  The 
latter  are  to  set  forth  in  detail  the  edvicational,  religious,  benevolent, 
charitable,  business,  financial  and  industrial  agencies  which  have 
been  steadily  at  work  in  the  evolution  of  Quincy  into  a  strong  and 
complex  modern  city. 

]\Iagic  of  Historic  Restoration 

To  start  with  the  site  of  Quincy,  before  the  settlement  was  even 
conceived — how  did  it  look  ?  In  order  to  restore  the  primitive  picture, 
the  historical  plan  must  be  the  reverse  of  the  scientific  method  of 
geologists  in  their  restoration  of  Mastodons  and  other  animals  of  the 
prehistoric  world.  They  have  a  few  bones  and  existing  beasts  of  some- 
what similar  structure  for  comparisoii;  to  be  used  as  data  in  the 
composition  of  the  monsters  and  freaks  (judged  by  the  forms  of 
today)  M'hich  passed  away  as  entities  ages  ago.  In  the  restoration  of 
pictures  a  century  old,  the  American  historian  has  to  labor  under  the 
disadvantage  of  ha%'ing  them  buried  under  the  mass  of  rapid  growths 
which  has  quite  obliterated  the  past.  But  printing  comes  to  the 
rescue ;  those  who  were  alive  a  century  ago  have  placed  their  impres- 
sions in  type,  and  the  historian  takes  a  line  here  and  a  line  there  until 
he  can  achieve  what  would  otherwise  be  a  magic  and  almost  impossible 
restoration. 

Gen.  John  Tillson,  the  veteran  of  the  Civil  war  and  the  talented 
home  writer,  projecting  the  landscape  of  a  century  ago  upon  what 
was,  at  the  time  of  his  writing,  the  young  City  of  Quincy,  has  done 
this  in  such  masterly  fashion,  that  his  words  are  quoted:  "Little  can 
one  who  looks  today  upon  the  broad  and  beautiful  area  on  which  our 
bustling  city  stands  realize  the  contrast  of  the  present  scene,  with 
the  wild  solitude  that  revives  in  the  retrospection  of  nearly  a  century. 
One  may  indeed  imagine  the  aspect  of  the  locality,  were  the  buildings 
all  removed,  the  streets  all  abandoned  and  all  tokens  of  life  taken 
away.  But  permanent  changes  have  been  effected;  landscape  lines 
are  now  gone ;  physical  features  forever  effaced,  which  onlj'  a  few 
survivors  ever  saw. 

"Years  ago,  as  the  first  white  settler  saw  it,  before  axe  or  plough 
had  desecrated  nature 's  sanctity,  the  city  was  marked  by  alternations 
of  timber  and  prairie ;  timber  in  the  ravines,  along  the  streams,  cover- 
ing also  the  crest  and  river  face  of  the  bluffs ;  and  prairie  generally 
on  the  level  land  and  the  ridges  which  separated  the  ravines.  The 
timber  was  usually  hea\'y  except  near  the  heads  of  the  draws,  where 
it  became  gradually  lighter  or  altogether  disappeared.  The  prairie 
was  luxuriant,  not  with  the  long  swamp  grass  of  the  bottom  lands  nor 
of  the  prairies  in  Southern  Illinois,  but  with  a  grass  about  breast 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  441 

high  and  very  thick.    It  did  not,  as  many  imagine,  reach  to  the  river 
or  even  to  the  verge  of  the  bluffs. 

The  Present  Laid  Upon  the  Past 

"Along  the  river  bank  from  what  is  now  known  as  Broadway 
to  Delaware,  there  stood  a  scattering  growth  of  trees,  while  south 
of  the  latter  point  the  rank,  luxuriant,  almost  impenetrable  vegeta- 
tion common  to  our  bottom  lands,  prevailed.  The  strip  of  lands  below 
the  bluffs  and  along  the  river  was  then  much  narrower  than  at  present; 
the  hills  having  been  cut  and  blasted  away.  From  Hroadway  south 
to  Delaware  the  rock  cropped  out  continuously,  and  was  always 
visible  at  an  average  stage  of  water.  For  keel  and  steamboats,  the 
usual  landing  place  was  then,  and  long  after,  between  Vermont  and 
Broadwaj' ;  probably  selected  because  the  trees  here  were  convenient 
to  tie  to  and  the  river  plateau  was  broader;  also  becau.se  they  were 
more  sheltered  from  the  wind.  It  was  easy  to  get  into  the  river  again 
from  there,  as  at  that  time  the  point  of  the  'island'  lay  much  higher 
uj)  than  at  present;  in  fact,  the  main  river  channel  ran  directly  over 
it,  where  is  now  the  highest  growth  of  willows  on  the  Tow  Head. 

"The  present  area  of  the  city  was  about  equally  divided  between 
timber  and  prairie,  the  latter  slightly  predominating.  The  prairie 
from  the  east  threw  out  four  long  arms  or  feelers,  as  if  striving  to 
reach  the  river;  one  of  these  extended  as  far  as  Eighth  Street  in 
what  is  now  known  as  Berrian's  Addition;  a  second  about  the  same 
distance  on  State  Street;  a  third  creeping  into  the  heart  of  the  city 
and  narrowing  down,  pushing  diagonally  across  the  public  square 
nearly  to  Third  Street,  and  the  fourth  broke  in  about  Chestnut  and 
Twelfth;  thence,  'with  many  a  winding  bout.'  almost  lost  at  times, 
reached  nearly  to  Sunset  Hill.  East  of  Eighteenth  Street  all  was 
jirairie  save  a  short  thicket  spur  which  ran  eastward  a  few  blocks  from 
the  Alstyne  quarter  near  Chestnut  Street,  and  a  small  grove  of  young 
trees  at  what  is  now  Highland  Park,  which  has  greatly  increased  in 
size. 

"Between  Twelfth  and  Eighteenth,  in  John  Moore's  Addition,  all 
excepting  a  small  slice  off  the  northwest  corner,  was  prairie.  On  the 
south  side  of  Governor  "Wood's  large  field  about  Eighteenth  and 
Jefferson  there  stood  about  twenty  acres  of  heavj'  timber,  part  of 
which  may  still  be  seen.  Along  the  rear  of  the  present  (written  in 
1857)  residences  of  Messrs.  L.  Bull,  McFadon  and  Pinkham  lay  a 
small  thicket,  and  a  similar  shaped  strip  of  larger  growth  stretched 
across  the  Al.styne  quarter  from  near  Broadway  and  Eighteenth  to 
the  corner  of  the  Bcrrian  (juarter,  uniting  west  of  Twelfth  with  the 
forest  in  Cox's  Addition. 

"To  follow  the  division  line  between  the  prairie  and  timber,  let  one 
commence  in  Eighteenth  Street  on  the  south  line  of  the  city  facing 
north.  On  his  right  hand  all  was  prairie;  on  the  left,  timber.  The 
line  ran  nearly  due  north  almost  to  .Jefferson  Street,  crossing  the 


442  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

latter  a  little  west  of  Eighteenth,  pushed  three  or  four  hundred  feet 
into  Governor  Wood's  large  field,  then  turned  sharply  around  in  a 
southwesterly  direction,  recrossed  Jefferson  about  Fourteenth,  crossed 
Twelfth  near  Monroe,  theuce  ran  through  Berrian's  Addition  in  a 
direction  somewhat  south-of-west  to  near  Eighth  where,  curving  back 
almost  on  itself,  it  inclosed  a  pretty  little  prairie  islet  of  about  ten 
acres.  Thence  it  bore  northeasterly,  crossing  Jefferson  about  Ninth, 
touching  Twelfth  (but  not  crossing)  at  Payson  Avenue;  there  swing- 
ing around  toward  the  west,  it  followed  nearly  the  line  of  Ohio  to 
Eighth,  then  north  along  Eighth  to  near  where  Dick's  Brewery  now 
stands ;  thence  east,  irregularly  parallel  with  Kentucky,  just  touching 
the  northeast  corner  of  Governor  Wood's  garden;  thence,  veering 
northwest,  it  crossed  Twelfth  just  north  of  York  and  then  ran  east- 
ward nearly  to  Eighteenth  from  this  point  (Jersey  and  Sixteenth), 
the  dividing  line  between  the  timber  and  prairie  turned  west  again 
and,  passing  through  the  back  part  of  L.  Bull's  grounds,  gradually 
neared  Maine  Street  so  as  to  take  in  the  Webster  School  House,  a  few 
of  the  trees  standing  there  yet.  From  the  corner  of  Maine  and 
Twelfth  it  ran,  by  a  wavering  line,  to  the  corner  of  Hampshire  and 
Eighth.  This  part  of  the  city  (Droulard's  quarter  between  Eighth 
and  Twelfth)  was  cut  by  ravines  running  from  north  to  south,  all 
of  them  sustaining  thickets  of  various  lengths  according  to  the  size 
of  the  ravine  and  all  pointing  northward.  The  postofSce  building 
stands  on  what  was  prairie,  but  just  on  the  southern  edge.  The  line 
from  there  ran  west,  slightly  inclining  to  the  south,  so  as  to  cross  the 
corner  of  Sixth  and  Maine  streets  diagonally.  It  passed  southwest, 
touched  Fifth  Street,  followed  it  down  on  the  east  side  as  far  as 
the  engine  house,  crossed  the  street  there,  leaving  Robert  Tillson's 
lot  corner  of  Fifth  and  Jersey,  part  in  the  prairie  and  part  in  the 
brush.  Thence  it  went  southwest  to  near  the  corner  of  York  and 
Fourth,  crossing  Fourth  at  the  alley  between  York  and  Kentucky. 
Bending  then  somewhat  south,  then  west,  then  north,  all  in  this  same 
block,  it  recrossed  York  near  Third.  This  was  the  most  westerly 
limit,  the  nearest  approach  that  the  prairie  made  to  the  river.  Imme- 
diately west  across  Third  Sti'eet,  there  lay,  embosomed  in  the  thick 
timber,  a  pretty  little  pond,  a  noted  resort  for  wild  ducks  covering 
about  three  acres,  its  western  limit  reaching  nearly  to  the  crest  of  the 
bluff.  Vestiges  of  this  little  lake  existed  as  late  as  1840  and  later. 
Long  before  this  the  timber  had  disappeared,  and  the  jwnd  was  finally 
drained  in  cutting  York  Street  through  to  the  bluff. 

"Thence  the  prairie  line  went  back,  passing  north  up  Third  to 
Jersey,  thence  diagonally  across  Block  18  to  the  corner  of  Maine  and 
Fourth,  thence  north  along  the  west  side  of  Fourth  with  the  square 
(all  prairie)  on  the  right,  it  turned  across  Fourth  just  north  of  Hamp- 
shire, struck  Vermont  at  Fifth,  passed  along  the  southern  edge  of 
Jefferson  Square,  about  one  third  of  the  square  being  prairie.  That 
portion  which  was  afterward  a  burying  ground  crossed  Broadway 
near  Seventh,  still  running  northeast,  crossed  Eighth,  then  took  a 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  OOUNTY  443 

nearly  direct  course  to  Twelfth.  Not  crossing  Twelftii,  it  bore  off 
in  an  irregular  line  toward  the  northwest  and,  running  almost  to 
Sunset  Hill,  before  reaching  which  it  swept  around  to  the  right  and 
north  and  again  east  and  southeast,  joining  itself  to  the  heavy 
timber  in  Cox's  Addition,  making  in  this  part  of  the  city  just  such 
a  prairie  island  as  we  have  mentioned  in  Berrian's  Addition,  onlj- 
a  greatly  larger  one. 

"The  natural  drainage  of  the  city  was  defective,  entailing  no 
small  amount  of  difficulty  and  expense  in  providing  for  needed 
sewerage.  The  reason  of  this  is  that  along  the  river  front  the 
ravines  which  ran  up  into  the  blutf,  were  extremely  short,  scarcely 
draining  as  far  east  as  the  public  scjuare.  A  larger  portion  of  the 
city,  especially  that  most  easily  settled,  was  drained  to  the  east. 
By  far  the  largest  portion  of  the  water  that  fell  ran  in  the  watershed 
inclines  toward  the  east  instead  of  direct  to  the  river,  and  found  its 
way  there  finally,  through  the  great  ravines  that  seamed  the  eastern 
and  central  portion  of  the  place. 

'"The  crest  of  the  bluff  immediately  overlooking  the  river,  scal- 
loped as  it  was  on  the  western  face  by  these  scant  ravines,  was  yet 
highest  along  the  line  of  Second  and  Third  streets  and  thence  toward 
the  east  the  land  descended  for  some  distance.  The  average  height 
of  the  bluffs  above  low  water  mark  was  126  feet.  The  crest  occa- 
sionally rose  into  little  conical  peaks,  in  many  of  which  bones,  weapons 
and  other  remains  of  the  Indian  race  have  been  found. 

"The  highest  among  these  was  ]\Iount  Pisgah.  It  stood  on  the 
south  side  of  IMaine  near  Second  and  was  much  tiie  highest  peak  on 
the  bluffs,  commanding  a  most  attractive  view  of  the  river  and  our 
rich  surroundings  in  every  direction.  Its  name  was  earned  first  by 
the  promising  prospects  it  offered,  and  afterward  was  kept  and 
claimed,  so  it  is  said,  from  the  many  promises  there  made,  when, 
in  later  years,  it  became  the  trysting  place  of  negotiating  lads  and 
lasses  during  the  dusky  hours.  The  streets  have  shorn  away  its 
western  and  northern  face,  the  vandal  gi-asp  of  improvement  toppled 
its  high  head  to  the  dust,  the  very  heart  of  the  haughty  hill  has  been 
washed  into  the  waves  of  the  river  on  which  it  had  frowned  for 
centuries,  but  there  is  many  a  peruser  of  these  pages  who  will  always 
cherish  plea-sant  and  regretful  remembrances  of  the  venerable  mount." 

Even  the  present  resident  of  Quiiicy  may  thus  picture  to  himself 
the  natural  features  of  the  city's  site,  as  it  was  viewed  by  Justus 
Perigo  and  Daniel  Lisle,  the  first  settlers  of  the  county,  and  by  John 
Wood  and  Willard  Keyes,  the  founders  of  the  settlement  at  tlie  Bluffs. 
The  story  of  their  coming  in  1824,  with  the  arrival  of  John  Droulard, 
the  French  shoemaker  and  others,  has  already  boon  told.  Also  the 
fixing  of  the  county  seat,  its  platting  and  the  three-ply  honor  be- 
stowed on  John  Quincy  Adams.  Notation  has  further  been  made 
of  the  arrival  of  Dr.  Thomas  Baker,  the  pioneer  physician  of  the 
county,  who  built  his  cabin  aljout  two  miles  south  of  the  Wood- 
Keycs-Droulard  settlement. 


444  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Corn  and  Coon  Grist 

One  item  connected  with  the  activities  of  Doctor  Baker  has  been 
reserved  for  this  very  place.  His  practice  was  not  large  enough  to 
support  him,  even  in  comfort;  so  he  put  up  a  mechanism  comprising 
a  fair-sized  pestle  and  mortar  which  was  operated  by  the  water  of  a 
small  creek  then  running  through  a  portion  of  Quiney's  site  and 
which  was  designed  to  pound  corn  into  a  siiitable  condition  to  be 
transformed  into  hoe-cakes.  The  reports  which  descend  from  his  day 
are  to  the  effect  that  this  first  "mill"  constructed  within  the  present 
city  limits  of  Quincy  performed  its  offices  as  well  as  could  be  ex- 
pected, except  upon  one  occasion  when  the  owner  and  operator  did 
not  reckon  on  an  abnormal  grist.  A  hungry  coon  got  mixed  with  the 
inner  workings  of  the  grist  mill,  after  the  machinery  had  been  set  in 
motion  and  the  operator  had  left  it  to  finish  the  pounding  of  that 
particular  lot  of  corn.  Br'er  Coon  was  pounded  with  a  hearty  good 
will  all  night  and  well  into  the  morning  before  its  remains  were  sep- 
arated and  extricated  from  the  customary  grist.  That  was  the  only 
tragedy  connected  with  the  doctor's  pioneer  mill,  which  was  planted 
in  1824. 

Quinoy's  Site  Hard  Buying 

In  the  following  year,  as  stated,  Quincy  was  platted  by  Judge  H. 
H.  Snow ;  but  not  without  some  troublous  preliminaries.  Although 
the  county  seat  had  been  located  and  named,  it  could  not  be  platted 
until  the  land  was  actually  owned  by  the  young  County  of  Adams. 
The  land  was  not  yet  in  the  market,  and  it  could  be  pre-empted  only 
under  the  congressional  act  by  which  after  a  quarter  section  had 
been  designated  as  a  county  seat  $200  should  be  deposited  at  the 
Land  Office  to  confirm  such  pre-emption.  Two  hundred  dollars  to 
be  raised  in  Quincy  in  those  days  would  be  like  attempting  to  move 
Mdunt  Pisgah  from  its  base.  But  someone  happened  to  think  of 
Eussell  Farnham,  a  river  trader  of  growing  prosperity  who  soon 
afterward  took  out  a  peddler's  license  in  Adams  Countj^  After  a 
delegation  had  waited  upon  the  capitalist,  however,  he  was  induced 
to  loan  the  county  the  coveted  $200,  after  he  had  taken  the  joint  note 
of  the  commissioners  which  was,  in  turn,  endorsed  by  H.  H.  Snow  and 
David  E.  Cuyler.  In  the  following  month,  this  note  was  taken  up 
and  another  substituted  without  endorsers;  which  leads  the  his- 
torian to  believe  that  Mr.  Farnham  was  commencing  to  have  more 
confidence  in  the  stability  of  the  County  of  Adams. 

Even  then,  the  difficulty  was  not  completely  adjusted.  The  "quar- 
ter" upon  M'hich  the  county  seat  was  located  was  fractional  and  had 
not  been  carefully  surveyed.  Money  was  pitifully  scarce,  the  county 
could  not  see  its  way  clear  to  meet  certain  expenses,  and  therefore 
a  portion  of  the  $200  was  at  first  withheld.  But  the  Land  Office 
insisted  on  all,  promising  to  refund  any  balance  that  might  be  due 


QriNCV   .\.\l>  ADAMS  COrXTY  445 

the  county  after  the  suivey  slioiihl  1)C  made;  tliat  was  finally  done, 
as  it  was  deteiiiiincd  that  the  '•quarter"  which  the  county  pre-empted 
contaiucd  iu  reality  but  154  acres. 

Original  Towt^'  Platted 

The  county  having  a  preliminary  title  to  its  seat  of  justice  ap- 
pointed Judge  Snow  its  surveyor  and  platter,  and  named  December 
13, 1825,  as  the  day  for  the  first  sale  of  lots.  Five  streets  were  platted, 
cast  and  west — the  central  one  called  Maine,  with  Hampshire  and 
Vermont,  York  and  Jersey,  on  cither  side ;  the  four  streets  were  named 
after  the  states  from  which  came  the  three  commissioners  and  the 
clerk.  The  first  north  and  south  street  east  of  the  river  was  Front, 
with  the  six  parallel  thorougiifares  therefrom  designated  numerically. 
The  survey  was  made  in  rods,  not  feet.  Block  No.  12,  Washington 
Park,  was  reserved  as  a  public  square.  A  strip  of  land  was  also 
set  apart  along  the  river  for  the  purpo.ses  of  a  public  landing,  and 
the  tier  of  lots  on  Fifth  Street  between  Maine  and  Hampshire  for 
"public  purposes." 

In  1826  the  south  half  of  what  is  now  Jefferson  Square  was  re- 
served as  a  burial  ground,  and  the  lot  on  Fifth  Street  immediately 
north  of  the  courthouse  for  school  purposes. 

How  THE  Lots  Sold 

The  original  sale  of  town  lots  occurred  as  ordered  by  the  Board 
of  County  Commissioners  on  December  13,  1825.  It  was  continued 
from  time  to  time,  as  the  county  commissioners  might  order,  and  the 
last  of  the  lots  in  the  fii-st  plat  was  not  sold  until  1836.  The  sale 
was  advertised  in  the  St.  Louis  and  Edwardsville  papers,  but  no  one 
came  to  bid  from  the  outside  world  except  Doctor  ^lullen,  an  army 
surgeon,  who  just  happened  to  be  present  and  bouglit  a  few  lots. 
There  were  fifty-one  pureha.sers  altogether  at  the  first  day's  sale. 
The  terms  were  one-fourth  cash  and  the  remainder  in  three  annual 
payments. 

Lots  on  the  bluffs  caused  the  most  competition  ;  and  there  was  a 
good  reason  for  it.  The  only  cabin  on  the  quarter  section,  that  of 
Willard  Keyes,  was  located  in  that  portion  of  the  plat,  and  one  of  the 
prospective  townsmen,  who  was  none  too  friendly,  made  the  owner 
bid  as  high  as  $38  to  save  his  improvements.  That  was  tlic  highest 
price  paid  for  any  one  lot  and  the  Keyes  sale  forced  up  the  price  of 
other  lots  in  the  vicinity,  in  Blocks  5  and  6,  on  Front  Street. 

The  Hotel  Corner,  Highest  Priced  Lot 

The  highest  price  paid  for  any  lot  around  the  Square  was  the 
corner  on  which  now  stands  the  Xcwcomb  House  and  wiiich  was  then 
located  on  the  ridge  that  ran  northeast  and  southwest  aerass  what 


446  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

is  now  ■Washington  Park.  Rufus  Brown  paid  $27  for  it  and  bought 
it  for  a  tavern  stand;  it  has  been  used  for  that  purpose  ever  since. 
The  old  Quincy  House  was  afterward  erected  on  the  site  of  Brown's 
pioneer  inn. 

First  Courthouse  Located 

The  first  courthouse  was  located  by  order  of  the  County  Board, 
four  days  after  this  first  sale,  on  lot  6,  block  11.  This  placed  it 
in  the  edge  of  a  natural  grove  which  then  was  on  Fifth  Street  near 
the  corner  of  Maine.  It  faced  west.  The  county  commissioners 
directed  the  contractors  to  lay  the  logs  of  the  eourthoiise  "as  close 
together  as  they  are  in  J.  Rose's  house;"  which  was  the  cabin  occu- 
pied by  John  "Wood  and  Jeremiah  Rose  and,  as  it  was  the  only  building 
in  Quincy  at  the  time,  it  had  to  serve  as  a  model. 

Temple  of  Justice,  Education  and  Religion 

In  1827,  soon  after  the  courthouse  was  fini.shed,  Rev.  Jabez  Porter, 
the  Presbyterian  clergyman  fi'om  Massachusetts,  opened  his  select 
school  therein  for  the  dozen  families  with  children  at  Quincy  and  in 
the  vicinity.  In  the  following  year  he  commenced  to  preach  in  the 
same  building,  which  therefore  had  the  honor  of  providing  a  home 
for  the  courts  and  county  government,  and  for  the  first  efforts  to 
educate  the  commmiity  mentally,  morally  and  spiritually.  There  were 
other  evidences  that  the  people  were  alive  to  the  wisdom  of  fostering 
the  cause  of  education.  In  September,  1828,  the  county  commissioners 
ordered  that  lot  4,  block  11,  be  reserved  "for  the  sole  and  only  pur- 
pose of  erecting  thereon  a  school  house  or  school  houses,  or  an  academy 
or  seminary  of  learning"  for  the  people  of  Adams  County.  "Sole 
and  only  purpose"  was  certainly  an  expression  doubly  buttressed  with 
definiteness;  notwithstanding,  the  order  of  the  court  was  not  per- 
manently obeyed,  as  the  succeeding  fifty  years  saw  the  tract  grad- 
ually carved  into  pieces  and  distributed  among  private  owners. 

Charles  Holmes  Comes  to  Quincy 

Asher  Anderson  had  (in  1828)  opened  a  little  shack  of  a  store 
on  the  northeast  corner  of  Maine  and  Third,  but  the  first  mercantile 
establishment  in  which  the  countj'  seat  took  any  pride  was  that  opened 
by  Charles  Holmes  and  Robert  Tillson  at  this  initial  period  of  com- 
munity development.  They  were  brisk  young  men  from  Massa- 
chusetts, who  had  been  in  business  at  St.  Louis  for  a  couple  of  years. 
Their  trade,  which  was  largely  with  Galena  and  the  lead  miners, 
had  brought  them  in  touch  with  the  Quincy  landing  and  neighbor- 
hood, and  they  decided  that  the  prospects  there  were  so  good  that 
they  would  venture  to  establish  a  business  at  that  point.  As  river 
transportation,  either  by  steamboat  or  keel-boat,  was  extremely  un- 


QULNCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


447 


certain  in  those  days,  the  sending  of  a  stock  of  goods  from  St. 
Louis  to  (^uincy  was  a  hea\y  and  vexatious  task.  Both  freight  and 
passengers  were  scarce,  and  no  style  of  craft  cared  to  make  a  trip 
only  partially  laden.  The  steamboats  appeared  to  be  the  worst 
oflfenders,  and  in  after  days,  when  these  troubles  were  long  since  past, 
the  old  settlers  would  tell  with  gusto  how  steamboats,  partially  laden, 
would  lie  at  the  St.  Louis  wharf  for  days  in  succession,  with  steam 
up  and  wheels  moving,  and  in  apparent  instant  readiness  to  start. 
The  captain  would  vigorously  ring  the  bells  about  everj'  fifteen 
minutes,  declaring,  at  the  same  time,  that  he  would  leave  right  away. 
No  wonder  the  expression  which  was  most  current  all  along  the  river, 
from  St.  Louis  to  Galena,  was  "he  can  lie  like  a  steamboat  captain." 
All  ready  to  move  upon  Quincy  with  his  stock  of  merchandise, 
Charles  Holmes,  Tillson's  advance  partner,  was  thrown  into  such  a 


A  Pio.vEER  Qli.ncy  Home 
One  of  the  oldest  frame  buildings  in  Adams  County,  built  in  1833 
by  Francis  C.  Moore  on  Moore's  Mound.    Present  site  of  City  Water 
Reservoir. 


state  of  mind  and  body  by  these  aggravating  steamboat  promises  that 
he  pooled  issues  with  two  other  young  men,  who  were  trying  to  get 
their  stocks  of  goods  to  Hannibal  and  Palmyra.  They  all  chartered 
a  keel  boat  and  the  Holmes-Tillson  stock,  comprising  about  .$4,000 
worth  of  varied  merchandise,  was  loaded  aboard  with  the  other  goods. 
The  fourth  day  out  the  boat  reached  Alton.  There  ilr.  Holmes  took 
steamer  for  Quincy  and  of  course  reached  his  destination  in  advance 
of  the  keel  boat  bearing  his  goods.  Every  newcomer  was  a  curiosity 
and  Mr.  Plolmes  was  met  at  the  landing  place  by  Elam  S.  Freeman, 
the  gigantic  blacksmith  and  moral  censor  of  the  town,  who  rumbled 
at  him :  "Young  man.  have  you  brought  any  vices  with  you?"  "No," 
said  Mr.  Holmes,  "but  from  the  looks  of  things  here,  I  expect  to  get 
some  soon." 


448  QUIXCY  AND  AT/AMS  COUNTY 

Many  years  afterward  Mr.  Holmes  indulges  in  these  reminiscences : 
"The  town  was  indeed  a  forlorn  looking  place.  The  bluft's  were 
nearly  barren  of  timber  and  seamed  with  rugged  gullies;  along  the 
river 's  brink  was  strung  a  scanty  fringe  of  feeble  trees.  A  few  cabins 
lay  along  Front  Street  looking  as  if  they  might  have  tumbled  down 
the  hill  and  were  too  feeble  to  return.  These  were  mostly  noi-th  of 
Hampshire  Street,  and  extended  in  a  broken  string  as  far  up  as  the 
little  cove  in  the  bluff  where  Spring  Street  comes  through.  Among 
these  was  the  cabin  of  AVillard  Keyes,  about  the  corner  of  Vermont 
Street,  and  .just  south  of  this,  with  some  houses  between,  was  a  little 
larger  double  cabin  than  the  others,  which  was  George  W.  Hight's 
Steamboat  Hotel.  Three  or  four  of  the  buildings  were  groceries  of 
the  style  spoken  of  heretofore  (grog  shops)  and  patronized  mostly 
by  boatmen  and  Indians.  Thence  southward  on  Front  Street  was 
the  cabin  of  John  "Wood  at  the  foot  of  Delaware  Street.  Between 
these  two  points  was  the  cabin  of  Levi  Wells,  half  way  up  the  hill 
near  State  Street,  and  further  north  three  or  four  more  such  struc- 
tures hung  against  the  hillside.  The  steamboat  landing  was  at  the 
foot  of  Vermont  Street.  There,  the  rock  from  under  the  bluff  cropped 
out  at  the  river's  edge,  so  as  to  be  visible  at  an  ordinary  stage  of 
water.  Three  or  four  ragged  looking  trees  grew  near  the  bank,  con- 
venient for  the  boats  to  tie  to.  These  appearances  continued  for  many 
years,  even  until  the  small  landing  was  made  at  the  foot  of  Hamp- 
shire in  1839. 

There  were  two  routes  by  which  wagons  could  .ascend  the  hill ; 
one,  south  of  the  village  along  the  ]Milnor  Creek  and  where  now  is 
Delaware  Street ;  the  other  by  a  very  deep  and  circuitous  track  which, 
wandering  upward  from  near  the  corner  of  Front  and  Vermont 
streets,  finally  reached  the  level  of  the  public  square  at  Hampshire 
Street  between  Third  and  Fourth.  On  the  hill  lay  the  main  settle- 
ments. Around  the  square,  on  the  north,  west  and  south,  were  scat- 
tered cabins,  about  half  a  dozen  on  each  side.  Near  the  corner  of 
Maine  was  the  Court  House.  South  and  southwest  of  the  public 
square  and  east  along  Hampshire  Street,  or  'Pucker'  Street  as  it  was 
nicknamed,  for  two  or  three  hundred  yards  were  similar  structures, 
with  here  and  there  a  cabin  located  farther  east.  The  square  was  cut 
diagonally  from  northeast  to  southwest  by  a  wagon  road.  It  boasted 
a  luxuriant  growth  of  hazel  brush,  intersected  by  footpaths,  and  also 
supported  three  or  four  small  trees  and  one  large  white  oak. 

"And  this  was  Quincy.  There  were  then  (1828)  the  store  and 
three  hotels — one  under  the  hill,  one  at  the  southwest  and  the  other 
at  the  northeast  corners  of  the  square.  They  made  no  pretense  to 
aristocratic  elegance  or  sumptuous  gastronomy,  yet  the  'big  bugs' 
frequented  them  in  profusion  and  force.  All  of  these  buildings  were 
of  logs,  mostly  round  or  unhewn.  Brick,  plaster,  laths  and  weather 
boarding  were  factors  yet  to  come,  as  they  did  in  the  following 
year. ' ' 


QUIN'CY  AND  ADAMS  CorXTV  449 

Robert  Tillson  Expands  the  Blsiness 

Mr.  Holmes  first  displayed  his  goods  in  a  shanty  on  Hampshire 
Street  uear  Fifth,  adjaeeut  to  wliat  afterward  was  known  as  the 
Land  Oflfice  Hotel,  but  before  Mr.  Tillsou  arrived  in  the  spring  of 
1829  he  had  bought  two  lots,  witli  19(3  feet  frontage,  on  Maine  and 
Fourth  diagonally  aero.ss  from  the  Cjuiney  House.  There  the  partners 
erected  a  large  frame  building,  the  first  in  town.  In  1831  Mr.  Tillson 
j>urehased  Mr.  Ilolines'  interest  in  the  busine.ss  and  that  corner  be- 
came the  nucleus  of  the  former's  development  as  a  merchant  and  a 
public-spirited  citizen.  Upon  the  site  of  the  frame  .store  Mr.  Tillson 
erected  a  handsome  block  of  stores,  and  from  his  twelve  j-ears  of 
service  as  postmaster  at  that  locality  it  was  long  known  as  tlie  Post- 
office  Block.  There  were  no  vital  changes  in  the  general  condition  of 
Quincy  for  a  number  of  years  after  Mr.  Tillson  established  himself 
in  busine.ss  there  as  its  leading  merchant  and,  with  the  exception  of 
John  Wood,  perhaps  its  most  prominent  citizen  for  some  years. 

In  1830  the  temperance  people  got  together  and  organized  a  so- 
ciety. Pa-ssing  over  to  1835,  the  writer  comes  to  the  important  local 
facts  of  the  burning  of  the  old  courthouse  (good  riddance  of  bad 
rubbish,  perchance)  and  the  birth  of  the  first  newspaper,  the  Bounty 
Land  Register;  is.sued  by  C.  M.  Woods  and  edited  and  chiefly  owned 
by  the  ambitious  Judge  R.  M.  Young.  It  w'as  afterward  the  Argus 
and  the  Herald,  and  was  one  of  tiie  first  newspapers  to  be  established 
in  Illinois.  Some  claim  second  place  for  it,  allowing  precedence  only 
to  the  Journal  and  Register  of  Springfield. 

John  Tillson,  the  Elder 

John  Tillson.  the  elder,  of  Iliilslioro.  Montgomery  County,  a  friend 
and  a.s.sociatc  of  John  Wood,  had  long  handled  some  1,400,000  acres 
of  the  Illinois  Military-  Bounty  tract  which  had  l)een  purchased  by 
non-residents.  In  1833  he  had  been  joined  by  Francis  C.  Moore,  a 
soldier  of  the  War  of  1812.  a  Quincy  grocer  and  for  a  time  prior  to 
his  connection  with  Mr.  Tillson  manager  of  his  father-in-law's  real 
estate  in  New  York  City.  In  October,  1833,  was  formed  the  Ilills- 
boro  partnership  of  Till.son.  Moore  &  Company,  and  in  the  spring  of 
the  following  year  the  busine.ss  was  moved  to  what  would  now  lie  the 
corner  of  Twenty-fourth  and  Chestnut  streets — then,  "clear  out  in  the 
country." 

L.\ND  Office  .\t  Quinct 

The  Government  Land  Office  for  the  putilic  land  district  which 
comprised  the  Military  Tract  had  been  located  at  Quincy  in  1831. 
The  office  was  on  the  south  side  of  Hampshire  Street  near  Sixth, 
where  it  remained  for  a  number  of  years.  But  little  business  was 
then   transa<'te(l    for  some  time,   there   being  only  seventeen   entries 

Vol.  I— 2» 


450  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

during  the  first  year  (1831),  the  reason  for  this  being  that  at  that 
time  no  lauds  north  of  Adams  County  were  subject  to  entry.  Al- 
though the  Military  Tract  had  been  surveyed  in  1815-16,  it  was  not 
until  1835  that  the  district  as  a  whole  was  thrown  open  to  the  public. 

The  first  auction  sale  of  lands  thus  freely  thrown  upon  the  market 
took  place  Jime  15,  1835.  From  that  date  until  1857-58,  when,  most 
of  the  lands  being  entered,  the  office  was  transferred  to  Springfield, 
this  business  added  largely  to  the  growth  of  the  place.  The  first 
register  and  receiver  were  Samuel  Alexander  (father  of  Perry  Alex- 
ander) and  Thomas  Carlin,  respectively.  They  were  succeeded  in 
1837-38  by  William  G.  Flood  and  Samuel  Leech,  after  whom  came, 
in  1845,  Samuel  Holmes  and  Hiram  Rogei's;  in  1849,  Henry  Asbury 
and  H.  V.  Sullivan,  and  in  1853  A.  C.  Marsh  and  Damon  Hauser — 
at  the  expiration  of  whose  term  the  office  was  moved  to  the  state 
capital. 

Quincy,  for  several  years  after  the  location  of  the  land  office 
therein,  was  the  headquarters  for  a  large  business.  All  who  desired 
to  purchase  land,  either  by  private  sale  or  Government  entry,  were 
obliged  to  come  hither.  They  came  from  all  points  of  the  compass  and 
all  sections  of  the  country.  Some  came  and  passed  on,  without  leaving 
anything  as  a  memento  except  temporary  meals  and  lodging;  others 
invested  and  left  for  outside  homes,  and  still  a  third  class  bought 
land  and  remained  to  cultivate  and   otherwise  improve  it. 

Some  Other  Fool  than  Alexander 

General  Tillson  tells  this  story  (really  one  of  Governor  Wood's) 
about  Alexander :  ' '  Samuel  Alexander,  the  first  register,  was  a  man 
of  much  force  of  character,  very  rough  in  manner,  extremely  earnest 
and  idtra  in  politics  and  wielding  much  influence  with  his  party. 
Governor  Wood,  whose  oft-told  old  stories  have  in  them  always  a  local 
relish,  was  wont  to  tell  of  his  first  and  second  meeting  with  Alexander. 
In  1824,  political  feeling,  fanned  by  the  anti-slavery  agitation,  was 
at  a  fever  heat.  The  question  of  'convention'  or  'no  convention' 
was  voted  upon.  'Convention'  meant  a  new  pro-slavery  constitii- 
tion.  'No  convention'  meant  a  free  state.  To  Governor  Edward 
Coles  are  we  indebted  for  the  blessing  that  Illinois  was  not  then 
made  a  slave-holding  state.  Immediately  after  the  election  ]\Ir.  Wood 
went  east  and  on  his  way  took  to  Edwardsville,  the  then  state  capital, 
the  returns  from  this  section.  When  the  boat  on  which  he  traveled 
stopped  at  Shawneetown,  a  crowd  came  aboard  and  asked  how  the 
State  had  voted.  The  captain  said :  '  Here 's  a  young  man  just  from 
Edwardsville;  perhaps  he  can  tell  you.'  Wood,  thus  referred  to,  said 
that  'it  was  thought  at  Edwardsville  that  Convention  was  beaten  by 
about  1,500.'  'It's  a  d — d  lie!'  said  one  of  the  parties,  answering 
more  from  his  wish  than  from  his  knowledge.  Wood  picked  up  a 
chair,  and  but  for  the  interposition  of  the  captain,  a  small  civil  war 
was  imminent. 


(.^Ll.XCY  AM)  ADA.MS  ColNTV  451 

"  'Nine  years  after,'  as  Jolin  AVood  tells  us,  a  man,  all  alone,  in 
a  eanoe,  paildleil  up  to  opposite  my  eal)in  at  the  foot  of  Delaware 
Street,  landed  and  staid  with  me  over  night.  He  told  me  that  his 
name  was  Alexander;  that  he  had  come  to  open  the  land  office  of  which 
he  had  been  appointed  register.  While  at  supper  he  said  "I  think  I 
have  seen  you  before."  Mr.  Wood  then  told  liini  he  was  the  man 
who  at  Shawneetown  gave  him  the  lie  for  reporting  the  result  of  the 
election  of  1824.  "r)ii  no,"  said  Alexander,  "it  must  have  been  some 
other  d — d  fool;"'  and  altliough  Wood  on  every  convenient  occa- 
sion hinted  at  this  story  f)f  their  first  inccting,  .Mcxander's  memory 
wouUl  only  hring  forth  a  recurrence  of  the  old-time  statement  that 
'it  was  some  other  d — d  fool.'  " 

Stimulating  the  M.mls 

It  should  he  noted  that  some  progress  had  heeii  made  in  mail  and 
transportation  facilities,  esjiei-ially  when  it  became  evident  that  the 
"land  office  business"  was  to  be  a  real  stimulant.  Home  seekers  and 
those  lof)king  for  investments  demanded  easier  and  more  frequent 
connnuiiication  and  transportation  than  had  been  formerly  "en- 
.ioyed."  Writing  of  this  transition  jicriod,  General  Tillson  says: 
"What  wc  now  call  mail  facilities  were  anything  but  facile  during 
this  period.  Twice  a  week  the  eastern  mail  was  expected  to  be  de- 
livered in  Quiney,  and  usually  it  came;  sometimes  it  didn't.  There 
were  two  stage  lines — one  tlirough  Parrollton  and  Rushville  arriving 
on  Thursday,  and  one  through  SjjringiicUl  and  Jacksonville,  coming 
in  on  Friday  of  each  week.  There  was  also  a  weekly  mail  north- 
ward to  Peoria  and  westward  to  Palmyra,  and  farther  on  each  route. 
The  eastern  mails  and  passengers  were,  when  the  ro.uls  permitted, 
Ijrought  in  by  the  old-fa.shioned  Troy  coach  stage,  but  ihiring  no  small 
portion  of  the  time  the  means  of  conveyance  was  the  'miid  wagon,' 
or.  with  eipial  appropriateness,  called  the  'bone  breaker.'  which  was 
a  huge  square  box  fastened  with  no  springs  upon  two  wheel.s,  into 
which  said  box  mail  and  passengers  were  promiscuously  piled;  and 
the  conjoint  and  constant  prayer  of  the  contused  jiassengers  was 
TJood  Lord,  deliver  usl'  The  earlie.st,  most  copious  and  most  sought 
for  news  was  that  gleaned  from  the  St.  Louis  papers,  which  were 
brought  up  on  the  boats  and  i)rivately  circulated." 

The  Boi.n  Qrixcv  Hutei, 

The  "boom"  at  Quiney,  mainly  incident  to  the  eommeneement  of 
the  land  sales  on  a  large  scale,  made  John  Tillson.  the  elder,  a  very 
prominent  man  in  the  comnnniity,  as  he  was  the  general  agent  of  the 
company  which  had  a  monopoly  on  the  lands  being  pureha.sed  by 
eastern  investors  and  also  home  seekers.  \  visible  and  imposin;;  evi- 
dence of  his  standing  in  the  community,  which  was  generally  pro- 
nounced a  reckless  financial  venture,  was  hi.s  erection  of  the  Quiney 


452  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

House  on  the  old  hotel  site  diagonally  across  Main  Street  from  his 
store.  The  venture  was  launched  in  1835.  When  entirely  com- 
pleted in  1838  the  hotel  had  cost  him  $106,000  and  was  voted  by  the 
influx  of  travelers  to  Quincy  as  the  finest  hostelrj-  west  of  Pitts- 
burg. The  venture  was  probably  too  much  for  his  individual  means, 
for  the  property  was  soon  transferred  to  a  corporation  called  the 
Quincy  House  Company,  which  collapsed  under  the  stress  of  the 
"hard  times'"  of  the  late  '30s.  But  the  reputation  and  memories 
of  the  Quincy  House  fixed  the  town  on  the  western  map ;  it  was  a  good 
advertisement  for  both  Tillson's  land  business  and  the  place  itself. 

Eventful  Year  (1836) 

The  State  Bank  of  Illinois  had  been  chartered  in  February  of 
1835  and  was  well  under  way  when  the  Quincy  House  venture  was 
launched,  and  at  the  legislative  session  of  1835-36  the  Wabash  & 
Mississippi  Kailroad,  the  forerunner  of  the  Wabash,  came  into  being. 
The  year  1836  also  witnessed  another  event  of  moment  in  the  sale  of 
the  lots  in  the  original  Town  of  Quincy  which  had  not  passed  from 
the  county  to  private  ownership.  The  date  of  the  sale  was  April 
11th.  Land  on  Fifth  Street  facing  Washington  Square  brought  as 
high  as  .$58  per  front  foot.  York  Street,  between  Second  and  Sixth, 
on  which  were  situated  the  choicest  residence  lots,  sold  on  an  average 
for  $2  a  foot. 

Quincy,  a  Tow-n  of  "Fair  Play" 

In  1836-37  Quincy  was  the  center  of  much  excitement  caused  by 
bitter  local  dissensions  over  the  slavery  issue.  The  .strong  aboli- 
tionists were  Willard  Keyes,  Rufus  Brown,  Deacon  Kimball,  and 
Doctor  Eels,  while  John  Wood.  N.  Pease,  Loyd  Morton,  J.  T.  Holmes, 
H.  H.  Snow  and  Doctor  Ralston  took  a  firm  stand  on  "fair  play," 
the  right  of  free  discussion  and  other  American  privileges.  But  Mis- 
souri was  just  across  the  river;  now  and  then  slaves  escaped  to 
Quincy.  where  such  as  Doctor  Eels  harbored  them  and  pushed  them 
along  to  the  next  underground  station.  Abolition  speakers,  like 
Dr.  David  Nelson,  driven  out  of  more  prejudiced  communities  fled 
to  Quincy,  as  a  town  where  they  could  be  assured  of  getting  just 
treatment:  but,  despite  all  disturbances  during  this  period  occurred 
which   past  history  has  called  "riots." 

Becomes  a  Town  Corporation 

Previous  to  the  year  1837  the  Government  of  the  Town  of  Quincy 
had  been  a  part  of  the  township  system  and  was  virtually  under  the 
state  laws,  but  the  Legislature  passed  an  act  providing  for  a  special 
charter  which  was  approved  February  21,  1837.  Under  its  provi- 
sions an  election  for  town  trustees  was  held  April  17th,  when  E. 


I^LIXCV  AND  ADAMS  ( OlNTY  453 

Coiiyers,  Saiimel  Holmes,  Roliert  Tillsoii,  Saiiuiol  Leech  and  I.  0. 
Woodruff  were  elioscn ;  John  B.  Young  was  added  to  the  Board  a 
few  days  later.  Mr.  Holmes  was  chosen  president  and  Mr.  Woodruff 
secretary. 

Signs  of  Growth 

Quincy  now  showed  signs  of  its  growing  importance  both  by  out- 
side indications  and  some  from  within.  The  portion  of  the  "inter- 
national railroad  system"  from  Quincy  cast  to  Springfield  and  the 
Indiana  line  had  been  put  under  contract  and  some  grading  had  even 
been  done.  It  was  to  enter  the  town  near  what  is  now  the  corner  of 
Twenty-fourth  and  Broadway,  not  far  from  Tillson  &  Jloore's  land 
office.  Thence  the  line  ran  on  Broadway  directly  west  to  the  river 
bank.  We  know  now  how  many  years  were  to  pass  before  Quincy 
was  to  gather  any  advantages  from  that  enterprise,  or  its  direct  suc- 
cessors. 

Birth  op  the  Fire  Department 

Real  public  improvements  were  going  on  within  the  new  town 
limits.  The  town  })oard  at  its  first  meeting  in  January,  1838,  ap- 
[Kiinted  John  Wood  and  Joel  Rice  a  committee  "to  report  the  most 
beneficial  and  suitable  places  for  improvements,  as  well  as  some  plan 
to  protect  the  cnnnnunity  against  the  ravages  of  fire."  This  com- 
mittee recoiinueiided  the  purcha.se  of  four  ladders  of  15,  20,  25  and  30 
feet  in  length;  six  fire  hooks  and  twelve  buckets  "as  the  commence- 
ment of  a  system  which  may  be  extended  and  improved  with  the 
growth  and  experience  of  the  place  in  connection  with  the  increase 
of  its  resources,  so  as  the  more  fully  and  perfectly  to  protect  our 
citizens  and  their  property  against  the  ravages  of  fire."  These  pur- 
cha.ses  were  made  and  became  the  initial  of  the  Quincy  Fire  Depart- 
ment, but  the  dozen  fire  buckets  were  not  cast  aside  for  hand  engines 
until  the  following  year. 

Street  Imi'rovements 

This  committee  also,  in  the  matter  of  improvements,  recommended 
that  ".$200  be  appropriated  for  the  improvement  of  Delaware  Street 
whenever  ^'MO  is  furnished  by  private  donation,"  and  that  $1,000 
be  appropriated  toward  the  grading  of  a  street  from  the  public 
.square  to  the  river,  this  first  to  be  offered  to  those  who  preferred  the 
grading  of  Maine  Street,  conditioned  that  they  would  give  bonds  to 
insure  the  subscription  and  payment  of  whatever  said  grading  would 
cost  exceeding  the  $1,000  appropriation.  Should,  however,  the  Maine 
Street  people  not  accede  to  the  proposition,  it  was  to  be  offered  to 
those  who  desired  to  have  Hampshire  Street  opened.  The  .Maine 
Street   people  declining  and   the  Hampshire   people  accepting   and 


'QriNX'Y  No.  1,  Rough  and  Ready" 


The  first  fire  engrine  brought  to  the  State  of  Illinois.  It  was  pur- 
chased hy  the  City  of  Quincy  in  1839,  and  was  manned  by  volunteers 
from  the  ranks  of  the  city's  business  men.  Now  the  property  of  the 
Firemen's  Benevolent  Association. 


QULXCV  AM)  ADAMS  COlNTV  455 

complying  with  the  eouditions,  the  grading  of  that  street  from  Fourili 
to  Front  was  ordered  and  hegun  in  March. 

This  was  the  first  important  public  improvement  that  the  town 
had  undertaken.  It  was  tlie  first  straight-line  eoiinnunieation  between 
the  village  on  the  liill  and  the  business  on  the  river  bank;  the  only 
route  before  tiiis  time  having  been  by  a  devious  road  which  cork- 
screwed around  among  the  liiils  and  ravines  from  near  the  foot  of 
Vermont  Street  up  to  about  where  the  Market  IIou.se  formerly  stood 
on  Hampshire.  The  grade  level  at  Hampshire  and  Fourth  had  al- 
ready been  estal)lislied.  That  on  Front,  which  depended  so  much  on 
where  Mr.  Holmes  doorsill  might  be,  was  now  definitely  fixed  by 
Mr.  Parker  and  some  civil  engineers  employed  on  the  Northern  Cross 
Railroad,  the  work  on  whi'-h  had  been  begun  here  a  few  months 
before. 

The  City  Ch.\rter  of  1840 

The  j'ear  1840  was  epochal  for  Quincy.  Almost  from  the  time  it 
adopted  special  town  government  its  ambitious  citizens  had  com- 
menced to  plan  for  cityhood,  and  the  rapid  growth  of  the  place  dur- 
ing that  period  whetted  their  desire  to  become  a  municipality.  The 
town  board  finally  ordered  an  election  to  be  held  on  the  third  Wed- 
nesday in  IMarch  for  a  vote  on  the  adoption  of  a  city  charter  which 
had  passetl  the  Legislature  on  February  3d  preceding.  The  vote 
stood  228  for  the  adoption  of  the  old  city  charter  and  12  against  it. 

ilany  of  the  old  settlers  thought  the  city  charter  of  1840  con- 
siderably better  than  that  of  18'u.  As  named  by  the  former  the 
boundaries  of  the  original  City  of  Quincy  were  as  follows:  Begin- 
ning in  the  main  eliannol  of  the  ilississippi  River  west  of  the  south 
line  of  .Jefferson  Street,  thence  up  the  river  with  said  channel  to  a 
point  due  west  of  the  northern  extremity  of  Pease's  addition  to  said 
town,  thence  due  east  to  the  eastern  side  of  "Wood  Street  (now 
Twelfth  1,  thence  due  south  along  Wood  Street  to  a  point  due  east 
from  the  place  of  beginning,  thence  due  west  down  the  south  side  of 
Jefferson  Street  to  the  place  of  beginning.  The  first  charter  divided 
the  city  into  three  wards.  One  of  its  provisions,  which  seemed  to 
especially  commend  itself  to  the  substantial  element  of  the  city,  was 
that  which  provided  that  tlie  mayor  must  be  a  freeholder.  But  many 
of  the  citizens  thought  it  savored  of  cla.ss  distinction  based  on  prop- 
erty, and  therefore  it  was  repealed  by  a  legislative  act  of  January, 
1841.  That  measure  which  made  several  amendments  to  the  original 
charter,  also  reincorporated  the  old  constitutional  provision  allowing 
the  franchise  to  those  who  had  resided  in  the  United  States  six 
months  preceding  any  election  to  vote,  irrespective  of  whether  he 
was  a  citizen  or  not. 

ASBURY  FOR  PrE.<;IDEXT  ;  V.\N  BuREN  FOR  MaGLSTR.VTE 

How  the  latter  privilege  worked  in  some  cases  is  well  illustrated 
by  the  late  Henry  Asbury,  who,  at  the  time  of  his  tale,  was  a  candi- 


456  QUINCY  AND  ADAilS  COUNTY 

date  for  justice  of  the  peace.  "I  was  always  a  Whig  and  a  Repub- 
lican," he  wrote,  '"but  turned  Democrat  just  before  the  election.  The 
contest  was  close.  I  had  some  good  friends  among  the  Democrats, 
and  they  went  for  me,  though  they  voted  for  Van  Buren  for  presi- 
dent. Some  of  these  German  friends  had  been  here  not  over  six 
months  and  were  not  citizens  of  the  United  States.  "We  voted  then 
viva  voce,  or  'sing  out  your  choice.'  Some  of  the  writer's  friends 
understood  no  English,  but  having  been  impressed  by  my  friends  to 
vote  for  Asbury — they  had  retained  my  name  only — and  after  giving 
their  names  to  the  clerks  of  election  when  they  came  up  to  vote,  were 
asked  by  the  judges,  'Whom  do  you  vote  for?'  To  which  they 
promptly  replied,  'For  Asbury.'  'Whom  do  you  vote  for,  for 
president?'  To  which  they  promptly  replied,  'For  Asbury.'  'Then 
whom  do  you  vote  for,  for  magistrate?'  That  was  a  stumper,  but 
after  awhile  they  said  'For  Van  Buren.'  This  thing  had  gone  on  for 
a  time  and  the  writer,  finding  it  out,  appealed  to  the  judges  to  cor- 
rect the  vote  according  to  the  intention  of  the  voters,  which  was  to 
vote  for  Asbury  for  justice  of  the  peace.  The  j'idges  agreed  to 
explain  to  the  next  voters  so  as  to  avoid  further  mistakes;  but  the 
first  votes  recorded  for  Asbury  for  president  and  Van  Buren  for 
justice  of  the  peace  were  lost  to  both. ' " 

First  City  Election  and  Officials 

On  the  18th  of  March  the  trustees  ordered  an  election  of  city 
officers  to  be  held  on  the  20th  of  April,  all  of  the  polling  places  being 
on  Fourth  Street — at  the  courthouse  and  the  Baptist  and  Congrega- 
tional churches.  The  election  then — in  fact,  until  1848 — was  viva 
voce,  and  the  first  campaign  for  municipal  ofificers  was  surely  a 
merry  affair.  The  whigs  elected  their  candidate  for  mayor,  Ebenezer 
Moore,  over  the  democratic  aspirant.  Gen.  Samuel  Leech. 

Mayor  Moore  was  a  IMaine  man.  a  good  lawyer  and  at  one  time 
associated  with  Henry  Asbury.  He  had  served  for  some  years  as  a 
justice  of  the  peace  and  engaged  in  business — finally,  in  several  un- 
fortunate banking  enterprises.  He  passed  the  last  years  of  his  life 
at  Washington  City  in  Government  employ  and  died  of  cholera  in  the 
national  capital  about  1867. 

General  Leech  had  come  to  Quiney  as  register  of  the  Public  Land 
Office  and  was  identified  with  that  department  of  the  Government 
at  the  time  he  was  a  candidate  for  mayor.  He  was  also  one  of  the 
town  trustees.  About  a  decade  later  he  moved  to  Minnesota,  where 
he  held  a  similar  appointment.  At  the  time  the  democrats  nominated 
him  for  mayor  he  was  also  a  town  trustee. 

Two  aldermen  were  nominated  for  each  of  the  three  wards  and  the 
whigs  also  elected  their  entire  ticket  for  these  offices,  except  Asbury 
in  the  First  Ward,  who  was  defeated  by  three  votes. 

The   following   appointments   were   made  by   the   City   Council: 


QllNCV  AND  ADA^IS  COUNTY  457 

S.  P.  Chuitli.  ilerk;  Andrew  Johnstou,  treasurer;  Jacob  (.iruell,  mar- 
shal and  collector :  I.  0.  WoodrnfT,  assessor;  John  R.  Randolph, 
attorney;  George  Wood,  sexton;  J.  1).  Morgan,  fire  warden;  Enoch 
Conyers.  overseer  of  the  poor,  and  William  King,  Harrison  Dills  and 
John  Odell,  street  supervisors. 

Then  came  a  season  of  readjustments  bringing  much  confusion, 
which  is  always  anticipated  in  such  transitions  from  one  local  form 
of  government  to  another.  The  council  meetings  were  first  held  at 
the  courthouse,  there  continuing  until  the  first  of  November,  1840, 
and  thereafter  at  the  mayor's  office.  The  town  ordinances  were  kept 
in  force  until  the  ;30th  of  May  after  the  election,  when  Quincy  went 
under  city  government.  Governor  Carlin,  who  was  a  strong  demo- 
crat, refused  to  commission  the  whig  mayor  as  a  justice  of  the  peace, 
although  authorized  by  the  charter  to  hold  the  latter  office  by  virtue 
of  his  position  as  head  of  the  city  government.  The  quarrel  waxed 
furious  between  the  local  whigs  and  democrats,  but  Mayor  Moore 
finally  won. 

The  first  year  of  the  city's  life  saw  the  death  of  petitions  against 
the  is.suing  of  licenses  to  '"groceries"  and  ■"(Irani  shojis,"  which  in 
those  days  were  equivalent  establishments.  The  improvement  of  the 
streets,  however,  progressed.  Maine  Street  was  gi-aded  from  the 
public  square  to  the  river  and  the  public  landing,  which  was  then  a 
narrow  strip  of  new-made  ground  at  the  foot  of  Ilaiiipshire,  was  ex- 
tended and  improved.    The  public  square  was  also  fenced. 

First  City  Public  Schools 

Most  important  of  all  the  measures  adopted  were  those  which 
established  a  fragment  of  the  foundation  of  the  present  local  system 
of  public  education.  Dr.  Joseph  N.  Ralston,  perhaps  more  than  any 
other  Quincy  citizen,  made  that  matter  a  personal  and  an  earnest  duty. 
As  one  of  the  most  influential  of  the  aldermen  he  persistently  brought 
the  subject  before  the  City  Council  and  finally  in  October,  1840,  at 
his  recommendation,  that  body  ordered  that  the  "surplus  revenue 
of  the  city,  after  paying  ordinary  and  contingent  exitciises, "  should 
be  devoted  to  the  establishment  imd  support  of  the  iiublic  schools; 
and  that  a  consultation  should  be  had  with  the  township  school 
trustees  in  regard  to  buying  ground  and  the  building  of  two  school- 
houses.  In  the  following  month  the  Council  ordered  a  schoolhouse 
to  be  erei-ted  on  the  old  cemetery  lot  where  the  courthouse  now  stands, 
and  the  purchase  of  a  lot  on  block  'M).  which  is  the  present  site  of 
the  Franklin  schoolhouse.  The  sproutings  of  that  seed  into  a  vigorous 
system  will  be  traced  in  succeeding  pages. 

A  City  Se.vl  Conceived  in  Sin 

The  City  of  Quincy  of  course  had  to  adopt  some  kind  of  a  seal 
with  which  to  place  its  stamp  upon  official  documents,  and  the  ex- 


458  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

planation  for  the  first  desigu  placed  upon  the  first  municipal  instru- 
ment of  that  nature  is  thus  given :  At  his  own  expense,  but  with  the 
concurrence  of  the  Council,  John  Wood  had  transplanted  from  his 
own  grounds  to  the  center  of  the  square  a  handsome  elm  tree  fully 
a  foot  in  diameter.  On  the  night  of  May  6,  1841,  some  young  vandals 
of  that  day  and  year  girdled  the  tree  and  it  died.  In  the  next  issue 
of  the  Argus,  the  democratic  paper  of  the  place,  appeared  a  rough 
cut  which  was  supposed  to  represent  Mr.  Wood  resting  upon  his  cane 
and  mournfully  gazing  at  the  dead  ti'ee.  The  City  Council  offered  a 
reward  of  $100  for  the  detection  of  the  rogues.  They  were  soon  dis- 
covered, but  found  not  worth  the  trouble  of  punishing.  At  the 
meeting  of  that  body  on  June  26th,  it  was  ordered  that  "the  elm  tree 
and  flagstaff  upon  the  public  square  as  represented  in  the  Argus 
some  time  since,  be  adopted  as  the  device  of  a  seal  for  the  city."  This 
representation  of  a  man  standing  beside  a  dead  tree  was  used  as  the 
Quincy  City  seal  for  .some  years,  until  a  later  Council,  said  to  have 
been  composed  of  those  very  (grown-up)  bad  boys  who  had  killed 
the  elm  tree  some  years  before,  changed  it  to  something  less  sug- 
gestive of  local  vandalism. 

A  Free  Libr.vry  Revived 

The  year  1841  marked  the  appointment  of  the  first  regular  city 
phy.sician,  although  since  incorporation  Doctor  Ralston  had  acted  as 
such ;  Dr.  Richard  Eels  was  offieially  named  to  perform  its  duties. 
The  city  also  opened  a  poor  house.  Another  enterprise  appeared, 
or  rather  a  more  lusty  revival  of  an  older  venture.  Several  years 
before  a  small  collection  of  books  had  been  gathered  and  shelved  for 
public  use;  but  the  public  seemed  rather  cold  toward  tliat  indoor 
recreation  and  the  books  were  distributed  among  their  original 
donors.  But  in  the  spring  of  1841  the  library  enterprise  arose  in  a 
way  which  refused  to  be  smothered,  and  in  October  of  that  year  a 
Library  Association  was  incorporated.  The  library  was  really  opened 
in  the  preceding  April,  but  was  not  considered  fully  established  imtil 
the  association  was  incorporated  with  a  substantial  management. 
Capt.  E.  J.  Phillips  was  president  of  the  association ;  Dr.  J.  N. 
Ralston,  secretary.  By  the  close  of  the  year  the  collection  amounted 
to  nearly  800  volumes,  and  lectures  and  other  forms  of  entertainments 
were  under  way  for  the  purpose  of  raising  funds  to  push  the  library 
ahead. 

City  Gr.\des  Established 

In  April,  1842,  the  City  Council  established  a  system  of  street 
grades  throughout  the  city,  embracing  the  territory  from  Broadway 
to  State  Street  and  from  Front  to  Twelfth  (then  called  Wood) 
streets.  This  was  the  first  comprehensive  plan  adopted  in  regard  to 
city  grades,  and,  though  slightly  changed  since,  has  been  substan- 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY  459 

tially  foUowi'd.     A  earefully  compiled  census  of  that  year  records 
the  populatiou  of  Quiucy  at  2.686. 

M.MLS  Improved 

Mail  facilities  had  somewhat  improved.  The  two  eastern  semi- 
weekly  stages  now  eame  in  as  tri-weeklies  on  alternate  days,  making  it 
practically  a  daily  mail,  although  not  always  affording  the  earliest 
news.  In  addition  to  these  there  were  two  mails  carried  north,  one 
south  and  one  west  into  Missouri. 

Gre.vt  Flood  op  1844 

The  year  of  the  Great  Flood  was  1844.  Quincy  was  in  jnst  the 
proper  geographical  position  to  get  the  "benefit"  of  the  combined 
rise  of  the  Upper  Mississippi,  the  Illinois  and  the  Missouri,  all  of 
which  were  at  a  phenomenal  hitih-water  mark  in  Jlay  and  June  of 
that  year  and  poured  their  waters  down  the  valley  of  the  father 
stream.  Tiie  flood  arose  rajiidly  and  spread  high  from  bluff  to  bluff, 
doing  much  material  damage  at  Quincy,  and  the  subsidence  of  the 
waters  in  the  spring  was  followed  by  unusual  sickness. 

Business  P.\rtially  Kevtved 

As  an  offset  to  these  misfortunes  was  the  partial  revival  of  busi- 
ness and  the  glimmer  of  the  silver  lining  in  the  financial  clouds  which 
had  lowered  over  the  country — and  Quincy  with  it — for  a  number  of 
years.  About  20.000  hogs  had  been  packed  in  the  winter  of  1843-44, 
which  was  remarkably  open ;  the  half  a  dozen  mills  turned  out  35.000 
barrels  of  flour  during  the  year,  and  other  manufacturing  interests  had 
revived.     So  the  equilibrium  of  local  affairs  was  fairly  maintained. 

Co\rp.\R ATivE  City  .\nd  Country  Popul-vtion 

Up  to  1S45  the  population  of  Quincy.  as  indicated  by  the  census 
records,  showed  quite  a  regular  or  steady  growth;  of  later  years, 
this  cannot  be  said.  A  comparison  of  the  relative  growth  of  the  city 
and  the  country,  or  rural  districts,  for  the  twenty  years  preceding, 
is  of  interest.  The  census  of  1845  indicated  that  Quincy  had  then  a 
population  of  4,007.  Adams  County,  including  Quincy,  had  a  popu- 
lation of  13.511.  to  which,  adding  5.888  in  JIarquette,  gave  a  total  of 
19.39!t,  showing  that  the  city  had  about  one-fifth  of  the  whole.  In- 
1825  the  county,  with  perhaps  300  in  Hancock,  had  2,186;  Quincy, 
by  the  end  of  the  year,  perhaps  50.  In  1830,  the  population  of  the 
county  was  2,186,  of  which  .some  200.  about  one-tenth,  were  in  the 
village.  Five  years  later,  by  the  state  census,  the  county  had  7.042 
and  the  town  753,  still  about  one-tentli.    In  1840  the  county  contained 


460  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

14,-176  and  the  city  1,850,  or  one-eighth  of  the  total.  As  before  stated, 
in  1845  Quincy  had  about  one-fifth  of  the  county's  total  population, 
and.  to  anticipate  by  a  quarter  of  a  century,  the  city  increased  its 
comparative  percentage  very  regularly ;  it  was  over  one-fourth  of  the 
total  population  of  the  county  in  1850,  nearly  one-third  in  1860,  three- 
sevenths  in  1870  and  nearly  one-half  in  1880.  After  the  last  named 
year  the  proportion  was  not  steadily  in  favor  of  the  city. 

FEETUiE  Year  op  1848 

Several  years  now  passed  before  events  occurred  which  could  be 
called  vital  in  their  character,  or  classed  as  pioneers  in  the  local 
advancement.  But  1848  was  fertile  and  brought  forth  quite  a  crop 
of  that  nature.  On  the  18th  of  March,  at  the  foot  of  Delaware  Street, 
was  launched  the  first  steamboat  built  in  Quincy.  The  hull  was  suc- 
cessfully set  afloat  and  towed  down  to  St.  Louis,  where  it  was  com- 
pleted and  received  its  machinery. 

Telegram  Sent  "Quick  as  Lightning" 

Then  in  the  summer  of  1848  telegraphic  communication  was  estab- 
lished. Quincy  had  been  called  upon  for  a  .'f;10,000  subscription  to 
aid  the  construction  of  the  line.  At  a  public  meeting  held  February 
26th  $7,200  had  been  raised  and  the  balance  soon  afterward.  On  the 
8th  of  July  the  wires  were  brought  into  Quincy,  and  on  the  12th  the 
line  was  completed  from  Beardstown  to  Springfield,  thus  making  a 
continuous  connection  between  the  capital  of  Illinois  and  the  me- 
tropolis of  Missouri.  It  is  said  that  the  first  formal  and  paid  mes- 
sage transmitted  was  from  Sylvester  Emmons  at  Beardstown  to  the 
Quincy  Whig,  to  which  a  reply  was  sent,  as  that  newspaper  en- 
thusiastically put  it,  "quick  as  lightning." 

First  Real  City  Directory 

The  first  directory  of  the  city  was  issued  about  the  time  that 
Quincy  got  into  telegraphic  communication  with  everybody  outside; 
two  steps  toward  metropolitan  character.  Two  attempts  at  directory- 
making  had  been  previously  made,  but  the  outcomes  were  mere  trifles 
compared  with  the  directory  of  1848  prepared  and  issued  by  Dr.  J. 
S.  "Ware.  Doctor  Ware  was  a  stranger,  comparatively,  but  an  in- 
dustrious, original  man,  and  the  publication  of  his  directory  was 
considered  quite  a  large  event.  He  also  projected  the  Mutual  Po- 
litical Journal,  one-half  of  which  was  to  be  edited  by  a  whig  and  the 
other  half  by  a  democrat ;  but  the  local  leaders  could  not  be  made  to 
fight  at  such  close  quarters,  and  the  Journal  was  almost  still-born. 
But  the  directory  was  a  success. 

The  writer  had  the  pleasure  of  examining  one  of  the  few  copies 
still  left  of  Quincy 's  first  real  directory.     He  found  Doctor  Ware's 


QUINCY  AXi)  ADAJIS  COUNTY  4G1 

introilui-tion  tlie  most  interesting  part  of  the  little  town,  as  it  ilraws 
a  elear-eiit  picture  of  the  city  of  1848,  and  from  it  the  following  ex- 
tract is  taken:  "The  geographical  jiosition  of  Quincy  is  in  40  deg. 
north  latitude  and  14  deg.  west  longitude  from  Washington  City  on 
the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River  in  the  county  of  Adams — 160 
miles  by  water  above  St.  Louis,  110  from  Springfield,  the  seat  of 
government  of  the  State  of  Illinois — 360  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio 
by  water,  and  about  280  from  Chicago  at  the  head  of  Lake  iMichigan. 

Gkowth  of  the  Town  \'v  to  1843 

"This  is  a  point  highly  favored  by  nature,  being  in  that  mild 
latitude  which  furnishes  the  richest  growth  of  all  kinds  of  grain  and 
luxuriant  grasses,  as  also  an  abundance  of  all  the  fruits  produced 
in  the  temperate  zone.  It  is  situated,  too,  ou  navigable  water  800 
miles  below  the  head  of  steamboat  navigation  and  communication 
with  all  the  navigable  streams  of  the  Ohio  and  ^Mississippi  valleys;  in 
the  heart  of  a  region  of  country  abounding  in  the  most  valuable 
timber  of  North  America,  in  bituminous  coal  and  limestone.  It  is 
manifest  that  this,  as  other  towns  on  the  Upper  Mississippi  similarly 
favored,  is  destined  to  become  a  place  of  importance  in  the  extensive 
trade  and  commerce  of  our  country.  The  ground  on  which  Quiney 
is  locatetl  is  a  sutistratuiu  of  linicstone,  covered  in  some  spots  with 
mounds  of  .sandy  soil,  and  in  others  with  rich  alluvium,  at  a  general 
elevation  of  150  feet  above  tlie  average  level  of  the  river  and  the 
neighboring  bottom  lands;  this  being  the  only  point  at  which  the 
bluffs  strike  the  river  shore,  without  intervening  bottom  lands,  for 
a  distance  of  eighty  or  ninety  miles  up  and  down  the  river. 

"The  elevation  of  the  town  site  above  the  river  favors  its  citizens 
with  a  commanding  view  of  the  river  for  several  miles,  both  above 
and  below,  embracing  the  opposite  shore  of  the  Mississippi;  the  width 
of  the  river  at  this  point  being  about  one  mile;  and  running  along 
under  the  northwest  side  of  the  city  is  a  beautiful  bay.  which  was 
formerly  called  Boston  Ray  by  the  early  traders,  from  the  circum- 
stance of  a  Bostonian  who  once  navigated  his  craft  up  to  the  head 
of  the  bay,  supposing  it  to  be  the  main  channel  of  the  river,  but  after 
much  labor  and  many  fruitless  splashings  of  his  oars  he  was  obliged 
to  back  out  again." 

Doctor  Ware  then  takes  u))  the  historical  threads  of  his  subject 
and  speaks  of  John  Wood,  Willard  Keyes,  John  Droulard  and  other 
pioneers  of  Quiney;  notes  the  old  Sac  Village  which  jireceded  the 
white  man's  town,  the  location  of  the  county  seat  in  182;'),  and  other 
events  which  naturally  lead  to  commerce  and  trade.  The  chief 
interest  to  the  present-day  readers  is  to  select  the  features  of  his 
historical  and  descriptive  paper  which  will  give  us  a  general  picture 
of  the  1848  Quiney.  "In  1825,"  he  remarks,  "Quiney  imported  bacon 
and  flour  for  her  inhabitants,  then  numbering  sixteen  individuals; 


462 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


and  from  that  time  until  the  year  1835,  when  her  population  was 
700,  she  continued  this  practice.  From  the  last  mentioned  period  until 
the  present  time,  she  has  been  exporting  these  articles,  with  a  gi-eat 
increase  annually,  so  that  when  their  amounts  come  to  be  fairly 
stated,  they  will  produce  astonishment  among  the  business  men  of 
towns  of  the  same  size  in  older  states. 

"As  late  as  the  year  1832,  when  the  Black  Hawk  "War  broke  out, 
the  Indians,  principallj-  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  tribes,  were  very  nu- 
merous in  Quincy;  the  shores  of  the  river  were  frequently  covered 
with  their  wigwams  a  long  distance,  both  above  and  below  the  town. 
They  traded  with  the  whites,  both  in  town  and  in  the  surrounding 
country.  As  they  came  in  from  their  hunting  excursions,  they  im- 
ported feathers,  dressed  deer  skips,  moccasins,  beeswax,  honey,  maple 


Old  Mississippi  River  StEu\mer 


sugar,  grass  floor  mats,  venison,  hams,  muskrats  and  coon  skins. 
At  this  period  (20  years  since)  a  tea  was  in  general  use  in  Quincy 
made  of  the  bark  and  roots  of  sassafras.  The  coffee  then  used  was 
the  nut  of  the  coffee  tree,  a  tree  which  grows  in  the  neighboring 
forests.  Maple  sugar  was  worth  twenty-five  cents  per  pound.  Honey, 
which  was  alnindant  and  sold  by  the  barrel,  would  bring  thirty- 
seven  and  a  half  cents  per  gallon ;  beeswax  was  worth  from  twenty- 
five  to  thirty  cents  per  pound,  and  so  ready  was  the  sale  of  this  article 
and  coon  skins  that  it  was  said  'coon  skins  were  currency  and  bees- 
wax. Land  Office  money.'  The  usual  price  of  a  bee-tree,  as  it  stood 
in  the  forest,  was  one  dollar.  The  person  who  first  saw  it  would  mark 
his  name  or  initials  on  it;  and  it  was  then  regarded  as  his  property. 
These  were  often  exchanged  in  trade  for  horses,  or  other  stock  and 
property. 

"Such  trade  as  here   described  was  carried  on  by  the  people, 
who  raised  small  crops  of  corn   and  jjotatoes,  until  the  year  1832. 


yUINCY  AND  ADA.MS  COUNTY  463 

Prior  to  this,  liowever,  several  inerehants  liad  settled  at  Quiucy  and 
eoiniueneed  business. '' 

Doctor  Ware  then  narrates  the  coming  of  Ashur  Anderson  (1826), 
Robert  Tillson.  Charles  Holmes,  Ebenezer  Ilarkner,  Whitney  &  Green, 
and  others,  and  the  opening  of  the  old  steam  flour  mill  (afterward 
called  the  Phoenix)  in  the  summer  of  1832.  As  to  the  local  trade  in 
wheat  and  flour,  he  adds:  "The  rapid  growth  of  the  place  and  the 
settlement  of  the  surrounding  country,  has  produced  a  change  in 
the.se  branches,  which,  although  not  very  wonderful  in  the  result  is, 
nevertheless,  unparalleled  in  the  growth  of  eastern  towns.  In  the 
year  1847,  4r)(),U()0  busiicls  of  wheat  were  shipped  from  this  city  and 
55,160  barrels  of  flour.  There  are  now  eight  steam  flour  mills  here, 
capable  of  turning  out  800  barrels  of  flour  every  twenty-four  hours. 

"There  are  alst)  in  successful  operation  three  distilleries,  capable 
of  manufacturing  60  barrels  of  whiskey  per  day  and  are  feeding 
3.600  hogs.  In  the  winter  1833-34  there  were  aliout  400  hogs  killed 
and  packed;  avei'age  weight,  about  13.")  pounds.  In  the  winter  of 
1847-48,  there  were  20,000,  averaging  about  250  pounds ;  which  shows 
an  increase  ahnost  ini])aralleled.  when  we  consider  tlie  newness  of 
the  country  and  the  difliculties  of  settling  in  this  western  valley. 

■"The  importation  of  pine  lumber  in  the  year  1835  was  very  small, 
amounting  to  aliout  23.000  feet,  wliii'h  was  brought  around  from  the 
Oiiio  river.  During  tiie  year  1848,  up  to  August  2d,  there  has  been 
about  22,560,000  feet  of  lumber  received,  which  will  not  be  sufficient 
to  supply  the  growing  demand.  In  the  year  1835  good  lumber  coin- 
mandcd  from  $60  to  $70  per  thousand  feet,  and  at  the  present  time 
can  be  had  for  from  $10  to  $20  per  thousand ;  the  lumber  now  being 
brought  from  the  pine  regions  on  the  upper  Jlississippi,  wliere  have 
been  cstabli.shed  many  large  mills  for  inanufaeturing  lumber.  There 
are  also  yearly  brought  large  quantities  of  pine  logs  to  supply  the 
mills  in  this  city,  of  which  there  is  a  number  and  which,  during  the 
past  three  years,  have  sawed  about  1,500,000  feet,  all  of  which  has 
been  used  in  the  city  and  its  immediate  vicinity. 

"In  religions  and  intellectual  improvement,  this  city  is  making 
rapid  progress.  Public  and  private  schools  are  numerous  and  sup- 
plied with  able  teachers.  In  1833  the  first  regular  church  was  or- 
ganized, which  numbered  fifteen  members;  since  which  time  the  num- 
ber has  increased  to  fourteen  churches,  numbering  in  all  2,716  mem- 
bers; one  Episcopal,  two  Methodist,  one  Presbyterian,  two  Baptist, 
two  Catholic,  one  German  Lutheran,  one  l^nitarian,  two  Congrega- 
tional, one  German  ilethodist  and  one  African  church. 

"Quincy  is  doubtless  a  veiy  healthful  and  desirable  place  for  the 
convenient  residence  of  families,  affording  excellent  facilities  for  the 
education  of  children,  all  the  privileges  of  Christian  worship,  and  the 
best  means  for  cheaj)  and  comfortable  living.  The  city  is  ornamented 
with  various  public  edifices,  where  tall  spires  strike  the  eye  of  the 
traveler  on  the  river  long  before  he  arrives  in  the  place;  several 


464  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

large  and  elegant  churches;  a  beautiful  courthouse;  two  large  brick 
hotels,  and  one  of  the  strongest  and  best  county  jails  in  the  country. 
There  are  also  two  large  and  commodious  public  school  buildings 
suited  for  the  accommodation  of  2,000  scholars.  The  streets  have 
been  exteiisivel.y  graded  and  paved,  and  great  pains  have  been  taken 
to  enclose  and  adorn  two  of  the  public  squares  in  the  place.  Strangers 
and  travelers  who  visit  Quincy  uniformly  bear  testimony  that  it  is 
one  of  the  most  pleasant  towns  they  have  ever  seen." 

Quincy  Exodus  of  Gold  Hunters,  1848-50 

The  gold  excitement,  which  raged  through  the  country  like  an 
epidemic  in  1848,  swept  down  the  Mississippi  Valley  and  into  Quincy 
with  special  violence.  The  first  local  party  left  the  eit.y  on  February 
1st,  by  way  of  New  Orleans  and  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  (Chagresl, 
for  the  California  Coast,  and  consisted  of  the  following:  John  Wood, 
Daniel  Wood,  John  Wood,  Jr.,  Demas  Guntery,  I.  H.  Miller,  D.  M. 
Jordan,  Aaron  Nash,  W.  B.  Matlock,  David  Wood,  S.  W.  Kogers, 
George  Rogers,  John  ileClintock,  John  Mikesell,  Jr.,  George  Burns, 
J.  Dorman,  J.  J.  Kendrick,  C.  G.  Ammon  and  Charles  Brown. 

The  first  overland  party  left  Quincy  on  the  first  week  in  April. 
Tliere  were  fifty  in  the  party  which  contained,  among  others,  Drs. 
William  H.  Taylor  and  M.  Walker,  although  its  members  were  not 
generally  so  well  known  as  those  comprising  the  first  colony.  About 
a  dozen  wagons  were  provided  for  the  party,  some  drawn  by  two 
span  of  mules  and  others  by  three  or  four  yoke  of  oxen.  The  outfit 
was  complete  in  every  way.  From  the  landing  on  the  river  front 
the  party  embarked  on  a  ferry  boat  bound  for  Lagrange;  thence  to 
St.  Joseph,  from  which  point  the  start  was  made  for  the  long  trip 
across  the  plains.  At  about  the  same  time  as  the  Quincy  party  de- 
parted, the  Mill  Creek  neighborhood  sent  out  a  delegation  of  some 
twenty-five  gold  hunters,  and  later  Columbus,  ]\Iillville,  Ellington 
Township,  Woodville  and  other  localities  in  the  county  contributed 
considerable  quotas  to  the  Gold  Coast. 

After  they  had  been  on  the  wa.v  several  weeks  word  was  received 
from  the  first  Quincy  party,  through  Dr.  S.  W.  Rogers,  that  it  was 
waiting  at  Chagres,  with  about  2,000  other  impatient  adventurers, 
for  transportation  to  San  Francisco.  That  contingent  was  generally 
known  as  John  Wood  &  Companj''s  California  Company.  Its  Quincy 
friends  were  cheered  at  the  news  that  the  company  had  arrived  at  a 
locality  thirty  miles  from  San  Francisco,  on  the  19th  of  May,  1849, 
on  their  way  to  the  mountains. 

News  from  the  plains  party  arrived  in  September,  1849,  in  the 
form  of  a  letter  from  George  Adams  to  his  brother  James,  dated  at 
Green  River  Junction,  July  28th,  seventy  miles  from  South  Pass. 
Joseph  Pope,  one  of  that  party,  died  of  cholera  about  eighty  miles 
from  Fort  Laramie.    But  Mr.  Adams  wrote  tliat  they  "saw  nothing 


(^IIXCV  AM)  ADAMS  (OINTV  465 

to  discourage  them  until  tliey  reaehed  the  JJlaek  Hills,  where  they 
were  uever  out  of  siglit  of  a  dead  ox,  and  could  sometimes  count  a 
dozen  at  one  glance." 

On  the  20th  of  Feliruai'v,  l!550.  Joliu  Wood,  his  two  sons,  David 
Woods  and  Benjamin  Mikcrell,  returned.  They  only  spent  about  four 
months  in  the  mines.  It  is  said  that  they  were  somewhat  reticent 
regarding  their  own  success,  but  gave  no  discouragement  to  others. 

Between  the  departure  of  so  many  of  the  young  men  from  Quincy 
and  the  county  in  1848-r)0  to  join  the  general  procession  of  gold 
hunters,  and  the  death-dealing  tactics  of  the  cholera  which  brought 
sorrow  and  gloom  to  so  many  of  the  same  region  in  1849-50,  these 
were  seasons  long  to  he  remembered,  albeit  those  who  lived  through 
them  would  most  willingly  have  forgotten  tliem. 

First  Daily  M.\ii>  axo  Daily  Newspaper 

But  Quincy  continued  to  grow  and  by  the  early  '50s  gave  several 
outward  and  special  manifestations  of  that  fact.  In  April,  1852,  the 
first  daily  mail  was  established  which  she  was  privileged  to  enjoy. 
It  was  arranged  to  carry  it  by  steamer  from  St.  Ix)uis  to  Galena, 
and  was  continued  for  many  years,  until  superseded  by  railroad  con- 
veyance. Before  that  time  occasional  mail  matter  had  been  carried 
on  the  boats  plying  lictween  those  jtoiiits  and  iiit'sscngers  were  ap- 
pointed to  take  charge  of  it,  but  a  iicrniaiient  arrangement  was  not 
effected  until  that  date. 

And  the  month  before  the  daily  steamboat  mail  was  established, 
the  Whig  branched  out  as  a  daily  newspaper.  Two  good  up-to-date 
things  to  come  to  Quincy  in  1852. 

Made  a  Port  op  Entry 

So  little  public  land  remained  to  be  sold  in  the  following  year 
in  the  Quincy  District  that  the  Land  Office  was  moved  to  Spring- 
field, but  in  December,  1853.  Congress  made  the  city  a  port  of  entry. 
The  law  did  not  go  into  effect  until  February,  1854,  and  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  surveyor  of  the  port  was  made  soon  after  in  the  person 
of  Thomas  C.  Benneson.  It  is  said  that  the  prime  object  in  making 
Quincy  a  port  of  entry  was  to  convenience  the  railroad  in  its  pay- 
ments on  the  iron  imported  from  England.  Under  the  operation  of 
this  law  shipment  could  be  made  direct  to  Quincy,  there  taken  out  of 
store,  and  the  duties  paid  thereon,  from  time  to  time,  in  such  amount.s 
as  the  company  required.  Several  other  cities,  likewise  interested 
in  the  building  of  railroads,  were  also  made  ports  of  entry  about  this 
time  and  so  continued  for  a  number  of  years — sometimes  after  the 
chief  excuse  for  the  establishment  had  long  pa-ssed. 

Illuminating  Ga.s  and  Other  Brioiit  Ii<icAL  Things 

The  time  when  Quincy  as  a  city  abandoned  its  smoky,  greasy  oil 
lamps   and    went    over   to   illuminating  gas   was   brii:ht    with    pride. 


^ 

'o 

C 

a 

^ 

I-:] 

X 

O) 

H 

^2 

ir 

i» 

Jj 

ti5 

^ 

S 

O) 

u 

cd 

;^ 

'73 

i-H 

(D 

K 

CC 

-TJ 

|i 

f-H 

W 

If 

o 

C8 

55 

'^' 

,r! 

""] 

CC 

(U 

*4 

^ 

Q 

O 

03 

c 

C3 

■30 

i*-l 

o 

03 

O 

•3D 

4-9 

Q 

2; 

i§ 

"^ 

<a 

H 

(D 

a 

-« 

Ed 

-2 

Ui 

-4^ 

=t-( 

[^ 

0) 

H 

'""' 

fc. 

ID 

fe 


(,)ri.\(  V    AND  ADAMS  CorXTV  467 

l'i'ei)aiations  I'di-  tiio  ^tciI  ovont  witl-  iiiadi'  as  i-arly  as  IS,"):},  wlieii 
a  i-Diniiany  was  iiK-oiiiorated  and  organizi'il  l)y  Jdliii  Wood,  Lucius 
Kiiigmau,  .Samuel  llohnes,  Thomas  Redmond,  James  D.  ilorgan, 
Samuel  W.  Kogers,  Thomas  C.  Kinjr.  Roliert  S.  Heniieson  and  William 
II.  Carlin,  luuler  the  name  of  the  (^uiiiey  Gas  Light  and  Coke  Com- 
pany. Through  the  corporation  named,  they  entered  into  a  contract 
with  A.  li.  Chamliei-s  and  Thomas  Pratt,  of  St.  Loui.s,  who,  in  con- 
sideration of  -iiTS.OOO  of  tlie  capital  st(«-k  of  the  company,  agreed  to 
purchase  suitahle  grounds,  furnish  all  the  nuiterials  and  construct 
works  of  sufficient  capacity  to  manufactui-e  and  store  55,000  cubic 
feet  of  gas  daily,  lay  ■i\-_>  miles  of  street  mains,  pi-ovide  the  necessary 
meters  and  erect  fifty  public  lamps.  Tlic  works  were  completed  in 
l)eceml)er.  1(^54,  and  considerable  extensions  of  the  system  made,  as 
origiiuilly  planned.  Hut  the  introduction  of  electricity  to  the  list  of 
the  public  utilities  of  Quincy  did  not  create  so  much  satisfaction 
and  pride  as  when  the  city  ''went  over  the  top"  by  bringing  illu- 
minating gas  to  its  streets,  stores  and  residences.  The  night  of  De- 
cember 1st  in  Quincy  was  illuminated  as  never  before  and  perhaps 
never  since.  The  street  lamps,  houses  and  stores  were  all  ablaze  with 
the  new  light :  the  people  without  were  admiring  the  bright  lights 
within  and  the  people  within  were  enraptured  with  the  appearance 
of  the  brilliantly  illumined  streets.  There  were  also  many  sounds 
of  revelry  that  night  at  the  Quincy  IIou.se  at  which  a  gay  banquet 
was  being  given  in  honor  of  the  event.  Under  the  legislative  charter 
the  Gas  Light  and  Coke  Company  had  a  twenty-five  year  contract 
with  the  city. 

The  year  1857  brought  some  innovations  and  some  improvements. 
The  city  ordinances  were  revised,  the  houses  numbered  and  the  city 
surveys  and  grades  systematized.  The  Public  Square,  which,  for 
twenty  years  or  more,  had  known  no  other  name,  was  formally  chris- 
tened Washington  Park  by  resolution  of  the  City  Council. 

The  Lincoln-Douglas  Festivities 

During  the  fall  succeeding  its  change  in  UMiiif  I'mm  the  Public 
S(|uare  to  W'ashin^'ton  Park,  this  historic  ground  of  Quincy  was  given 
an  inerea.sed  measure  of  fame  by  being  made  the  scene  of  one  of  the 
noted  debates  between  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Stephen  A.  Douglas, 
during  their  1S5S  campaign  for  the  linited  States  senatorship.  The 
exact  date  of  the  meeting,  receptions,  processions  and  festivities — 
for  the  occasion  brought  cmt  all  those  events  and  more — was  October 
I'-i,  1858.  Each  cham])ion  and  political  leader  had  his  own  reception 
committee,  liisown  proee.s.sion,  and  his  own  local  newspajier;  of  course, 
the  Whig  and  Republican  was  the  Lincoln  organ  and  the  Herald  blew 
its  blasts  for  Douglas. 

The  Committee  of  Arrangements  for  the  reception  of  "Hon.  A. 
Lincoln"  (how  much  less  dignified  than  simi)Iy  Lincoln)  met  as  early 


468  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUxXTY 

as  October  5th  at  the  office  of  Jonas  &  Asbury.  Fiuall}'  the  day  so 
big  with  events  arrived,  and  the  two  processions  and  divided  citizens, 
with  the  Whig  and  the  Herald  blazing  the  way,  set  themselves  to 
make  the  most  of  the  situation.  The  republican  procession,  headed 
by  E.  K.  Stone,  with  Capt.  B.  M.  Prentiss  and  John  Wood,  Jr.,  as 
aides,  formed  on  Broadway,  its  right  resting  on  Sixth  Street.  Stig's 
brass  band  followed  the  marshal  and  his  aides.  The  republican  elubs 
and  citizens  on  foot  assembled  in  Jefferson  Square  and  formed  the 
head  of  the  procession.  At  9  o'clock  the  procession  marched  to  the 
depot,  and  ilr.  Lincoln  was  received  by  a  delegation  of  citizens,  who 
escorted  him  to  the  carriage  reserved  for  him.  With  other  convey- 
ances and  a  cavalcade  of  horsemen,  the  procession  then  countermarched 
up  Broadway,  down  Third  to  Jersey,  up  Jersey  to  Eighth,  up  that 
thoroughfare  to  Hamp.shire,  down  Hampshire  to  Fourth,  down  Fourth 
to  Maine,  up  Maine  to  Fifth,  and  up  Fifth  to  the  front  of  the  court- 
house, where  the  distinguished  guest  was  formally  welcomed  by  the 
Committee  on  Reception.  After  this  part  of  the  programme  had  been 
carried  out,  the  procession  proceeded  through  the  principal  streets  of 
the  city  to  the  residence  of  0.  H.  Browning,  where  John  Tillson,  can- 
didate for  state  senator,  presented  a  beautiful  bouquet  to  Lincoln 
which  was  a  gift  from  the  republican  ladies  of  Quincy.  After  a  few 
words  from  the  great  republican,  a  choir  of  j'oung  ladies  and  gentle- 
men sung  "Columbia,  the  Gem  of  the  Ocean,"  and  the  procession  dis- 
banded, ilr.  Lincoln  was  entertained  and  dined  at  Mr.  Browning's 
residence  and  afterward  escorted  to  Wlashington  Square.  At  2 
o'clock  he  opened  the  debate  with  the  Little  Giant. 

In  the  meantime  Judge  Douglas  had  been  taken  in  hand  by  the 
local  democracy.  Dr.  I.  T.  Wilson  was  the  chief  marshal  of  the  pro- 
cession, which  formed  at  the  courthouse,  at  about  9 :  30  A.  M.,  and 
after  taking  a  detour  up  Broadway  to  Twelfth,  where  the  delegations 
from  the  north  .joined  it — and  at  other  points,  those  from  the  east  and 
south  and  from  the  river  districts? — it  marched  past  the  Quincy  House. 
Judge  Douglas,  at  that  point  in  the  line  of  march,  showed  himself  at 
a  second-story  window.  The  procession  was  disbanded  at  noon.  The 
Herald  said  it  was  two  miles  in  length,  and  the  greatest  affair  of  the 
kind  in  the  history  of  Quincy.  The  Whig  and  Republican  made  the 
same  claims  for  the  Lincoln  demonstration  and,  as  the  writer  was  not 
there  to  judge  for  himself,  these  respective  newspaper  claims  must  be 
left  un-umpired. 

It  was  agreed  that  the  crowd  around  the  debating  stand  had 
never  been  exceeded  and  could  not  have  been  less  than  ten  or  twelve 
thousand  people,  ilr.  Lincoln  opened  the  debate  and  spoke  for  an 
hour.  Judge  Douglas  then  made  a  speech  of  an  hour  and  a  half, 
and  the  republican  leader  closed  w'ith  a  half-hour  response. 

The  Herald  added:  "The  Democracy  assembled  again  in  the 
evening  around  the  stand  in  the  Public  Square,  no  house  in  the  city 
being  large  enough  to  contain  the  fourth  of  them,  where  they  were 


X    - 


55  z 


v. 


470  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

addressed  by  Mr.  Arntzen,  of  this  city,  and  Mr.  Reed,  of  Keokuk. 
Thus  begau  and  thus  ended  the  day — the  most  glorious  to  the  De- 
mocracy that  Quiney  ever  saw." 

Even  to  this  day,  the  Lincoln-Douglas  debate,  with  the  attendant 
celebrations  and  ceremonials,  is  held  in  remembrance  by  a  very  few 
and,  in  tradition,  by  writers  and  makers  of  local  history,  as  one  of 
the  greatest  events  of  the  city's  public  life.  The  fiftieth  anniversary 
of  that  event  was  another  gala  day  observed  with  scarcely  less  en- 
thusiasm than  the  original  occasion,  although  the  chief  participants  in 
the  golden  celebration — the  survivors  of  the  first — were  as  a  sunny 
cotton  field  in  the  South,  thick  with  white  and  glistening  bolls.  The 
Lincoln-Douglas  festival  is  a  fair  dividing  line  between  the  city  of  the 
past  and  that  of  the  present.  From  that  time  on,  Quincy  branches 
out  in  so  many  different  directions,  that  it  is  thought  advisable  to 
handle  the  details  topically. 

The  Mayors  op  the  City 

Without  going  into  details  as  to  the  personalities  of  the  mayors 
of  Quincy,  it  may  be  said  that  some  of  the  ablest  men  of  the  city 
have  served  in  that  capacity — such  as  John  Wood,  Samuel  Holmes 
and  Thomas  Redmond.  As  a  rule,  it  may  be  said  that  they  have 
combined  public  spirit  with  business  sagacity ;  which  is  as  it  should  be. 

The  successive  incumbents  of  the  mayoralty  have  been  as  follows : 
Ebenezcr  Moore,  1840-41 ;  Enoch  Conyers,  1842-43  ;  John  Wood,  1844- 
47 ;  John  Abbe,  1848 ;  Eno'ch  Conyers,  1849 ;  Samuel  Holmes,  1850- 
51 ;  John  Wood,  1852-53 ;  James  M.  Pittman,  1854-55 ;  John  Wood, 
1856;  Sylvester  Thayer,  1857;  James  M.  Pittman,  1858;  Robert  S. 
Benneson,  1859 ;  Thomas  Jasper,  1860 ;  I.  O.  Woodruff,  resigned, 
1861 ;  Thomas  Redmond,  filled  vacancy,  and  elected  until  1864;  George 
F.  Waldhaus,  1865;  Maitland  Boone,  1866;  James  M.  Pittman. 
1867 ;  Presley  W.  Lane,  1868 ;  B.  P.  Berrian,  1869 ;  J.  G.  Rowland, 
1870-72;  Frederick  Rearick,  1873-74;  J.  M.  Smith,  1875;  E.  H. 
Turner,  1876;  L.  D.  White,  1877;  W.  T.  Rogers,  1878-79;  J.  K. 
Webster.  1880-81;  D.  F.  Deadrick,  1882-83;  James  Jarrett,  1884; 
Jonathan  Parkhurst,  1885-86;  James  M.  Bishop,  1887;  George  H. 
AValker,  1890;  E.  J.  Thompson,  1891;  John  P.  Mikesell,  1892-94; 
John  A.  Steinbach,  1895-1908;  John  H.  Best,  1908;  John  A.  Stein- 
bach,  1910;  John  F.  Garner,  1912;  William  K.  Abbott,  1914;  John 
A.  Thompson,  1916— 

Public  Questions  Adjudged  by  Popular  Vote 

Of  late  years  a  number  of  important  questions  have  been  brought 
before  the  voters  of  Quincy  for  the  recording  of  their  judgment. 
In  January,  1911.  by  a  vote  of  3,834  to  2,070,  they  decided  against 
adopting  the  commission  form  of  government.  At  the  April  election 
of  1914  the  voters  recorded  their  decision  on  the  question  ' '  Shall  this 


griNCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  471 

city  become  anti-salooii  territory?"  as  follows:  Yes — 1,386  mcu  and 
l,;tO:J  women;  No — 6,;j44  men  and  4,473  women.  At  the  same  elec- 
tion the  proposition  to  take  over  the  water  works  as  municipal  prop- 
erty was  carried  by  a  majority  of  4,743. 

Pioneer  Public  Schools  op  Quincy 

The  somewhat  disorganized,  but  nevertheless  necessary  steps  whica 
were  taken  in  the  early  '40s  by  such  jiood  and  far-sijjrhted  citizens 
of  Quiney.  as  Dr.  J.  N.  Ralston,  John  Wood  and  R.  S.  Benneson,  to 
change  the  local  schools  from  a  private  to  a  public  nature,  have  already 
been  described.  Their  real  oi-ganization  as  a  compact  and  inde- 
pendent system  dates  from  the  year  1847,  when,  under  legislative 
authority,  the  city  was  divided  into  school  districts  in  control  of 
the  municipality.  In  June  of  that  year  the  City  Council  appointed 
as  the  executive  head  of  the  local  system,  or  the  superintendent 
of  schools,  Isaac  M.  Grover,  the  former  school  commissioner  of  the 
county.  The  then  existing  schools,  the  Franklin  and  Jefferson,  were 
opened  under  his  superintendency  in  September,  1847. 

It  was  not  until  the  fall  and  winter  of  1855  that  the  "Webster 
.school  was  erected.  Two  years  afterward  the  Irving  District  was 
organized,  and  the  schoolhouse  built,  and  about  the  same  time  the 
colored  school  (now  the  Lincoln),  then  conducted  in  a  small  cabin 
on  Oak  Street,  came  under  the  jurisdirtion  of  the  city. 

R.\Dic.\L  Work  of  Hope  S.  Davis 

Hope  S.  Davis,  who  was  superintendent  from  1856  to  1858  and 
from  1860  to  1864.  graded  the  classes  into  higher,  intermediate  and 
primary  departments,  which  was  considerable  of  an  improvement. 
Teachers  were  also  engaged  to  specialize  in  the  departments  named. 
The  late  '50s  brought  forth  radical  improvements  in  the  classification 
of  the  scholars,  the  apparatus  and  mechanical  facilities  provided  and 
the  general  conduct  of  the  schools. 

Previous  to  that  period  the  Franklin  and  Jefferson  schools,  with 
one  room  on  each  floor,  had  two  teachers  in  a  room,  both  of  them 
conducting  their  miscellaneous  a.s.sortment  of  pupils  at  either  end. 
Neither  of  the  schools  had  a  blackboard ;  the  Webster,  as  the  newer 
school,  was  favored  with  one.  As  a  rule,  the  seats  ran  lengthwise  of 
the  rooms.  On  the  elevated  ones,  at  the  ends,  sat  the  big  boys  and 
girls.  The  chief  classification  of  the  pupils  was  according  to  phys- 
ical size,  although  there  was  a  division  into  reading  and  spcllini; 
cla.sses,  without  any  close  distinction  as  to  comparative  acquirements. 
The  only  thing  about  the  schools  of  that  period  that  .seemed  to  par- 
take of  order  was  the  series  of  "l)lne  laws."  providing  that  the 
scholars  must  be  on  hand  at  8:45  o'clock  and  the  doors  should  be 
promptl.v  opened  at  9  o'clock.  A  certain  number  of  "tardies"  made 
a  scholar  liable  to  suspension :  a  certain  higher  number,  to  expulsion. 


Q 
W 

a 
o 

►J 
o 


o 
o 

o 

2; 

o 
o 

Z 


QUINCY   AND  ADAMS  (orXTV  47:5 

\Vlicii  iinproveincnts  liccainc  tlie  order  of  the  day,  the  superin- 
tendent, armed  with  authority  from  the  City  Council,  partitioned 
each  seliool  building  into  four  rooms.  The  oUl  sears  were  replaced 
l)y  new  ones;  lilackhoards  were  installed,  and  finally  the  different 
grade.s  were  furnished  with  text  books.  The  backward  element  op- 
l)osed  these  innovations,  but  the  tide  of  [xiblic  senti'uent  was  turned 
in  their  direction  by  the  very  creditalile  ("grand,"  in  the  local 
prints^  exhibition  of  school  work  made  at  Kendall's  Hall  in  the 
spring  of  IS")?.  It  was  the  first  oxhii)ition  of  the  kind,  and  all  of  the 
friends  of  the  public  .school  .sy.stem,  and  some  of  its  former  opponents, 
emphatically  pronounced  it  an  eye-opener.  Later,  when  the  really 
strong  and  intelligent  element  proposed  to  increa.se  the  prevailing 
public  school  tax  of  12Vj  cents,  opposition  again  developed,  but 
when  it  was  assaulted  by  such  knights  as  Almeron  Wheat.  Jackson 
Grinishaw.  Samuel  Holmes  and  A.  W.  Blakesley,  it  speedily  and 
permanently  subsided. 

AViiv  THE  Bo.vRD  OF  Educ.vtiox  \v.\.s  Created 

In  the  winter  of  1860-61.  largely  through  the  instrumentality  of 
Superintendent  Davis,  a  law  was  enacted  by  the  Legislature  creat- 
ing the  Board  of  Education  of  Quiney.  Previous  to  that  time,  the 
title  to  all  public  school  property  was  vested  in  the  citj  as  a  corporate 
liody.  Some  of  the  property,  a  portion  of  the  Webster  School  lot, 
was  levied  on  for  a  city  debt,  was  sold  and  had  to  be  redeemed, 
while  other  city  creditors,  none  too  friendly  toward  the  public  school 
system,  were  threatening  the  Jefferson  and  the  Franklin  lots.  The 
true  friends  of  public  education,  who  wished  to  remove  all  unneces- 
sary trammels  to  free  development,  supported  the  law  creating  a 
Board  of  Education  with  vim  and  success. 

The  first  Quiney  Board  of  Education  organized  under  that  law, 
in  1861.  consisted  of  Thomas  Jasper,  president:  Hope  S.  Davis, 
superintendent ;  John  W.  Brown,  clerk ;  George  I.  King  and  A.  W. 
Blakesle.v,  members.  Before  the  commencement  of  the  fall  term  of 
that  year  a  complete  graded  system  for  the  schools  was  adopted. 
In  the  year  named  was  also  established  the  first  Quiney  Teachers' 
Institute.  When  the  board  formally  organized,  it  was  called  upon 
to  conduct  the  Franklin,  Jefferson  and  Webster  schools,  and  leased 
the  old  Unitarian  Church,  corner  of  Sixth  and  Jersey  streets,  for 
the  new  Center  School. 

With  the  title  to  school  properties  thus  protected,  the  '60s  showed 
quite  a  remarkable  i>r(igraiiniie  of  building  and  general  developiiient 
projected  and  realized.  The  sub.iect  is  so  subdivided  at  this  point 
that  sketches  of  the  different  public  schools  of  Quiney  follow  in  the 
chronological  order  of  the  completion  of  the  original  buildings. 


E-i 

CO 

« 

H 

w 

Eh 

& 
O 

J 

o 
o 

a 

o 

;? 

3 

z 


QllXCY  AM)  ADAMS  COINTV  475 

FR.VNKLIX,  THE   FaTIIEK  OF   TllE.M   ALL, 

In  1870,  after  it  had  Ih'om  tlie  home  of  the  high  scliool  for  four 
years,  the  old  Franklin  building  was  replaced  by  a  fifteen  rooni 
structure,  erected  at  a  cost  of  $40,000  and  then  the  last  manifesta- 
tion of  modern  architecture  and  convenience  as  applied  to  Quincy 
structures  set  aside  for  purposes  of  education.  In  1873,  the  at- 
tendance from  its  district  had  so  increased  that  the  York  Street 
Primary  was  opened  across  the  street  from  the  Franklin  School. 

The  F'ranklin  School  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  February  16,  190."), 
and  at  a  special  election  held  in  the  following  month  the  people 
authorized  the  City  Council  to  issue  bonds  in  the  sum  of  $120,000 
to  rebuild  it.  It  stands  on  Third  Street,  between  York  and  Ken- 
tucky, and  is  one  of  tiie  model  schools  of  the  city. 

Othek   PiBLic  Schools 

The  Jefferson  school  house,  long  before  its  di.sappearauce,  had 
become  an  eye-sore  to  the  people  of  Quincy.  Fortunately,  in  1875 
the  county  desired  its  site  to  complete  the  grounds  for  the  new 
court  house,  and.  as  has  lieen  narrated,  the  Board  of  P'ducation 
finally  traiisfci-red  it  for  tiiat  ]>urposc.  In  November,  of  that  year, 
the  city  i)urchased  for  $M0,000  the  Quincy  English  and  German 
College  building,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Spring,  and  occupied  it  for 
more  than  forty  years.  The  New  Jefferson  School,  as  it  is  called, 
was  formally  opened  in  February,  1916,  and  is  one  of  the  best 
adapted  in  the  city. 

As  stated,  the  old  Webster  School  was  built  about  1855.  In 
1873  it  was  almost  completely  remodeled,  as  some  doubts  had  arisen 
as  to  its  safety,  and  in  1904  the  third  building  was  erected  at  a  co.st 
of  .$63,000.    The  site  of  the  school  is  on  Maine  near  Twelfth  Street. 

The  Lincoln  School  and  its  predecessor  were  devoted  to  the  edu- 
cation of  the  colored  children.  The  house  has  always  stood  on 
Tenth  Street  between  Spring  and  Oak.  As  established  in  1861  it 
was  little  more  than  a  hut.  ]\Iiss  Ix)uisa  Alexander  was  its  first 
teacher.  Until  1872,  its  status  was  insecure,  and  it  was  closed  several 
times  on  account  of  small  attendance,  but  in  1872  a  neat  four-room 
house  was  erected  and  occupied  until  1910,  when  the  larger  and  more 
convenient  building  now  occupied  was  erected. 

The  high  school  was  first  organized  in  the  Center  building  dur- 
ing September,  1864:  moved  to  what  is  now  the  Jackson  School  in 
1866,  and  not  long  afterward  to  the  Franklin.  The  handsome  struc- 
ture of  the  present  at  the  corner  of  Twelfth  and  Maine  streets  was 
completed  in  1891  and  enlarged  in  1903,  at  a  total  cost  of  over 
$100,000. 

The  Irving  School  on  Payson  Avenue,  between  Eighth  and  Ninth 
streets,  was  built  in  1864  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,500;  in  1873  two  rooms 


i76 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


were  added  to  the  original  four  and  the  old  portion  of  the  building 
remodeled,  and  in  1895  an  altogether  new  house  was  erected  at  a  cost 
of  nearly  $8,000. 

The  original  Jackson  School  building,  corner  of  Vine  and  Eighth 
streets,  was  erected  by  private  parties  as  the  "Quincy  Academy." 
In  1866  the  building  was  owned  by  Willard  Keyes,  and  in  July  of 
that  year  the  Board  of  Education  purchased  it  of  him  for  $12,000, 
and  opened  the  Quincy  High  School  therein.  When  the  high  school 
was  moved  to  the  Franklin,  the  Jackson  resumed  its  old  name.  The 
building  was  wrecked  b}^  a  tornado  in  1875,  but  immediately  rebuilt, 
at  a  cost  of  $6,000.  In  April,  1913,  the  people  voted  $50,000  bonds 
for  a  new  school  building. 

In  1867  the  directors  of  School  District  No.  4,  Melrose  Township, 
conveyed  the  building  know  as  the  Madison  School,  at  Maine  and 


The  Present  High  School 


Twenty-Fifth  streets,  to  the  Quincy  Board  of  Education,  in  con- 
sideration of  the  privilege  of  free  attendance  granted  pupils  who 
inii;ht  reside  outside  the  city  limits,  but  in  Section  6,  Melrose  Town- 
ship. A  new  building  was  erected  in  1890,  for  more  than  $9,000, 
and  an  addition  to  it,  in  1898,  which  cost  even  more  than  the  former 
'structure. 

The  Berrian  School,  located  at  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Van 
Buren  streets,  was  built  in  1868  at  a  cost  of  $7,200. 

The  original  Washington  School  was  built  in  1869,  at  Sixth  Ave- 
nue, North  and  Cherry  Street,  on  nearly  the  same  plan  as  the  Ber- 
rian.    Tlie  new  building  completed  in  1898  cost  about  $10,000. 

The  Dewey,  formerly  called  the  Highland  School,  at  Twenty-First 
and  Cherry  streets,  was  erected  in  1889  at  a  cost  of  over  $4,000, 
and  in  1898  an  addition  was  made  to  it  at  about  the  same  expense. 
It  was  then  that  the  name  was  changed  from  Highland  to  that  which 


Ql'INCV   AM)  ADAMS  t'OrXTY  477 

honored  one  ol"  the  great  figures  ol"  the  Aiiieriean  Navy.  The  mag- 
nificent New  Dewey  School  has  been  but  recently  completed  at  a 
cost  of  $95,000.  It  is  a  nine-room  structure,  with  large  auditorium 
and  gymnasium,  fireproof  and  strictly  modern  in  all  its  conveniences, 
sanitary  arrangements  and  general  appliances. 

In  1891  the  Adams  School  building  was  erected,  corner  of  Twen- 
tieth and  Jefferson  streets,  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $31,000. 

The  Emerson  School,  massive  and  elegant,  modern  in  all  its  ap- 
pointments, is  located  at  Thirteenth  and  Washington  streets,  and 
was  completed  in  1900  at  a  cost  of  more  than  $20,000. 

Loc.vL  School  Management 

The  first  president  of  the  Quiney  Board  of  Education  was  Thomas 
Jasper,  who  served  in  March-August,  1861 ;  I.  0.  Woodruff,  1861-62 ; 
William  Marsh,  1862-64:  I.  0.  Woodruff.  1864-66:  A.  J.  Lubbe, 
1866-67:  P.  A.  Goodwin,  1867-72:  R.  S.  Benneson,  1872-86;  A.  W. 
Wells,  1886-93;  Joseph  Robbins,  1893-97;  George  W.  Earhart,  1897- 
1901;  Dickcrson  McAfee,  1901-03;  William  II.  Collins,  1903-10: 
R.  J.  Christie,  1910-14;  George  Gal)riel,  1914—. 

The  successive  superintendents  of  the  Quiney  schools  have  been 
as  follows:  Isaac  M.  Grover,  1847-50;  C.  J.  Swartwout.  1850-51; 
John  Murphy,  1851-52;  Warren  A.  Reed,  1852-54;  John  JIurphy, 
1854-56;  Hope  S.  Davis,  1856-58:  N.  T.  Lane,  1858-59;  B.  B.  Went- 
worth.  1859-60;  Hope  S.  Davis.  1860-64;  A.  W.  Blakesley,  1864-65; 
J.  W.  Brown,  1865-66;  W.  (i.  Ewing,  1866-67;  James  Lowe,  1867-69; 
J.  W.  Brown,  1869-71 ;  T.  W.  Macfall.  1871-97;  A.  A.  Seehorn,  1897- 
1901;  F.  G.  Ertel.  1001-03:  David  B.  Rawlins,  1903-10:  E.  G.  Bau- 
man,  1910-16;  Charles  M.  Gill,  1916— 

A.  W.  Starkey  was  the  first  principal  of  the  Quiney  High  School, 
and  he  has  been  succeeded  by  H.  A.  Farwell,  C.  C.  Hobbins.  William 
B.  Corbyn.  W.  F.  Geiger,  David  B.  Rawlins,  J.  E.  Pearson,  V.  K. 
Froula.  C.  R.  Maxwell,  Sheridan  W.  Ehrman,  Zens  L.  Smith  and 
J.  F.  Wellemaj-er. 

Strong   Features  of  tiik  Present  System 

Not  a  few  of  the  strongest  features  of  the  present  system  of  edu- 
cation as  illustrated  through  the  workings  of  the  Quiney  schools 
have  been  evolutions  of  the  past  dozen  or  fifteen  years.  Among 
these  ma.v  be  mentioned  the  beautifying  of  school  grounds  and  of 
the  houses  them.selves  under  the  molding  influences  of  Superintendent 
Rawlins,  the  cementing  and  solidifying  of  the  entire  system  through 
the  establishment  of  the  Junior  Ilitrh  Sdiool,  by  Superintendent 
Banman.  and  the  further  raising  of  teaching  (lualifications.  and  the 
liberalization  of  the  entire  system,  under  the  direction  of  the  pres- 
ent incumbent,  Charles  M.  Gill.     Such  statements  cannot  be  more 


o 
o 
M 
o 
m 

o 

CO 

M 
o 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  479 

forcibly  supiiorted  than   by   coiuleiisiiig  and  extracting  from  some 
of  tiieir  annual  reports. 

In  noting  the  changes  iu  the  surroundings  of  the  different 
schools  buildings,  Mr.  Rawlins  remarked  in  his  1910  report:  "On 
the  evening  of  June  14,  1901,  as  1  came  up  from  the  Burlington 
Depot,  I  saw  the  Jefferson  School  building  for  the  first  time.  The 
building  was  much  as  it  is  now  except  that  a  number  of  old  unsani- 
tai-y  out-buildings  obstructed  the  view  from  the  north.  The  grounds 
were  entirely  barren,  the  north  half  being  covered  with  rubbish  and 
adorned  with  a  healthy  croj)  of  weeds.  Little  or  no  shrubbery  could 
be  seen.  To  the  stranger  coining  up  Oak  Street  to-day,  Jefferson 
School  grounds  present  the  appearance  of  a  public  park  and  play- 
ground. Grass,  flowers,  trees  and  shrubbery  abound.  Playground 
apparatus  is  at  hand  for  the  children,  and  the  old  unsanitary  out- 
buildings have  been  replaced  by  a  neat,  attractive  building  in  which 
sanitary  toilet  fixtures  have  been  installed.  "What  has  been  said 
about  Jefferson  School  grounds  applies  with  equal  force  to  the 
grounds  at  High,  Webster,  Jackson,  Franklin,  Berrian  and  other 
schools.  There  was  not  a  well  ecpiipped  and  properly  kept  play- 
ground in  the  city.  To-day  the  school  grounds  are  reasonably 
equipped  with  playgi'ound  apparatus,  the  lawns  are  well  kept  and 
beautified  with  shrubbery.  In  short,  the  people  of  the  city  can  well 
aft'ord  to  be  proud  of  their  school  gi-ounds.  In  this  connection  I  wish 
to  acknowledge  the  assistance  given  by  Mr.  E.  J.  Parker  in  the 
work  of  beautifying  the  school  grounds  and  to  recommend  that  his 
suggestions  be  sought  and  followed  in  the  years  to  come.  Anyone 
who  visits  our  beautiful  parks  must  be  impressed  with  the  thought 
that  he  who  has  worked  so  hard  for  Quincy's  Park  System  has  be- 
stowed upon  her  people  an  inestimable  boon  and  earned  the  fullest 
measure  of  their  gratitude." 

ScHfini.  .Savings  System 

Superintendent  Rawlins  also  notes  that  the  School  Savings  Sys- 
tem was  ado])ted  in  1904.  in  connection  with  the  savings  department 
of  the  Quincy  National  Hank.  The  innovation  has  worked  well  in 
Quincy.  as  elsewhere  in  the  country,  and  habits  of  economy  and 
business  system  have  been  formed  of  inestimable  value.  Such  re- 
sults, brought  about  fifteen  years  ago,  have  doubtless  benefitted 
young  men  and  women  of  to-day  in  the  problems  of  economy  which 
so  many  are  called  upon  to  solve. 

The  Junior  High  School 

Regarding  this  subject,  of  which  he  is  jia.st  and  present  master, 
Siiperintendent  E.  G.  Hauman  said  in  his  report  to  the  Board  of 
Education,  in  April,  1914:     "Four  problems  are  facing  us  at  this 


480  QUIXGY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

time  as  a  Board  of  Educatiou.  These  problems  are  (1)  more  needed 
room  to  take  care  of  our  increasing  high  school  enrollment;  (2)  a 
seeming  gap  between  the  eighth  grade  and  the  first  year  of  the  high 
school;  (3)  the  loss  of  too  many  boys  and  girls  at  the  completion  of 
the  eighth  grade;  (4)  more  or  less  waste  of  time  because  of  the 
methods  of  the  elementary  grades  being  carried  through  the  gram- 
mar grades,  as  contemplated  in  the  present  arrangement  of  the  so- 
called  eight-four  plan. 

"I  wish  to  submit  to  you  a  rearrangement  of  our  present  system 
whereby  it  is  changed  from  the  eight-four  plan  to  a  six-six  plan. 
That  is  to  say,  instead  of  having  eight  years  devoted  to  the  element- 
ary grades  and  four  years  to  the  high  school,  let  there  be  six  years 
devoted  to  the  elementary  grades  and  six  j-ears  to  the  high  school — 
thi-ee  years  to  a  so-called  Junior  High  School.  I  would  do  away 
with  the  present  eighth  grade  commencement.  I  would  establish 
various  centers  for  doing  Junior  High  School  work,  these  centers 
to  accommodate  all  the  seventh,  eighth  and  ninth  grades  of  the  city. 
These  centers  should  be  so  located  as  to  reduce  to  a  minimum  the  dis- 
tance for  the  diflferent  pupils  in  the  various  parts  of  the  city. 

"I  would  make  the  work  of  the  Junior  High  School  depart- 
mental— a  plan  which  we  have  already  introduced  in  most  of  our 
seventh  and  eighth  grade  work.  I  would  put  the  work  in  the  Junior 
High  School  on  the  credit  basis,  so  as  to  make  it  possible  for  pupils 
to  advance  by  credits  rather  than  by  grades  or  classes.  The  ad- 
vantage in  this  would  be  that  it  would  make  it  possible  for  the  aver- 
age pupil  to  gain  considerable  time  in  the  completion  of  the  course. 
In  formulating  a  course  of  study  for  the  Junior  High  School,  1 
would  have  it  include  foreign  languages  (Latin  and  German),  alge- 
bra, business,  arithmetic,  civics,  general  science,  etc." 

The  six-six  plan  was  finally  adopted  August  3,  1914,  and  was 
put  into  effect  at  the  time  of  the  opening  of  the  schools  in  Septem- 
ber of  that  year.  In  the  report  for  the  year  ending  June  16,  1916, 
it  is  stated  that  there  were  then  eight  Junior  High  School  centers  in 
Quincj',  three  of  which  included  the  ninth  grade.  In  the  same  paper, 
Mr.  Bauman  noted  the  widespread  interest  taken  in  the  movement 
saying  that  he  had  received  during  the  year  past  nearly  one  hun- 
dred letters  of  inquiry  regarding  its  workings  in  Quincy;  that  re- 
cently the  Teachers'  College  of  Columbia  University  had  offered 
courses  in  the  Junior  High  School. 

Official  Standard  of  Te.^ching  Qualifications 

In  a  general  review  of  his  administration  and  a  sort  of  a  leave- 
taking  of  his  local  co-educators,  Mr.  Bauman  touches  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  a  gradual  raising  of  the  standard  of  the  qualifications  de- 
manded of  the  teachers  of  Quincy,  thus:  "One  of  the  things  which 
has  meant  more  for  real  efficiency  on  the  part  of  our  teaching  body, 


482  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  which  has  shown  more  excellent  results  in  every  way  than  any 
other  one  thing,  was  the  adoption  by  the  Board  of  Education  in 
May,  1911,  of  a  schedule  of  qualitications  and  salaries  of  teachers 
which  I  recommended  at  that  time.  This  schedule  makes  the  salary 
of  the  teacher  commensurate  with  her  qualifications,  and  calls  for 
certain  definite  requirements.  By  a  special  arrangement  with  the 
Western  Illinois  State  Normal  School,  it  was  made  possible  for  our 
teachers  to  make  such  arrangements  as  might  enable  them  to  com- 
plete the  course  of  study  and  receive  their  diplomas  in  the  shortest 
possible  time.  The  result  was  that  nearly  100  of  the  Quincy  teachers 
enrolled  in  the  State  Normal  School  during  the  summer  term  of 
1911.  A  number  of  them  graduated  at  the  close  of  the  term,  owing 
to  the  fact  that  they  had  a  large  amount  of  work  which  could  be 
credited.  By  means  of  extension  work  which  was  offered  the  teach- 
ers during  the  school  year  by  the  State  Normal  School,  and  by  at- 
tending the  subsequent  summer  terms,  almost  all  of  our  teachers 
have  found  it  possible  to  complete  their  State  Normal  School  work 
and  receive  their  diplomas.  To  show  what  this  movement  has  done, 
I  merely  wish  to  say  that  when  I  came  to  Quincy  to  take  charge  of  the 
schools,  but  few  of  the  grade  teachers  were  gi-aduates  of  recognized 
professional  schools,  or  had  even  done  work  in  such  schools;  while 
at  this  time  there  is  not  a  single  teacher  who  is  not  either  a  graduate 
of  a  State  Normal  School  or  college,  or  who  has  not  done  considerable 
work  toward  the  completion  of  a  course  leading  to  graduation. 

"More  than  that.  Quite  a  number  of  teachers  have  supplemented 
their  work  with  college  and  university  training  since  graduating 
from  the  State  Normal  School.  I  can  say  for  Quincy,  and  say  it 
truthfully,  that  no  other  city  of  its  size  in  the  country  has  a  better 
trained  corps  of  teachers." 

Superintendent  Bauman  also  noticed  the  opening  of  an  ungraded 
school  during  the  preceding  year,  and  regretted  the  abandonment 
of  "medical  inspection,"  continued  during  the  first  two  years  of 
his  superintendency.  The  parent-teachers  associations  had  been  in 
successful  operation  for  two  years.  He  again  recommended  the 
establishment  of  night  schools,  continuation  schools  and  vacation 
schools. 

Present  Status  of  Schools 

Superintendent  Charles  M.  Gill  concludes  the  second  year  of  his 
service  in  July,  1918.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  the  schools  and 
teachers  were  evidently  in  a  high  state  of  efficiency.  The  handsome 
Dewey  School  had  been  completed,  and  others  were  model  establish- 
ments for  the  propagation  of  public  instruction.  The  High  School, 
which  was  graduating  100  students  yearly,  had  long  been  a  member 
of  the  North  Central  Association  of  Colleges  and  Universities  and 
accredited  by  the  StKe  Department  of  Public  Instruction,  so  that 


yUlXCY  AND  AUAMS  COlNTY  483 

its  graduates  were  admitted  to  the  University  of  Illinois,  or  other 
colleges  iu  the  state,  without  examinatiou.  A  uight  school  had  been 
in  successful  operation  for  some  time,  for  the  benefit  of  persona 
employed  during  the  day  who  wished  to  master  the  English  branches, 
business  subjects — including  salesmanship,  stenography  and  type- 
writing— dressmaking,  millinery,  wood-working,  mechanical  draw- 
ing and  telegraphy.  The  Board  of  Education  had  also  purchased  a 
plot  of  ground,  420  by  616  feet,  centrally  located  for  an  athletic 
field  and  playground,  and  it  was  being  put  in  shape  for  the  pur- 
poses implied. 

As  to  statistics  which  may  convey  another  idea  of  the  Quincy 
system  of  public  education,  as  it  bad  been  developed  for  seventy 
years  or  more,  it  is  gleaned  from  the  latest  figures  accessible  when 
this  article  was  written  (spring  of  1918)  and  furnished  by  Superin- 
tendent Gill,  that  the  average  number  of  pupils  enrolled  in  all  the 
city  schools  was  3.958 ;  average  attendance,  3,760.  There  were  164 
men  and  women  in  the  employ  of  the  Board  of  Education,  exclusive 
of  janitors,  comprising  the  following :  Superintendent,  business 
manager  and  tfuant  officer;  four  supervisors,  and  1-57  teachers.  The 
total  value  of  the  school  property  was  $1,005,000. 

The  Fire  Department 

The  bud  of  the  Quincy  Fire  Department  appeared  in  1837-39, 
during  which  the  bucket  brigade  was  replaced  by  Fire  Engine  No.  1, 
or  the  "Old  Quincy"  hand  engine.  All  the  substantial  men  of  the 
town,  more  than  fifty,  volunteered  to  "lend  a  hand"  when  neces- 
sary. As  the  years  marched  along,  so  did  improvements  in  the  de- 
partment. Engine  Company  No.  1  was  succeeded  by  Water  "Witch 
No.  2;  then,  in  succession,  came  Liberty  No.  3,  Neptune  No.  4,  Phoe- 
nix No.  5,  Rough  and  Ready  No.  6  and  the  Pioneer  Hook  and  Ladder 
Company. 

The  different  companies  continued  to  be  managed  by  officers  of 
their  own  election  until  1865,  when  the  Board  of  Fire  Engineers 
was  established  whose  duty  was  to  generally  supervise  the  system ; 
it  was  composed  of  a  chief  engineer  and  the  foreman  of  the  fire  com- 
panies. In  the  following  year  it  was  made  broader  and  more  munic- 
ipal in  its  scope,  including  the  mayor,  chief  engineer,  two  assistant 
engineers  and  two  aldermen.  The  first  board,  as  thus  constituted, 
met  on  the  11th  of  May,  1866,  with  the  following  personnel :  Mayor 
Maitland  Boone,  Chief  Engineer  T.  J.  Heirs,  Assistants  J.  M.  Bishop 
and  C.  Schwindler,  and  Aldermen  "Whitbread  and  Schrieber.  It 
was  during  that  year,  also,  that  Quincy  obtained  its  first  steam  fire 
engine.  It  was  called  the  "John  Wood."  and  its  hoarse  whistle 
sounded  the  death-knell  of  the  pure  volunteer  system :  first  it  was 
half-pay  and  half -volunteer,  and  finally  a  full  paid  department. 

The  first  six  or  seven  years  of  the  department  constituted  a  period 


484  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  complete  respousibility  for  the  protection  of  public  and  private 
properties  against  the  attacks  of  fire,  but  after  1872  ever  increasing 
assistance  was  furnished  by  the  expanding  system  of  water  works, 
which,  under  modern  conditions,  may  be  said  to  constitute  the  main 
protection.  In  May  of  that  year,  after  three  years  of  discussions, 
legislation  and  negotiations  between  private  companies  and  the  City 
of  Quiuey,  the  Quincy  Water  Works  Company  was  organized.  It 
was  the  logical  time  for  its  creation.  The  fall  and  winter  of  1871-72 
was  a  season  of  great  drought,  and  the  horses  of  the  Middle  West, 
and  in  many  sections  elsewhere,  were  rendered  useless  by  epizootic. 
The  fire  and  private  cisterns,  upon  which  the  fire  department  had 
depended  for  its  supply  in  an  emergency,  became  empty.  Private 
persons  were  compelled  to  pay  an  outrageous  price  for  water  and, 
to  add  to  this  deplorable  state  of  unpreparedness,  was  the  Imminent 
danger  of  fire  with  evei-ything  in  perfect  condition  to  spread  it  into 
a  fierce  conflagration.  Under  these  circumstances,  various  plans 
were  suggested  by  which  to  fill  the  fire  cistern.  The  experiment  was 
tried  of  using  fire  steamers  at  the  river,  conveying  the  water  to  the 
desired  localities  through  hose.  But  there  was  a  decided  shortage 
of  available  hose,  several  of  the  steamers  were  disabled  under  the 
unusual  calls  upon  their  pumping  powers,  and  that  plan  had  to  be 
abandoned. 

Finally  the  city  adopted  a  plan  proposed  by  Edward  Prince.  A 
small  pump  house,  with  boiler  and  engine,  was  installed  at  the  foot 
of  Maine  Street,  the  fire  cisterns  were  filled  from  the  river,  and  the 
danger  of  a  general  conflagi-atiou  averted.  In  the  spring  of  1872 
the  city  laid  a  six-inch  main  up  Maine  Street  from  the  pump  house, 
and  set  three  fire  hydrants— one  at  Third  Street,  another  at  Fourth 
and  the  third  at  Fifth.  This  main,  including  machinery,  was  after- 
ward purchased  by  Mr.  Prince,  secretary  of  the  Quincy  Water 
Works  Company,  who  subsequently  built  and  operated  the  original 
s.ystem. 

Up  to  this  time  the  chief  engineers  of  the  fire  department  had 
been  E.  M.  Miller,  1865-66;  T.  J.  Heirs,  1866-68;  Henry  Meisser, 
1868-70;  Henry  Lageman,  1870-72. 

The  losses  by  fire  suffered  by  citizens  of  Quincy  were  quite  large 
until  adequate  protection  was  furnished  through  the  co-operation  of 
the  department  and  the  water  works  system,  as  will  be  seen  by  the 
following  figures :  From  April,  1868,  to  April,  1869,  $206,000 ;  1869- 
70,  $97,000;  1870-71,  $135,000;  1871-72,  $122,000;  1872-73,  $59,000; 
1873-74,  $175,000. 

The  heads  of  the  department  since  the  time  of  Henry  Lageman 
have  been  as  follows :  John  J.  Metzger,  1872-74 ;  J.  H.  Ayers,  1874- 
75  (died  in  the  latter  year)  ;  John  A.  Steinbaeh,  1875-84;  John  J. 
Metzger,  1884;  Joseph  Esterly,  1885-91;  George  Schlag,  1895-1908; 
August  G.  Moshage,  1908-10;  George  J.  Schlag,  1910-12;  George 
Marriotte,  1912— 


(^Ll.NL'V  AND  ADAMS  lUl  NTV  485 

The  present  department,  under  Chief  Marriotte,  is  well  organized, 
the  engines  and  other  apparatus  being  under  roof  in  eight  substan- 
tially built  houses.  Central  headquarters  are  in  the  City  Hall  and 
at  the  Engine  House  on  South  Fifth  Street. 

In  October,  1901,  the  system  of  lire  protection  was  strengthened 
by  the  installation  in  Quincy  of  the  Metropolitan  alarm  by  the  Amer- 
ican District  Company.  It  had  the  honor  of  being  the  first  city  in 
Illinois  to  inaugurate  the  system. 

The  Quincy  W.vter  Works 

For  a  period  of  more  than  forty  years  the  local  system  of  water 
supply  and  distribution  was  owned  and  superintended  by  private 
parties.  Since  1916  it  has  been  successfully  conducted  under  mu- 
nicipal ownership.  The  original  law  authorizing  the  city  to  issue 
bonds  to  build  and  operate  water  works,  create  a  Board  of  Water 
Commissioners,  and  do  all  those  other  things  which  should  make 
them  a  city  concern,  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  of  1868-69.  The 
act  was  approved  by  a  large  popular  vote,  but  was  finally  pronounced 
by  the  courts  unconstitutional  and  ineffective  because  of  the  lack 
of  any  enacting  clause. 

This  set-back  was  by  no  means  considered  a  knock-out  blow  by 
the  believers  in  a  modern  system  of  water  works,  both  as  a  sanitary 
measure  and  a  strong  protection  against  fire,  and  in  the  latter  part 
of  1871  subscriptions  were  secured  from  the  solid  citizens  of  Quincy 
upon  which  to  base  the  formation  of  a  joint-stock  company  to  push 
through  the  enterprise.  Thus,  on  the  8th  of  May,  1872,  the  Quincy 
Water  Works  Company  was  formed  with  the  following  directors: 
James  D.  ilorgan,  president :  Edward  Prince,  sccretarj- :  IT.  F.  J. 
Ricker,  treasurer;  John  Robert.son,  Lorenzo  Bull  and  Henry  Root, 
other  members  of  the  board.  The  company  was  capitalized  for  .$200,- 
000  and  soon  after  its  formation  took  over  a  six-inch  main  which  the 
city  had  laid  along  ilaine  Street  as  an  emergency  protection  against 
fire.  On  the  7th  of  August,  1873,  the  city  made  a  contract  with  Mr. 
Prince,  granting  him  the  use  of  the  streets  of  the  municipality  and 
authorizing  him  to  construct  and  operate  the  water  works,  the  agree- 
ment covering  a  period  of  thirty  years.  The  City  of  Quincy  reserved 
the  right  to  purchase  the  water  works  at  cost,  without  interest,  at 
any  time  within  that  period. 

Under  that  arrangement  the  original  works  were  constructed 
and  within  five  or  six  years  ten  miles  of  mains  had  been  laid,  and  the 
Water  Works  Company  had  iiurcha.sed  the  six-acre  site  at  Moore's 
Mound  for  the  reservoir.  At  tiiat  time  the  owners  of  the  water  works 
were  Edward  Prince  (really  their  practical  builder  and  foimder), 
Lorenzo  Bull  and  William  B.  Bull. 

The  original  city  ordinance  conveying  to  Mr.  Prince  the  little 
pumping  plant  at  the  foot  of  Maine  Street  and  the  temporary  line 


486  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  pipe,  with  the  thirty-year  privileges  noted,  was  passed  in  August, 
1873,  but  some  time  before  the  expiration  of  the  contract  the  builder 
of  the  water  works  sold  them  to  L.  &  C.  H.  Bull,  who  conducted  them 
until  the  expiration  of  the  stipulated  period,  in  August,  1903. 

Soon  before  the  expiration  of  the  contract  the  city  had  the  water 
works  appraised  by  three  experts,  John  W.  Alvord,  Daniel  W.  Mead 
and  Hiram  Phillips,  who  then  estimated  the  value  of  the  plant  at 
$649,159.  Without  going  into  details  as  to  the  agreements  between 
the  owners  of  the  water  works,  a  new  company  of  citizens  formed 
in  the  fall  of  1904,  and  the  City  of  Quincy,  it  is  sufficient  to  state 
that  the  transfer  was  made  by  L.  &  C.  H.  Bull  to  the  Citizens  Water 
Works  Company,  to  which  the  city  granted  a  thirty  years'  franchise 
in  September,  1904.  The  municipality  reserved  the  right  to  pur- 
chase, under  the  original  terms,  at  any  time  within  eleven  and  a  half 
years  from  that  date ;  it  could  not  do  so  then,  as  the  city  was  in  debt 
up  to  the  constitutional  limit  and  even  beyond. 

A  summary  of  the  expansion  of  the  system  since  that  time  has 
been  made  for  this  work  by  W.  R.  Gelston,  who  has  served  as  super- 
intendent since  January  1,  1907 :  The  Citizens  Water  Works  Com- 
pany was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Illinois  in  Sep- 
tember, 1904,  and  took  charge  of  the  Water  Works  Plant  October  1st 
of  the  same  year.  At  that  time  the  water  works  pumping  plant  was 
made  up  of  a  30-inch  wood-stave  intake-pipe  1,500  feet  long,  laid  in 
the  Mississippi  River  in  1888 ;  an  intake  well,  an  old  pumping  sta- 
tion erected  in  the  early  '80s;  three  steam  driven  pumping  engines 
of  an  obsolete  type  which  were  new  some  time  in  the  '80s,  and  one 
steam  pumping  engine  of  a  more  modern  type  which  was  purchased 
about  1900.  A  rapid  mechanical  filtration  plant  had  been  installed 
about  1891  and  this  plant  was  still  delivering  a  very  good  safe  water 
in  spite  of  serious  structural  defects.  This  filter  plant  had  a  capacity 
of  4,000.000  gallons  per  day. 

There  were  in  1904  about  47  miles  of  mains  in  the  distribution 
system.  There  were  314  fire  hydrants,  340  valves,  4,500  services 
and  1,700  meters  in  use.  The  reservoir  at  Twenty-Second  and 
Chestnut  streets  was  also  in  service  and  it  was  then  covered  with  a 
wooden  roof.     This  roof  was  removed  in  1906. 

The  first  notable  improvement  undertaken  by  the  Citizens  Water 
Works  Company  was  in  1910,  when  two  old  pumps  and  the  south 
wing  of  the  old  pumping  station  were  removed  and  the  new  high 
service  pumping  station  was  built  on  the  site  of  the  old  building. 

The  Piatt  Iron  Works  of  Daj'ton,  Ohio,  erected,  in  this  building, 
a  horizontal,  cross-compound,  crank  and  fly  wheel  pumping  engine. 
This  pump  has  a  capacity  of  6,000,000  gallons  per  day,  and  was  first 
placed  in  operation  March  13,  1911.  Ground  was  purchased  on  the 
east  side  of  Front  Street  between  Main  and  Hampshire  in  1912  for 
a  site  for  the  new  purification  plant.  The  old  buildings  were  removed 
and  excavation  work  was  completed  in  1913  and  the  construction 


QL'INLV  AM)  ADAMS  ('(JlNTV  487 

work  was  begun  on  the  I'.ew  plant  iu  Septemla-r,  1913.  This  plant 
was  completed  and  placed  in  regular  operation  September  1,  1914. 
The  plant  has  a  tiltration  capacity  of  6,000,000  gallons  in  twenty- 
four  hours  and  it  was  built  by  the  New  York  Continental  Jewell  Fil- 
tration Company  of  New  York  City. 

During  the  autumn  and  winter  of  1914-15  the  north  wing  of  the 
old  pumping  station  was  torn  down,  the  two  old  pumps  housed 
therein  were  scrapped  and  the  new  low  service  pumping  room  was 
erected  on  the  site. 

One  6,000,000  gallon  per  twenty-four  hours  steam  turbine  driven 
centrifugal  pump  and  one  electric  driven  centrifugal  pump  of  the 
same  capacity  were  installed  in  this  building  and  are  used  for  pump- 
ing water  from  the  river  to  the  filtration  plant.  The  steam  driven 
unit  was  purchased  from  the  Piatt  Iron  "Works  of  Dayton,  Ohio. 
The  electric  driven  pump  was  built  by  the  Dayton-Dick  Company 
of  Quincy,  Illinois.  Wliile  the  work  of  the  low  service  pumping 
station  was  under  way  the  Dayton-Dick  Company  built  and  installed 
in  the  high  service  pumping  station  a  6,000,000  gallon  electric  driven 
centrifupral  pump  to  be  used  in  pumping  filtered  water  into  the  city 
and  to  the  storage  reservoir  at  Twenty-Second  and  Chestnut  Street. 
All  of  these  improvements  at  the  pumping  station  and  purification 
plant  were  built  from  plans  and  specifications  drawn  up  by  D.  W. 
Jlead  and  C.  V.  Sea.stone,  consulting  engineers,  of  Madison,  Wis- 
consin. 

Work  on  the  new  36-inch  cast  iron  intake  pipe  was  also  begun 
late  in  the  year  1914,  but  cold  weather  followed  by  the  usual  spring 
floods  delayed  the  work  and  the  pipe  laying  was  not  completed  until 
September  9,  1915.  This  intake  pipe  is  1,823  feet  long  and  weighs 
nearly  400  tons.  Capt.  Joseph  G.  Falcon  of  Evanston.  Illinois,  a 
submarine  contractor,  had  the  contract  for  placing  this  pipe  in  the 
bed  of  the  Mississippi  River.  This  last  improvement  gave  the  City 
of  Quincy  complete  new  pumping  and  purification  facilities  equal 
to  the  best.  The  pumping  station  is  equipped  to  operate  with  steam 
generated  at  the  plant  or  with  electric  power  generated  at  the  Keo- 
kuk Hydro-electric  Power  Plant.  The  electric  power  is  used  most 
of  the  time. 

In  the  meantime  the  distribution  system  with  its  appurtenances 
has  been  extended  until  the  city  now  has  76  miles  of  mains,  436  fire 
hydrants.  660  valves,  7,000  service  and  4,900  meters.  Plans  are 
completed  and  contracts  are  being  made  for  the  erection  of  a  booster 
pumping  station  to  be  located  at  the  reservoir.  These  pumps  will 
lift  water  from  the  reservoir  to  a  large  elevated  tank  and  all  of  the 
consumers  located  east  of  Eighteenth  Street  will  be  supplied  with 
water  from  this  elevated  tank.  This  improvement  will  be  completed 
in  1918  and  will  increase  the  present  water  pressure  in  the  entire 
district  east  of  Eighteenth  Street  about  fifty  pounds  per  square 
inch.    The  City  of  Quincy  has  always  depended  upon  its  fire  engines 


488  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

for  fire  pressure  and  the  water  department  is  not  required  to  in- 
crease the  pressure  on  the  water  mains  for  fire  fighting. 

The  Citizens  Water  "Works  Company  paid  Lorenzo  and  W.  B. 
Bull  approximately  $650,000  for  the  Quincy  Water  Works  plant,  on 
October  1,  1904,  and  sold  the  plant  to  the  City  of  Quincy  on  Oc- 
tober 1,  1916,  for  the  same  sum.  The  improvements  added  to  the 
plant  by  the  Citizens  Water  Works  Company  were  all  paid  for  from 
the  earnings  of  the  plant.  The  appraised  valuation  of  the  plant  on 
October  1,  1916,  was  $1,070,000. 

The  operation  of  the  water  works  plant  under  the  Citizens  Water 
Works  Company  was  vested  in  a  Board  of  Directors  composed  of 
three  men.  The  first  board  was  H.  F.  J.  Ricker,  Jr.,  J.  M.  Winters, 
and  H.  C.  Sprick.  These  men  took  charge  of  the  plant  October  1, 
1904.  On  March  7,  1905,  Mr.  Eicker  and  Mr.  Winters  resigned. 
J.  P.  Mikesell  and  Theodore  Pape  were  then  elected  to  serve  with 
Mr.  Sprick  a,s  the  Board  of  Directors.  These  three  men  held  the 
directorship  until  1908,  when  J.  Henry  Bastert  replaced  Mr.  Mike- 
sell.  Mr.  Bastert  served  one  year  and  was  replaced  by  W.  H.  Govert. 
Messrs.  Govert,  Pape  and  Sprick  continued  as  directors  of  the  com- 
pany until  the  city  purchased  the  old  plant  October  1,  1916.  Since 
that  date  Messrs.  Theodore  Pape,  W.  J.  Singleton  and  Henry  C. 
Sprick  have  acted  as  commissioners  for  the  City  of  Quincy  in  charge 
of  the  plant.  From  the  organization  of  the  Citizens  Water  Works 
Company  until  January  1,  1907,  J.  M.  Winters  was  acting  superin- 
tendent, giving  a  portion  of  his  time  to  the  Water  Works  Plant 
and  continuing  his  connection  with  the  Quincy  National  Bank  at 
the  same  time.  From  January  1,  1907,  until  the  present  time,  W.  R. 
Gelston  has  been  superintendent. 

Quincy 's  Worst  Fire 

Shortly  before  the  experts  and  the  public  commenced  to  consider 
the  necessity  of  expanding  the  water  works  system  by  the  addition 
of  an  adequate  intake  pipe,  occurred  the  city's  most  destructive  fire. 
On  the  17th  of  February,  1913,  the  business  and  manufacturing 
district  on  the  west  side  of  Second  Street  between  Vermont  and 
Hampshire  streets  was  swept  clean  of  massive  buildings  at  a  total 
loss  of  $350,000.  But  the  recuperative  powers  of  the  people  were 
so  strong  that  in  a  comparatively  short  time  the  damages  were  ap- 
parently repaired  and  the  burnt  section  was  largely  rebuilt. 

The  Park  and  Boulevard  System 

Never  in  the  history  of  municipalities  has  a  great  system  of  pub- 
lic improvements  been  so  centered  in  the  personality  of  one  man  as 
that  which  has  had  to  do  with  the  development  of  the  parks  and 
boulevards  of  Quincy.    And  Edward  J.  Parker  was  that  man.    Fi'om 


QUl.NCV  AM)  ADAMS  roiNTY  489 

the  date  of  the  incorporation  of  the  Quiiiey  Boulevard  and  I'ark  As- 
sociation in  1888  until  his  death  in  litl2,  he  was  the  inspiring, 
practical  and  untirinp  head  of  the  organization  whieh  convened 
the  beauty  spots  and  hreathing  grounds  for  the  pleasure  and  health 
of  the  piililie  in  general  and  the  physical  and  mental  refreshment  of 
thousands  of  individuals.  The  city  furnished  the  money  for  the 
improvements,  and  the  welding  of  the  parks  and  boulevards  into  a 
system,  and  the  association,  with  ^Ir.  Parker  as  its  driving  power, 
accomplished  the  work  of  transformation  and  expansion.  Since  the 
death  of  its  founder.  ^Irs.  Elizabeth  G.  Parker,  the  able  and  devoted 
widow,  has  continued  tlie  work  inaugurated  by  her  husband  even  years 
before  the  Boulevard  and  Park  Association  was  formed. 

From  a  complete  and  artistic  history-  of  the  local  park  system 
issued  by  that  association  in  1917,  the  following  pertinent  informa- 
tion is  extracted:  The  creation  of  the  splendid  system  of  public 
parks  now  possessed  by  the  City  of  Quiney,  was  due  wholly  to  the 
initiative  and  continued  efforts  of  private  citizens,  none  of  whom 
held  any  official  position  under  the  city  government.  In  this  respect 
the  experience  of  Quiney  has  been  exceptional.  Probably  few,  if 
any,  cases  of  a  like  character  can  be  found  among  American  munici- 
palities. 

In  the  year  1887  a  number  of  citizens  formed  a  voluntary  asso- 
ciation, which  was  on  July  23,  1888,  incorporated  the  Quiney  Boule- 
vard &  Park  Association.  It  is  to  this  association  and  to  its  officers 
that  the  city,  as  is  admitted  by  all,  owes  its  system  of  public  parks. 
It  originated  the  idea  of  the  system.  It  planned  and  determined 
the  location  of  all  the  parks  and  of  all  extensions  of  the  same.  As 
the  city  was,  at  that  time,  indebted  beyond  the  constitutional  limit 
and,  therefore,  could  not  legally  incur  any  additional  indebtedness, 
the  association,  as  a  rule,  purchased  the  requisite  land  in  its  own 
name,  gave  its  own  obligations  for  the  same,  and  then,  when  it  had 
l)aid  for  the  same  out  of  the  public  funds  entrusted  to  its  manage- 
ment, conveyed  the  title  to  the  city.  The  association  originated  and 
pushed  to  a  successful  issue  plans  iinder  which  the  public  revenues 
devoted  to  park  purposes  were  created.  The  expenditure  of  these 
revenues  has,  at  all  times,  been  committed  by  the  city  to  the  uncon- 
trolled discretion  of  the  association.  Under  its  direction,  its  super- 
vising landscape  gardener,  0.  C.  Simonds  of  Chicago,  has  made  the 
plans  for  all  the  parks.  It  has  entered  into  the  contracts,  purchased 
the  material  and  secured  and  controlled  the  labor  necessary  for  the 
carrying  out  of  these  plans.  The  maintenance  of  the  i>arks  and  the 
hiring  of  the  necessary  care-takers  and  help  has  been  wholly  in  its 
charge.  The  great  re.sults  achieved  with  comparatively  small  means, 
demonstrate  what  can  be  accomplished  when  pul)lic  funds  are  ex- 
pended by  those  who  are  devoted  solely  to  the  public  interests,  and 
who  do  not  permit  themselves  to  be  influenced  by  any  political  or 
private  considerations. 


^€5-^^/ 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  491 

Mr.  Parker's  Self-Sacrifice 

While  the  members  of  such  orgauizations  give  their  moral  and, 
it  may  be,  their  tinaiicial  support  to  the  cause,  the  necessary  hard 
and  burdensome  work  is  not  done  by  them.  This  is  always  done  by 
one  or  more  individual  members  who,  consumed  by  zeal  for  the 
cause,  forgetful  of  all  personal  considerations,  devote  their  time  and 
best  efforts  to  its  consummation.  It  was  so  in  the  case  of  the  Quincy 
Boulevard  &  Park  Association.  Its  achievements  are  acknowledged 
by  everyone  to  be  mainly  due  to  the  late  Edward  J.  Parker,  who,  from 
the  time  of  its  inception  to  the  time  of  his  death  which  occurred 
March  1,  1912,  was  the  president  of  the  association.  His  was  the 
vision  which  saw  in  the  barren  and  unsightly  Mississippi  River 
blutVs,  parks  which,  for  beauty  of  location  and  magnificence  of  view 
have  but  few  equals.  His  was  the  guiding  and  controlling  hand  in 
everj'thing  connected  with  the  selection,  establishment  and  manag<^- 
mcnt  of  our  parks.  Although  his  duties  as  president  of  a  large  bank 
were  of  a  most  responsible  and  exacting  nature,  he  nevertheless  de- 
voted to  the  parks  most  of  his  leisure  time,  giving  every  detail  his 
personal  attention.  For  this  he  did  not  ask,  nor  indeed  would  he 
have  accepted  any  compensation,  for  he  was  moved  solely  by  a  pure 
spirit  of  service.  No  indifference  on  tlip  part  of  our  citizens,  of  which 
in  the  early  days  of  the  movement  there  was  much ;  no  hostility  on 
the  part  of  city  administrations,  who,  in  the  beginning,  when  no 
special  funds  had  been  provided  for  the  parks,  resented  his  efforts 
to  obtain  moneys  which  they  desired  to  devote  to  other  public  pur- 
poses, could  discourage  him.  Day  after  day,  year  after  year,  he  per- 
sistently urged  the  claims  of  the  parks  for  individual  and  public 
support.  His  was  the  unshakable  steadfastness  of  purpose  which 
perseveres  in  the  effort  to  realize  its  dream  until  success  has  crowned 
its  efforts.  Although  a  fund  was  raised  by  public  subscription  for 
the  erection  of  a  monument  to  his  meraorj',  Quincy 's  splendid  sys- 
tem of  public  parks  is,  and  for  all  time  to  come  will  remain  Mr. 
Parker's  real  monument. 

LOY.\L     CO-WORKERS 

In  all  his  plans  Mr.  Parker  had  the  constant,  loyal  support  of 
the  members  of  the  Quincy  Boulevard  &  Park  Association  and  the 
active  assistance  of  its  other  officers.  Among  these  officers  Philip  L. 
Dickhut  stood  first  in  his  enthusia.sm  and  service  for  the  cause.  Mr. 
Dickhut  was  the  secretary  of  the  association  from  its  beginning  to 
the  year  1901.  During  all  of  this  time  he  was  closely  associated  with 
Mr.  Parker,  furthering  every  undertaking  intended  to  bring  about 
the  realization  of  the  plans  of  the  association.  In  those  years  the 
a.s.sociation  had  no  salaried  .superintendent  and  Mr.  Dickhut  in  addi- 
tion to  his  duties  as  secretary  served  as  acting  superintendent  of  the 
parks  and  boulevards.     This  made  it  necessary  for  Mr.  Dickhut  to 


492  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

devote  a  large  part  of  his  time  and  thought  to  the  public  service 
which  he  did  at  a  considerable  sacrifice  of  his  private  interests,  with- 
out asking  or  wishing  compensation. 

The  work  done  on  behalf  of  the  parks  by  George  P.  Miller  should 
also  have  special  mention,  ilr.  Miller  was  a  director  of  the  associa- 
tion and,  having  retired  from  business,  was  able  to  and  did  freely 
give  much  of  his  time  to  gratuitous  service  for  the  parks.  Many 
others  have  from  time  to  time,  as  occasion  offered,  given  their  valu- 
able services  to  the  association,  but  space  will  not  permit  special 
mention  thereof  to  be  made  at  this  place.  In  many  instances  proper 
credit  for  this  work  will  be  found  to  have  been  given  in  the  following 
pages. 

After  Mr.  Dickhut's  resignation  as  secretary  Henry  G.  Klipstein 
was  appointed  as  acting  superintendent  of  the  parks  with  a  salary 
fixed  by  the  association.  He  continued  in  that  position,  rendering 
efficient  service,  until  his  retirement  on  account  of  age  in  the  year 
1916.  He  was  succeeded  by  Orville  I.  Wheeler,  who  for  many  years 
had  been  the  faithful  and  competent  care-taker  of  Riverview  Park, 
and  afterwards  assistant  superintendent  and  city  forester. 

Officers  1888-1918 

The  principal  officers  of  the  association  have  been  as  follows: 
Presidents,  Edward  J.  Parker,  1888-1912;  Mrs.  Edward  J.  Parker, 
since  the  death  of  her  husband  in  1912. 

Vice-Presidents :  First,  E.  J.  Thompson,  1888  to  1894 ;  second, 
J.  N.  Wellman,  1888  to  1891 ;  third,  J.  G.  Rowland,  1888  to  1891 ; 
fourth,  Thomas  Sinnock,  1888  to  1891;  second,  E.  C.  Mayo,  1893 
to  1894;  George  M.  Janes,  third  vice-president  from  1892  to  1894; 
Thomas  Pope,  fourth  vice-president,  1892;  Senator  A.  W.  Wells, 
first  vice-president,  1895;  Wm.  Stein wedell,  second  vice-president 
from  1895  to  1897;  Joseph  D.  Robbins,  third  vice-president,  1894; 
G.  J.  Cottrell,  fourth  vice-president,  1895;  Edward  Sohm,  second 
vice-president,  1896;  Robert  W.  Gardner,  first  vice-president  from 
1896  to  1907;  H.  F.  J.  Ricker,  second  vice-president,  1899;  Fred  P. 
Taylor,  second  vice-president  from  1903  to  1917;  T.  C.  Poling,  first 
vice-president  from  1903  to  1917 ;  George  F.  Miller,  third  vice-presi- 
dent, 1908;  C.  H.  Williamson,  third  vice-president  from  1911  to 
1916. 

Secretaries:  P.  L.  Dickliut.  from  1888  to  1901;  H.  B.  Dines, 
from  1901  to  1904 ;  Floyd  W.  Monroe,  from  1904  to  1917. 

Treasurers:  Fred  Wilms,  from  1888  to  1895;  G.  A.  Bauman, 
from  1895  to  1900 ;  E.  C.  Wells,  1900 ;  Edwin  A.  Clarke,  from  1901 
to  1909 ;  H.  G.  Anderson,  from  1909  to  1917. 

Sources  of   Park   Revenue 

When  the  Quincy  Boulevard  and  Park  Association  was  formed 
in  1888  there  were  no  public  revenues  available  for  the  improve- 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COINTY  49;J 

ments  which  it  was  created  to  make.  Undaimted  by  the  outlook, 
it  raised  a  fund  through  popular  subscription,  drawn  from  the  city 
and  adjoining  townships,  and  commenced  the  establishment  and  im- 
provement of  the  Locust  and  Twenty-fourth  streets  boulevards. 
That  initial  work  was  completed  in  1891,  when  the  association  began 
on  the  park  progi'amme.  It  first  induced  the  city  to  authorize  the 
trausforniatiou  of  the  old  abandoned  cemetery  at  Twenty-Fourth 
and  Maine  streets  into  a  public  park,  which  is  now  known  as  Madi- 
son. During  the  same  year  (1891)  the  association  also  petitioned 
the  city  to  purchase  for  park  purposes  five  acres  of  ground  lying 
west  of  Second  Street  between  Chestnut  and  Cherrj-,  which  was  the 
beginning  of  Riverview  Park.  The  money  required  for  making  the 
actual  improvements  on  these  two  tracts  was  again  raised  by  tiie 
association  through  popular  subscriptions. 

All  efforts  to  induce  the  city  to  appropriate  more  money  to  the 
purchase  of  new  park  sites  failed.  The  cit.v  administration,  at  that 
time,  was  devoting  all  its  energies  to  the  payment  of  the  city's  large 
bonded  indebtedness  and  to  the  creation  of  a  sinking  fund  for  the 
purchase  of  the  water  works. 

But  the  association  drafted  an  act  and  passed  it  through  the 
Legislature  into  law,  providing  for  a  mill  tax  to  create  a  fund  for  the 
purcha.se  of  land  for  parks  and  boulevards.  The  tax  was  defeated 
in  the  April  election  of  1894,  but  carried  at  a  special  election  held 
in  February  of  the  following  year.  This  tax  of  one  mill  yielded 
$5,000  a  year,  and  afforded  the  first  dependable  income  for  the  pur- 
chase of  park  sites.  The  proposition  to  increase  the  tax  to  two  mills 
was  finally  carried  in  April,  1903,  and  the  three-mill  tax  went  into 
effect  four  years  afterward.  Other  sources  of  revenue  formed  through 
the  persistence  of  the  association  were  the  town  taxes  paid  into  the 
treasury  before  March  10th  of  each  year  and  the  receipts  from  dog 
licenses.  With  the  moneys  thus  obtained,  supplemented  by  several 
liberal  donations  made  by  private  citizens,  the  association  has  estab- 
lished and  developed  the  system  of  parks  and  boulevards  of  which 
Quiney  has  a  right  to  be  proud. 

As  stated.  Locust  Boulevard  was  the  first  to  be  improved,  and 
was  changed  from  a  narrow  lane  thirty-three  feet  wide,  with  steep 
grades  and  no  regular  water  courses,  into  a  level  avenue  of  easy 
grade  and  hard  surface.  Twenty-fourth  Street  was  also  im^iroved. 
The  boulevard  development  of  late  years  has  made  most  progress 
on  the  thoroughfares  around  the  north,  east  and  south  sides  of  the 
city.  Those  improvements  are  conducted  .jointly  by  the  Board  of 
County  Supervisors,  the  City  Council  and  the  Quiney  Boulevard 
and  Park  Association. 

The  Parks  in  Detail 

The  public  grounds  now  included  in  the  Quiney  chain  include 
the  Madison,  Riverview,  South,  Indian  Mounds,  Berrian,  Wa.shing- 


494  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ton,    Sunset   Hill,   Gardner,   Parker   Heights  Memorial,   Edgewater 
and  Wood's  parks. 

Madison  Park  is  the  veteran  of  them  all.  In  1837  Edward  B. 
Kimball  deeded  the  property  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Maine  and 
Twenty-fourth  streets  for  burial  purposes.  As  the  plat  was  found 
unfit  for  its  specified  use,  after  having  been  somewhat  improved,  the 
original  owner,  in  1867,  conveyed  the  property  to  the  city  for  a  pub- 
lic square  or  park.  Some  progress  in  beautifying  the  grounds  was 
made  within  the  following  twenty-five  years,  although  it  was  not  until 
1892,  under  the  general  supervision  of  Frederick  L.  Olmsted,  the 
famous  landscape  gardener,  that  the  work  was  begun  which  has 
really  made  Madison  Park  a  gem.  The  elegant  granitoid  entrance  at 
Maine  and  Twentj^-fourth  streets  was  designed  by  Harvey  Chatten 
and  completed  in  August,  1893.     The  fountain  was  erected  in  1900. 

The  first  piece  of  ground  purchased  for  park  purposes  after  the 
Quincy  Boulevard  and  Park  Association  was  formed  comprised  five 
acres  lying  on  the  bluffs  between  Chestnut  and  Cherry  streets  owned 
by  Binkert  &  Cruttenden.  The  City  Council  ordered  the  purchase 
to  be  made  in  November,  1891,  for  $7,000.  The  original  plans  for 
what  wa.s  named  Riverview  Park  were  prepared  by  H.  W.  S.  Cleve- 
land of  Minneapolis,  who  had  designed  Madison  Park.  These  five 
acres  of  Riverview.  with  the  eight  and  a  half  acres  of  Madison  Park, 
comprised  the  parli  property  owned  in  1891.  Even  then  Mr.  Parker 
foresaw  connections  on  the  north  side  with  Sunset  Hill  and  Locust 
Street,  as  well  as  additions  to  the  south  giving  more  extended  views 
of  the  river.  This  beautiful  park  on  the  bluffs,  commanding  a  splen- 
did view  of  the  river,  became  at  once  a  favorite  resort  not  only  for 
the  people  of  the  north  end,  but  of  the  citizens  generally.  In  1895 
an  addition  of  four  acres  to  the  north  was  made,  and  laid  out  by 
0.  C.  Simonds  of  Chicago,  other  extensions  were  made  in  1905  and 
1908,  and  in  1914,  Waller  Hill,  just  south  of  the  park,  was  pur- 
chased. Fi'om  1895  on,  Mr.  Simonds  accomplished  wonders  not  only 
in  the  improvement  of  Riverview,  but  of  the  system  generally. 

As  early  as  1891  there  began  to  be  talk  of  a  park  for  the  South 
Side  of  Quincy.  The  tract  of  land  to  which  the  eyes  of  the  park 
association  were  longingly  turned  consisted  of  some  fifty  acres  lying 
between  Eighth  and  TweKth  streets  south  of  Harrison.  There  was 
a  magnificent  plateau  covered  with  forest  trees,  while  on  the  lower 
level  in  the  same  tract  Watson's  Spring  bubbled  from  its  rocky  bed. 
The  property  was  owned  by  Judge  B.  F.  Berrian  of  Quincy,  and  his 
brothers  in  the  East.  The  property  was  purchased  of  its  owners 
by  the  city  in  1895  and  Mr.  Simonds  employed  to  landscape  it.  The 
name  South  Park  was  subsequently  given  it,  at  the  suggestion  of 
Mr.  Parker.  The  Whitney  tract  of  two  acres  adjoining  was  pur 
chased  soon  afterward.  South  Park  was  first  opened  to  the  public 
on  Sunday,  May  18,  1895,  and  formally  dedicated  July  2d  following. 
It  was  one  of  the  gala  days  in  the  history  of  Quincy.     South  Park 


QULNCY  AND  ADAMS  COLNTY  495 

was  annexed  to  the  city  in  June,  1896,  and  in  the  same  year  Judge 
Berriau  trave  to  Quincy  as  an  addition  to  the  park,  four  acres  lying 
between  Eleventh  and  Twelfth,  Van  Buren  and  Harrison.  In  1904 
the  association  leased  eighteen  acres  south  of  the  park,  and  two 
jears  later  purchased  the  tract.  In  1915  a  narrow  strip  of  rocky 
land — rather  a  rocky  ledge  covered  with  vines  and  trees — on  the 
south  side  of  Curtis  Creek  between  Eighth  and  Twelfth  streets, 
which  had  been  leased  for  many  years  as  coveted  ground,  was  pur- 
chased outright  and  added  to  South  Park.  Some  adjoining  farms 
have  also  been  bought  and  when  the  proposed  drive  along  the  creek 
has  been  laid  out,  that  section  of  the  grounds  \vill  be  very  attractive. 
The  latest  imjjortant  accession  to  the  park  was  the  large  and  hand- 
some shelter  house,  dedicated  in  September,  1917. 

On  account  of  its  large  acreage,  its  magnificent  old  trees,  its 
sparkling  spring,  its  well-shaded  picnic  grounds,  its  ball  grounds, 
delightful  walks  and  drives,  tennis  courts  and  attractive  and  com- 
fortable rest  and  shelter  house,  South  Park  is  easily  the  most  pop- 
ular recreation  ground  in  Quincy. 

While  negotiations  were  pending  with  Judge  Berrian  for  the  pur- 
chase of  the  "Watson's  Springs  tract,  now  known  as  South  Park,  the 
association  became  greatly  interested  in  another  piece  of  land  on  the 
bluffs  south  of  Woodland  Cemetery.  Not  only  were  there  landscape 
possibilities  in  this  tract  of  over  twenty  acres,  but  the  tract  con- 
tained at  least  two  Indian  mounds  of  interest  and  archaeological 
value,  one  of  which  had  been  pronounced  not  only  a  signal-fire  pin- 
nacle but  a  burial  hill.  After  negotiations  with  the  owners  and  the 
City  Councilmen  had  extended  over  about  three  years,  a  portion  of 
the  tract  was  purchased  on  long  time  and  the  balance  leased  for  a 
short  period,  the  final  arrangements  being  made  in  April,  1897.  yiv. 
Simonds  took  the  park  in  hand  during  the  coming  fall,  and  within  the 
year  60,000  shrubs  and  trees,  mostly  of  native  growth,  had  been 
transplanted  to  the  new  park.  As  that  talented  and  energetic  land- 
scape gardener  remarked  in  later  years:  "I  would  like  to  take  Indian 
Mounds  Park  around  the  countrj'  with  me  as  a  sample  of  what  can 
be  done  in  the  development  of  an  unpromising  piece  of  land,  at  a 
minimum  expen.se.  with  native  flora  and  other  inexpensive  planting." 
In  Xovember,  1900,  by  the  pureha.se  of  the  Jleyer  tract  of  over  five 
acres  to  the  south,  five  new  Indian  mounds  were  added  to  the  two  on 
the  original  piece  of  ground,  and  a  new  drive  was  opened  to  Front 
Street  and  the  manufacturing  district,  as  well  as  to  the  Curtis  Creek 
Drive  and  the  South  Park  on  the  east.  By  purchase  from  Joseph  Frey, 
made  in  1902,  the  parkway  was  made  a  reality  which  connects  Indian 
IMounds  with  South  Park,  and  in  1904  the  a.ssociation  purcha.sed  five 
acres  of  the  Meyer  estate  lying  along  the  bluffs  immediately  south  of 
Curtis  Creek  ravine. 

Tho  Berrian  Park  on  Twelfth  Street  was  a  gift  of  ten  acres  made 
by  Ciporeo  W.  Berrian,  brother  of  Judge  B.  F.  Berrian,  and  thrown 


QriNL'V  AND  AUA.MS  CUl  NTY  497 

open  to  the  public  in  1897.  An  addition  of  two  acres  was  purchased  iu 
1913.  A  beautiful  winding  drive  through  the  park  from  Twelfth  to 
Cherry  Street  was  laid  out  some  years  ago  by  0.  C.  Simonds,  the 
landscape  gardener,  and  a  little  foot  bridge  was  thrown  across  the 
ravine.  There  is  a  good  baseball  diamond  on  the  grounds  and  other 
attractions  for  the  young  people.  The  park  was  first  called  Primrose, 
being  in  Primrose  addition  to  the  city,  but  the  City  Council  rechris- 
tened  it  Rerrian  as  a  tribute  to  the  generosity  and  public  character  of 
Judge  Bcrrian,  who  adorned  both  the  bench  and  the  mayoralty.  There 
is  also  a  beautiful  memorial,  to  the  judge  in  the  shape  of  a  drinking 
fountain,  which  is  the  gift  of  the  widow  of  the  deceased. 

In  April,  1900,  the  City  Council  transferred  the  care  of  Wa.shington 
Park  to  the  association,  and  at  once  took  steps  to  improve  it.  Trees 
were  planted,  the  fountain  repaired,  new  ornamental  electric  lights 
installed  and  plans  made  for  the  erection  of  a  handsome  band  stand. 
In  October,  1908,  a  granite  boulder  was  placed  in  the  park  to  mark  the 
spot  where  the  famous  Lincoln-Dffuglas  debate  was  held  just  fifty 
years  before  on  October  13,  1858. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Quincy  Boulevard  and  Park  Association 
held  April  16,  1903,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  review  certain  park 
sites,  among  them  the  twelve  acres  north  of  Riverview  Park,  extending 
from  Cedar  to  Locust  and  from  Second  Street  to  the  end  of  the  bluff. 
It  was  proposed  to  connect  this  tract,  if  made  into  a  park,  to  Riverview, 
by  winding  drives  and  a  bridge.  During  the  Civil  war  the  tract  named 
was  known  as  Sunset  Hill  and  had  been  the  camping  place  of  a  num- 
ber of  Illinois  regiments.  It  was  at  first  suggested  that  it  be  called 
ililitary  Park.  It  enjoyed  a  commanding  view  of  the  river,  being 
also  about  seventy-five  feet  further  to  the  west,  and  Mr.  Parker  had 
long  wanted  to  see  it  incorporated  into  the  system  of  Quincy  parks. 
The  formal  transfer  of  the  property  was  not  made  until  January,  1907. 

In  1909  the  City  Council  voted  to  change  the  name  of  Sunset 
Heights  to  Parker  Heights,  in  recognition  of  Mr.  Parker's  sernees  to 
the  city  in  the  development  of  the  park  system.  It  was  accordingly 
known  by  that  name  until  1913,  when  Mrs.  E.  J.  Parker  gave  the  tract 
on  Cedar  Creek  north  of  Gardner  Park  to  the  city  as  a  memorial  park 
to  be  called  Parker  Heights.  Since  that  time  the  Sun.set  Hill  site  is 
known  as  Sunset  Ilill  Park. 

Gardner  I'ark,  a  twenty-three  acre  tract  of  land  north  of  Sunset 
Hill,  which  was  purchased  mainly  by  a  bequest  from  the  late  Robert 
W.  Gardner,  to  whom  it  is  a  memorial,  was  originally  bought  in  ilay, 
1908.  In  the  fall  of  1910  0.  C.  Simonds  laid  out  the  driveway  between 
Sunset  Hill  and  Gardner  parks  and,  in- the  course  of  its  completion, 
constructed  a  massive  stone  bridge  across  Whipple  Creek.  It  tlien 
became  possible  to  drive  from  George  Rogers  Clark  Terrace  to  River- 
view Park  through  what  was  then  Slab  Hollow,  crossing  through  Sun- 
set Hill  Park  across  Locust  Street,  following  the  curves  around  the 
hills  across  the  new  bridge  over  Whijjplc  Creek,  tlirousrh  Gardner  Park, 

Vol.  1—3  2 


498  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Tiith  its  fine  high  plateau  and  grand  views  of  the  river,  and  into  the 
grounds  of  the  Soldiers'  Home. 

The  terrace  noted  gets  its  name  from  the  heroic  statue  of  George 
Rogers  Clark,  which  stands  on  the  elevated  groimd  south  of  River- 
view  Park,  and  is  an  impressive  memorial  to  the  brave  soldier  who  con- 
vinced the  governor  of  Virginia  that  the  Illinois  Country  was  worth 
saving  from  foreign  dominion — and  saved  it  for  the  United  States  and 
posterity.  It  was  dedicated  with  quite  elaborate  and  formal  cere- 
monies in  J\Iay,  1909.  The  big  monolith  of  Barre  granite  weighs  twelve 
tons,  and  the  erect  figure  of  the  statue  shows  the  strong  body  of  the 
seasoned  soldier  with  the  intellectual  head  of  a  statesman.  The  ground 
where  the  memorial  stands  was  originally  granted  by  President  ilonroe 
to  John  Groves,  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812,  on  July  12,  1818. 


Parker  Heights  Memorial  Park 

The  first  suggestion  for  a  park  north  of  the  Burlington  Railroad 
tracks  was  made  in  1908,  about  the  time  that  land  wa.s  bought  for 
Gardner  Park,  when  President  E.  J.  Parker,  with  William  Somerville 
and  George  F.  Miller,  made  a  tour  of  exploration  through  the  tract 
north  of  Gardner  Park  along  Cedar  Creek.  After  passing  over  the 
Cramer  land  they  came  upon  the  eleven  acres  which  now  comprise 
the  grounds  of  the  City  Hospital.  On  top  of  the  bluffs  thej'  discovered 
three  Indian  mounds,  part  of  a  chain  running  along  the  high  ridge 
to  the  northeast.  The  scenery  along  Cedar  Creek  is  wonderfully  strik- 
ing, and  is  perhaps  the  most  unique  and  attractive  stretch  in  the 
present  park  system.  The  president  believed  that  the  city  would 
undoubtedly  in  time  turn  the  hospital  site  over  to  the  association  for 
park  purposes. 

In  1911  about  ten  acres  were  acquired  east  of  the  city  property, 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY 


499 


having  a  frontage  of  nearly  400  feet  on  the  North  Fifth  Street.  In 
the  following  year  the  buying  of  the  Cramer  tract  was  brought  to  the 
attention  of  the  association,  and  in  1914  both  properties  were  pur- 
chased by  ^Irs.  Parker,  repaid  into  the  treasury  of  the  {issociation,  and 
presented  to  the  city,  as  a  whole,  under  the  name  of  "Parker  Heights 
Memorial  Park,"  in  honor  of  her  late  husband.  In  the  meantime  Mr. 
Simonds"  plans  for  laying  out  the  grounds  Jiad  been  accepted,  and  soon 
afterward  the  main  road  was  constructed  winding  from  Fifth  Street 
to  the  top  of  the  mounds. 

In  1909  Edgewater  Park,  a  miniature  tract  near  the  intersection 
of  Jersey  and  Front  streets,  on  the  river  front,  was  laid  out,  and  soon 
became  the  headejuarters  of  several  of  the  city  boat  clubs,  as  well  as 
a  lounging  place  for  tired  dwellers  in  that  part  of  town.  Considerable 
discussion  has  been  going  on  of  late  years  as  to  the  advisability  of 


Wabash  Tract,  U.nce  K.nhw.n 


Slab  lk)UX)w 


giving  special  attention  to  the  improvement  of  the  river  front  as  a 
whole,  which,  as  it  stands,  is  rather  an  unsightly  stretch,  and  many 
look  to  see  Edgewater  Park  as  an  entering  wedge  in  the  solution  of 
the  problem. 

In  1S49  John  Wood  gave  a  site  to  the  city  for  the  establishment 
of  a  public  market,  which  was  maintained  for  many  years  on  the  strip 
of  land  on  Payson  Avenue  between  Sixth  and  Seventh  streets.  In 
1906  the  old  buildings  were  moved  away  and.  although  the  land  was 
graded  and  made  into  a  neighborhood  park,  Daniel  Wood,  the  oidy  sur- 
viving son  of  the  governor,  with  other  more  distant  relatives,  still 
held  the  title  to  the  property.  But  in  1913  the  heirs  agreed  to  surren- 
der their  interests  to  the  citj-  and  deed  the  land  to  the  municipality,  or 
the  as.sociation,  with  the  sole  proviso  that  it  should  be  improved  and 
named  Wood's  Park.  This  condition  was  gladly  accepted. 


500  .  QUIXCY  AND.  ADAMS  COUNTY 

For  many  years  there  was  an  unsightly  locality  on  both  sides  of 
Cedar  Street,  between  Front  and  Second,  covered  with  tumble-downs 
and  the  haunts  of  a  most  disreputable  class  of  people,  which  became 
the  property  of  the  Wabash  Kailroad  Company.  After  a  long  period 
of  complaints,  both  verbal  and  through  the  public  prints,  the  com- 
pany finally  agreed  to  clean  out  the  fifteen  acres  long  known  as  Slab 
Hollow.  At  first  it  was  thought  that  the  railroad  company  might 
make  a  gift  of  the  Hollow  to  the  city  for  park  purposes,  but  finally 
in  the  fall  of  1910  leased  it  to  the  Quiney  Boulevard  and  Park 
Association  for  the  accomplishment  of  that  end.  About  two  years 
before  this,  the  association  had  secured  permission  of  the  Wabash  to  use 
a  strip  across  the  property  as  a  driveway  connecting  Riverview  Park 
with  Sunset  Hill.  Now  the  entire  fifteen  acres  is  a  pretty  park  and 
breathing  space  for  the  people  in  that  section  of  the  city. 

Besides  the  boulevard  and  parks  mentioned,  the  association  has 
charge  of  the  ornamental  triangle  in  Lawndale,  so  much  admired  on 
account  of  its  fine  white  birch  trees,  and  Park  Place,  with  its  well 
planted  central  grounds,  around  which  are  clustered  a  number  of  hand- 
some residences. 

Of  all  the  possible  parks  to  be  incorporated  into  Quiney 's  already 
fine  system  none  is  viewed  with  greater  interest  than  the  proposed  im- 
provement of  the  wooded  island  known  as  Towhead,  which  constitutes 
so  picturesque  a  feature  of  the  river  front.  This  stretch  of  potential 
beauty,  comprising  thirty-two  acres,  has  been  owned  by  the  city  since 
1848,  the  Government  patent  having  been  issued  by  President  James 
K.  Polk  in  that  year. 

QuiNCY  Cemeteries 

There  are  about  a  dozen  beautiful  homes  for  the  dead  at  and  near 
the  city,  adding  a  charm  of  landscape  repose  to  the  fine  system  of 
local  parks  and  boulevards.  Old  Woodland  Cemeterj',  between  Fifth 
Street  and  the  river,  the  natural  and  acquired  features  of  which  have 
been  mellowing  since  1846,  is  the  largest  and  most  attractive,  physically 
and  historically.  Its  development  into  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
cemeteries  of  the  West,  and  embracing  over  forty  acres  of  the  old 
Governor  Wood  estate,  has  already  been  traced.  The  tomb  of  the  late 
Timothy  Rogers  and  the  Soldiers'  Memorial  Monument  are  among  the 
structural  gems  of  the  cemetery.  It  is  managed  by  the  Woodland 
Cemetery  Association,  which  is  officered  as  follows:  C.  Lawi-ence 
Wells,  president ;  T.  D.  Woodruff,  vice  president ;  S.  B.  Montgomery, 
treasurer ;  Elmer  E.  King,  secretary. 

Greenmount  Cemetery  is  on  South  Twelfth  Street,  opposite  South 
Park,  and  was  laid  out  in  1875.  It  is  managed  by  the  association  to 
which  its  name  is  given :  Officers  of  the  Greenmount  Cemetery  Asso- 
ciation :  A.  C.  H.  Huseman,  president ;  C.  D.  Behrensmeyer,  vice 
president ;  Henrj'  Spilker,  secretary ;  Jacob  Young,  treasurer. 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  (OINTY  501 

The  Graceland  Cemetery  at  Thirty-sixtli  ami  Maine  streets  was 
estal)li.slicd  in  January,  1895,  by  the  Quincy  Ceniotery  Association. 
In  1901  tiie  National  Cemetery  for  the  Imrial  of  the  soldiers  was 
moved  to  Graceland  from  Woodland  Cemeten-,  and  is  now  its  promi- 
nent feature.  The  officers  of  the  Quincy  Cemetery  Association  who 
manage  the  affairs  of  Graceland,  are  as  follows:  E.  Beet,  president; 
Anton  Binkert,  vice  president;  John  Schauf,  secretary;  T.  C.  Poling, 
treasurer. 

The  Valley  of  Peace  is  the  name  of  the  Hebrew  cemetery,  located 
near  Walton  Heights  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  city,  at  Thirtieth 
and  Elm  streets.  Its  board  of  directors  include  the  following :  ^Irs. 
Emil  Davidson,  president;  Herman  Davidson,  treasurer;  Mrs.  A.  I. 
Simmons,  secretary. 

The  cemetery  of  the  Illinois  Soldiers  and  Sailors  Home  is  located 
in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  grounds. 

The  Roman  Catholic  cemeteries  include :  Calvary,  on  Eighteenth 
Street ;  St.  Boniface,  northeast  corner  of  Twentieth  and  State  streets 
and  St.  Peter's,  on  Broadway  east  of  the  city  limits.  The  burial 
ground  of  St.  Peter's  is  also  used  by  the  congi-egation  of  St.  Rose 
of  Lima. 

The  Police  of  Quincy 

As  a  rule  Quincy  has  been  a  law-abiding  town,  although,  in  special 
seasons  of  excitement,  such  as  during  the  Mormon  troubles  and  the 
slavery  agitations,  the  place  has  been  somewhat  seething  and  riotous. 
At  all  times,  with  the  backing  of  a  vigorous  and  respectable  citizen- 
ship, its  police  force  has  been  adequate,  as  it  is  today.  The  present 
strength  of  the  police  force  is  forty-five,  including  a  chief,  clerk,  police 
matron,  two  sergeants,  two  detectives  and  the  patrolmen  and  station 
men. 

The  chiefs  of  police,  as  heads  of  an  organized  department  of  the 
city  machine,  date  from  1867,  when  Oliver  Gerry  assumed  the  office. 
His  succes.sors  were :  John  C.  McGraw,  1868-9 ;  Isaac  Abrams,  1870 ; 
John  C.  McGraw,  1871-72;  Jacob  :Metz,  1873-74;  Gilbert  Follansbee, 
1875;  John  A.  -McDade,  1876;  John  C.  McGraw,  1877-81;  Dennis 
Sliney,  1882-83;  Harry  Hale,  May  to  September,  1884;  Henry  Ording, 
1884-87;  A.  P.  O'Connor,  1888-89;  John  Ahern,  1890-1907;  J.  H. 
Robbins,  1908-10;  George  Koch,  1910-12:  Peter  B.  Lott,  1912-14; 
George  Koch,  1914-16;  Louis  N.  Melton,  1917— 

QriNCY  Work  House  and  House  op  Correction 

The  old  Quincy  Work  House  and,  later,  the  House  of  Correction, 
have  been  useful  and  necessary  adjuncts  to  the  police  department. 
Through  them  vagrants  and  petty  criminals  have  been  given  em- 


502  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ployment,  the  wages  allowed  being  applied  toward  liquidating  the 
fines  assessed  by  the  police  magistrates,  or  shortening  the  terms  of 
imprisonment  which  they  are  serving.  The  one-story  stone  building 
on  Front  Street,  not  far  from  the  southern  boundary  of  the  city,  was 
erected  on  city  property,  which  also  extended  along  the  bluff  and  em- 
braced extensive  limestone  quarries.  The  quarries  furnished  much 
of  the  employment  wliieh  occupied  the  time  of  the  prisoners. 

In  April,  1871,  the  new  law  went  into  effect  changing  the  name 
Work  House  to  House  of  Correction.  Its  affairs  are  now  generally 
supervised  by  a  board  of  inspectors  and  a  superintendent.  The  fomier 
consists  of  August  Schanz  (chairman),  J.  Will  "Wall  and  Frank  W. 
Crane ;  the  superintendent  is  M.  C.  Wittman.  The  plan  of  the  present 
management  was  put  in  force  in  1888,  the  new  cell  house  being 
erected  at  that  time.  At  that  time  William  A.  McConnell  had  been 
five  years  in  office  as  superintendent,  and  continued  to  serve  as  such 
until  his  resignation  in  February,  1906.  He  was  succeeded  by  G. 
Eberhardt,  who  resigned  in  Jauuarj^  1918,  and  was  followed  by  the 
present  incumbent,  Mr.  Wittman.  The  number  of  inmates  in  the 
House  of  Correction  does  not  average  more  than  a  dozen ;  it  is  usually 
less. 

Free  Public  Library  and  Reading  Room 

In  1837,  fifteen  years  after  the  first  white  man  settled  on  the  site 
of  a  future  town,  thirteen  years  after  the  town  received  the  name 
of  Quincy,  a  number  of  its  pioneer  residents,  interested  in  reading, 
contributed  books  from  their  own  collections  to  be  used  as  a  circulat- 
ing library.  This  was  the  small  beginning  from  which  developed  the 
present  library  work  of  Quincy. 

In  1841,  these  book^-lovers  held  a  meeting  in  the  courthouse. 
Maj.  J.  H.  Holton  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  Mr.  Lorenzo  Bull 
was  chosen  secretary.  Capt.  E.  J.  Phillips  stated  the  object  of  the 
meeting  was  to  organize  a  permanent  library  association.  A  com- 
mittee of  five  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  constitution  and  by-laws. 
These  were  presented  and  adopted  on  March  13,  1841.  At  a  meeting, 
March  20th,  over  which  Capt.  E.  J.  Phillips  presided,  the  following 
officers  were  elected:  E.  J.  Phillips,  president;  Dr.  J.  N.  Ralston, 
vice  president;  Lorenzo  Bull,  secretary;  C.  M.  Woods,  treasurer; 
Andrew  Johnson,  W.  H.  Taylor,  J.  R.  Randolph,  N.  Summers,  Joseph 
Lyman,  directors.  A  charter  of  incorporation  was  granted  to  the 
Quincy  Library  Association  under  the  Illinois  State  Law  adopted  in 
1823.  The  library  was  ready  for  circulation  April  18,  1841.  It  was 
open  every  Tuesday,  Thui-sday,  and  Saturday  evening,  and  also  on 
Saturday  afternoon.  There  were  two  classes  of  membership.  The 
payment  of  $2.5  or  a  contribution  of  books  valued  at  .$30  entitled  one 
to  a  life  membership.  Stoekliolders  paid  $5  for  each  share  of  stock 
and  paid  an  annual  assessment  of  $2  a  year.  Patrons  who  were  not 
stockholders  paid  $3  annually  for  the  privileges  of  the  library.    The 


504  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

amount  derived  from  subscriptions  was  increased  by  receipts  from 
winter  courses  of  lectures  given  by  home  talent.  A  memorable  lecture 
was  one  on  magnetism  and  telegraphy  delivered  in  1844  by  the  Rev. 
George  P.  Giddings.  At  the  close  of  the  lecture  Mr.  Lorenzo  Bull  and 
Mr.  Andrew  Johnson  gave  a  practical  demonstration  of  the  workings 
of  the  telegraph.  The  habitation  of  the  library  was  changed  several 
times.  In  1856,  it  was  housed  in  a  brick  building  on  the  southwest 
corner  of  ilaine  and  Fourth  streets.  In  1859,  it  was  transferred  to 
the  Adam  Schmidt  Building  on  Hampshire  Street,  west  of  Fifth. 
Later  it  was  located  in  the  McFadon  Building  ou  Fifth  Street  be- 
tween Maine  and  Jersey. 

In  the  great  temperance  reform  movement  of  1878  a  Red  Ribbon 
Club  was  organized  in  Quincy.    At  a  union  meeting  held  in  January, 

1878,  a  plan  for  a  public  reading  room  was  discussed  and  action  taken 
thereon.  A  sufficient  sum  of  money  was  contributed,  a  suitable  place 
secured  and  equipped,  and  thus  a  free  reading  room  was  opened 
under  the  control  of  the  Red  Ribbon  Club.  Prominent  citizens  aided 
with  liberal  subscriptions,  but  demands  for  the  temperance  work  were 
so  numerous  that  the  trea.sury  was  soon  depleted.  The  public  lost 
interest  in  supporting  a  movement  controlled  entirely  by  a  local  club, 
and  failure  of  the  cause  seemed  imminent.  Recognizing  these  con- 
ditions the  ladies  interested  in  the  undertaking  effected  a  new  or- 
ganization and  secured  a  charter,  September  6,  1878.  The  property 
of  the  Red  Ribbon  Club  was  transferred  to  this  new  association,  and 
a  free  reading  room  for  Quincy  was  established.  This  room  was  in 
the  building  at  613  Maine  Street.  Miss  Carrie  Musser  was  the  super- 
intendent in  charge.  The  officers  of  the  free  reading  room  were : 
Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Denman,  president;  Mrs.  James  R.  Dayton,  first  vice 
president;  Mrs.  I.  0.  Woodruff,  second  vice  president;  Mrs.  G.  Fol- 
lansbee,  recording  secretary ;  Mrs.  C.  H.  Morton,  treasurer.    In  March, 

1879,  the  free  reading  room  was  removed  to  the  Rogers  Building,  on 
the  southeast  comer  of  Sixth  and  Vermont  streets. 

In  May  of  the  same  year,  the  belongings  of  the  Quincy  Library 
were  removed  to  the  free  reading  room,  and  for  the  first  time  a  circu- 
lating library  was  open  to  its  subscribers  each  week-day.  Mrs.  Lucy 
Keyes  Rutherford,  a  lady  of  unusual  culture,  of  discriminating 
literary  taste,  of  marvelous  memory,  and  an  accomplished  linguist  was 
appointed  librarian. 

Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Denman,  one  of  the  foremost  of  public  spirited 
women  in  Quincy,  perceiving  the  necessity  for  a  permanent  library 
endowment,  offered  to  donate  $5,000  toward  such  a  fund,  provided 
other  generous  persons  would  contribute  $15,000  additional,  thereby 
creating  a  fund  of  $20,000  for  the  maintenance  of  the  Quincy  Library. 
The  amount  was  secured.  The  demands  of  the  more  commodious 
apartment,  daily  expense,  and  continued  service  appropriated  the 
greater  part  of  the  income,  leaving  only  a  paltry  sum  for  increasing 
the  collection  of  books.     Mr.  Charles  H.  Bull,  the  president  of  the 


QriXCV  AND  ADAMS  COINTY  505 

library  board,  for  a  number  of  years  presented  the  association,  an- 
nually, a  donation  of  $100  for  the  purchase  of  books,  which,  with 
gifts  of  volumes  from  various  friends,  afforded  the  carefully  chosen 
additions  to  the  library  shelves. 

The  changrc  that  led  to  the  fouiidinji  of  the  jiresent  Free  i'ul)lic 
Library  and  Headiu;:  Kooin  resulted  froin  a  pnijiosal  l)y  tiie  board  of 
the  Quincy  Library,  acted  upon  at  a  meeting  of  the  stockholders  in 
March,  1887.  The  report  of  the  executive  committee  consisting  of 
Joseph  Lyman,  Mrs.  James  R.  Dayton,  Lorenjio  Hull,  and  Cicero  F. 
Perrj-,  was  presented  and  adopted.  This  committee  proposed  that  the 
(Juincy  Library  and  Free  Reading  Room  u.se  their  united  funds  to 
buy  grounds  and  erect  and  ecjuip  a  permanent  building  for  a  free 
public  library  and  reading  room,  on  condition  that  the  city  agree  by 
ordinance  to  appropriate  not  less  than  $5,000  annually  toward  the 
maintenance  of  the  combined  institutions.  The  city  promptly  ac- 
cepted this  proposition  as  set  forth  in  Ordinance  No.  60,  approved  by 
James  M.  Bishop,  mayor.  It  was  estimated  that  the  property,  includ- 
ing the  lot  to  be  bought,  would  amount  to  approximately  $25,000. 
But  through  the  unexpected  generosity  of  leading  citizens,  the  lot  on 
the  southwest  corner  of  Fourth  and  Elaine  streets  was  bought  at  a  cost 
of  over  $12,000,  and  donated  for  a  librarj-  building.  Other  citizens 
contributed  to  the  building  fund,  making  the  value  of  the  property 
over  $40,000.  This  property  was  leased  to  the  City  of  Quincy  for 
a  term  of  ninety-nine  years  by  the  directors  of  the  Quincy  Librarj-  : 
James  N.  Sprigg,  George  W.  Brown,  Lorenzo  Bull,  Cicero  F.  Perry, 
Edmund  B.  i\Iontgomery,  Frederick  W.  Jlcycr,  Robert  "W.  Gardner, 
Cornelia  A.  Collins.  The  corner  stone  of  the  present  building  was 
laid  with  imposing  ceremonies  on  May  31,  1888.  Pupils  of  the  public 
and  parochial  schools  marched,  accompanied  by  their  teachers  and 
pastors.  The  principal  speakers  were  Mr.  Lorenzo  Bull,  representing 
the  Quincy  Librarj',  and  Mrs.  James  R.  Daj'ton,  representing  the 
Free  Reading  Room,  of  which  she  had  been  president  for  nine  years. 
The  5,000  volumes  belonging  to  the  Quincy  Library  were  transferred 
to  the  new  library  building.  The  Free  Reatling  Room  Association 
contributed  their  furniture,  books,  periodicals,  and  bequests  of  monej'. 
The  library  was  opened  to  the  public  on  June  24.  1889.  The  officers 
and  members  of  the  board  of  directors  were:  Charles  H.  Bull,  presi- 
dent ;  Dr.  Joseph  Robbins,  vice  president ;  Chester  A.  Babcock,  secre- 
tary; Herman  Heidbreder,  treasurer;  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Dayton,  Mrs. 
Anna  S.  Woods,  Miss  Louisa  M.  Robbins,  Dr.  Michael  Rooney,  Theo- 
dore  C.   Poling,  directors. 

As  the  years  went  on  the  librarj-  so  increa.sed  in  favor  that  its 
permanent  support  was  assured.  A  transfer  to  the  city  of  the  title  to 
the  librarj'  property  vested  in  the  Quincy  Library  Association  was 
made  in  1908  by  Dr.  Edmund  B.  Montgomery  and  Judge  Cicero 
F.  Pcrrj',  the  onlj-  surviving  members  of  the  trustees  of  the  asso- 
ciation. 


506  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  library  at  the  present  time,  1918,  has  ou  its  shelves  40,000 
volumes,  classified  as  follows:  History,  biogi-aphy,  travel,  8,750; 
sciences,  fine  and  useful  arts,  4,700,  including  a  technical  library  of 
1,000  volumes;  poetry,  drama,  and  essays,  3,750;  philosophy  and 
religion,  1,550 ;  dictionaries,  cyclopedias,  reference  books,  2,000 ;  peri- 
odicals and  newspapers,  6,700;  Government  and  State  publications, 
1,500;  fiction— adult  and  juvenile— 9,900 ;  foreign  languages,  1,150 
volumes.  The  circulation  for  1917  was  187,453  volumes.  The  picture 
collection,  increased  by  art-loving  friends,  contains  6,600  mounted 
prints.  The  musical  department  is  well  supplied  with  works  on  the 
history  and  theory  of  music.  A  good  collection  of  standard  and 
popular  music  is  in  constant  use. 

For  the  past  six  yeai-s  the  collection  of  books  ou  mechanical  and 
industrial  arts  has  occupied  a  room  adjoining  the  main  reading  room 
on  the  second  floor  of  the  building.  This  arrangement  permits  to  those 
desirous  of  information  on  these  subjects  the  use  of  these  books  every 
day  and  evening  in  the  week,  including  Sunday. 

When  the  library  building  was  erected,  a  children 's  room  was  un- 
known in  library  structures.  While  the  space  is  inadequate  for  a 
children 's  room,  still  an  apartment  on  the  main  floor  is  devoted  to  the 
shelving  and  the  distributing  of  juvenile  books.  The  work  for  this 
department  appealed  much  to  Mrs.  James  R.  Dayton,  member  of  the 
boards  of  both  the  Quincy  Library  and  the  Free  Reading  Room.  Miss 
Cornelia  A.  Collins,  whose  mother  left  a  generous  gift  to  the  Free 
Reading  Room,  emulated  in  her  time  the  same  thoughtfuluess,  in 
bequeathing  $500  to  the  children's  department  of  the  Free  Public 
Library. 

The  most  prominent  feature  of  the  institution  is  the  large  and  well 
selected  collection  of  reference  books.  The  establishment  of  this  de- 
partment was  due  mainly  to  the  firm  stand  taken  by  Dr.  Joseph  Rob- 
bins  before  any  purchase  of  books  was  made  for  the  library.  This 
department  had  also  the  warm  support  of  Alderman  Samuel  Harrop, 
a  director  from  1890-1898,  who,  on  the  last  day  of  his  life,  left  a 
bequest  of  $200  as  a  fund  for  the  purchase  of  reference  books.  Mrs. 
Anna  S.  Woods,  the  only  director  in  continual  sei-vice  since  1877,  has 
been  unceasing  in  her  interest  and  work  for  this  important  factor  in 
the  educational  opportunities  of  the  city. 

The  first  directors  were  fortunate  in  securing  the  services  of  Mr. 
Arthur  Wellington  Tyler  (1889t-1892),  a  librarian  of  wide  experience, 
in  organizing  the  library  and  cataloging  its  contents ;  Mr.  James  W. 
Gallaher  (1892-1894),  a  well-known  newspaper  man  of  extensive  read- 
ing, succeeded  Mr.  Tyler;  Mr.  John  Grant  Moulton  (1894-1898),  a 
graduate  of  Harvard  University,  and  of  the  New  York  Library  School, 
builded  on  the  foundation  already  laid,  enlarging  the  various  depart- 
ments and  establishing  methods  which  are  still  continued ;  Miss  Eliza- 
beth B.  Wales  (1898-1902),  of  the  Library  School  of  the  University 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COL'XTY  507 

of  Illinois,  had  much  executive  ability  aud  origiuality  in  technical 
work;  Miss  Margaret  Kingier,  profited  by  the  training  of  her  pre- 
decessors, and  now  successfully  continues  the  work  of  supplying  the 
numerous  needs  of  the  reading  puljlic. 

The  increasing  influence  of  the  library  is  largely  due  to  the  in- 
terest and  efficiency  of  its  presidents:  Mr.  Charles  11.  Bull  (1887- 
1905),  persistent  in  carrying  out  his  ideals  of  a  high  standard  in 
management:  Dr.  J.  U.  Shawgo  (1903-1911),  zealous  in  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  institution  and  quick  to  respond  to  any  emergency.  At 
present  the  library  is  prosperous  under  the  judicious  care  and  clear 
foresight  of  the  president,  jMr.  Homer  M.  Swope. 

The  library  derives  its  revenue  from  an  annual  library  tax  of 
approximately  seven-tenths  of  a  mill.  It  is  governed  by  a  board  of 
directors  of  nine  members,  appointed  by  the  mayor  and  holding  office 
for  three  years.  The  present  officers  are :  Homer  ^1.  Swope,  presi- 
dent; Dr.  L.  II.  A.  Nickerson,  vice  president;  ^Ii-s.  Constance  E.  Ellis, 
secretary;  Mrs.  Anna  S.  "Woods,  Miss  Ella  Randall,  Rev.  John  P. 
Breunan,  W.  H.  ilcMein,  Rev.  H.  J.  Leemhuis,  RoUand  M.  Wagner, 
directors. 

The  library  staff  consists  of  Miss  Margaret  Ringier,  librarian ;  Miss 
Lenore  Wall,  deputy  librarian ;  !Miss  Emma  J.  Christ,  Miss  May 
Quinlivan,  Miss  Katherine  Kolkei",  assistants;  Malcolm  Eddy,  page; 
A.  B.  Ording,  janitor. 

QuiNCY  Gas,  Electric  and  Heating  Company 

The  foundation  of  the  system  devoted  to  the  administration  and 
development  of  the  public  utilities  implied  in  the  title  to  the  company 
above  named  was  laid  in  the  operation  of  the  old  Quincy  Gas  Light 
&  Coke  Company  of  1853.  The  items  comprising  its  early  histon- 
have  been  recorded,  including  the  introduction  of  illuminating  gas  to 
the  people  of  Quincy.  Gov.  John  Wood  was  the  first  president  of 
the  old  company  and  Thomas  Pratt,  superintendent  and  manager.  The 
latter  was  soon  succeeded  by  William  H.  Corley,  who  held  the  office 
until  his  death  in  1875.  From  that  year  until  1898  the  superin- 
tendency  was  held  by  A.  W.  Littleton,  and  he  in  turn  by  H.  E. 
Chubbuck. 

The  Thomson-Houston  Electric  Light  &  Power  Company  was  or- 
tranized  in  1882,  with  Col.  W.  W.  Bern,'  as  president,  and  continued 
in  business  until  consolidated  with  the  other  lighting  plants  in  Quincy 
by  the  McKinley  interests  in  1898.  Besides  the  plant  of  the  Quincy 
Gas  Light  &  Coke  Company,  which  was  of  considerable  size,  there  was 
the  smaller  one  of  the  Empire  Light  &  Power  Company,  which,  for 
three  years,  had  been  under  the  management  of  W.  11.  Shannon,  the 
founder  and  president,  and  of  his  son,  H.  0.  Shannon,  superintendent 
and  manager. 

All  of  these  interests  were  merged  into  the  Quincy  Gas  &  Elec- 


508  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

trie  Company,  which  was,  in  turn  purchased  (in  1903)  by  J.  T.  Lynn 
and  associates  of  Detroit,  with  Mr.  Lynn  as  president  and  H.  0. 
Shannon  as  manager.  They  still  hold  these  positions  on  the  board 
of  the  Quincy  Gas,  Electric  &  Heating  Company.  Dr.  J.  H.  Rice 
has  also  continued  as  vice  president  and  V.  N.  Gurney  as  secretary. 
"Walter  W.  Perkins,  the  secretary  of  1903,  has  been  displaced  by  A. 
L.  Wilkinson. 

Since  the  consolidation,  numerous  extensions  and  improvements 
have  been  made.  These  include  a  large  concrete  coke  bin  and  coal 
shed,  a  gas  holder  of  500,000  feet  capacity,  and  a  water  gas  jet  capable 
of  producing  a  million  feet  daily.  There  are  now  seventy-three  miles 
of  street  mains,  two  high-pressure  lines  running  from  the  works  to 
nearly  12,000  patrons  in  different  districts  of  the  city.  Approxi- 
mately, the  number  of  consumers  is  thus  divided :  Gas  patrons,  7,200 : 
electric,  3,800;  electric  power,  284;  steam  heating,  240.  The  value  of 
the  plant  and  distributing  system  is  about  $4,000,000. 

Local  Systems  of  Transportation 

The  local  transportation  system  of  Quincy  originated  in  the  char- 
ter which  the  Legislature  granted  to  the  Horse  Railway  and  CaiTying 
Company  in  February,  1865,  by  which  that  corporation  should  have 
the  exclusive  privilege  of  operating  horse  railways  in  the  city  for 
a  term  of  fifty  years.  The  original  incorporators  were  Charles  A. 
Savage,  James  W.  Pitman,  Onias  C.  Skinner,  Isaac  C.  Woodruff, 
Hiram  S.  Byington  and  Nehemiah  Bushnell  (president).  In  1867  the 
first  section  of  the  proposed  section  was  built.  It  was  about  a  mile  and 
a  third  in  length,  extending  from  Sixth  and  Maine,  out  North  Fifth 
Street.  In  May,  1869,  a  company  was  formed  consisting  of  Lorenzo 
Bull,  president ;  E.  K.  Stone,  superintendent ;  Charles  H.  Bull,  0.  H. 
Browning  and  the  heirs  of  Nehemiah  Bushnell,  as  parties  in  interest. 
Soon  afterward  the  lines  were  constructed  leading  out  Maine  Street 
from  Sixth  to  the  Fair  Grounds,  about  two  miles  axid  a  quarter,  and 
north  from  Maine  on  Twentieth,  one  mile  (the  Highland  line). 
Substantial  buildings  for  the  car  house  and  stables  were  erected  on 
Twentieth  and  Maine.  These  lines,  with  their  extensions,  were  credit- 
ably operated  for  a  period  of  twenty-four  years,  before  their  motive 
power  (mules)  was  replaced  by  electricity.  They  are  always  de- 
scribed, however,  as  "horse "-power  lines. 

Electricity  came  in  on  New  Year's  day  of  1891,  and  in  1898  the 
McKinley  Syndicate  secured  control  of  the  entire  system.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  the  extensions  made  by  the  new  owners  were  continuous 
and  quite  extensive.  They  included  the  construction  of  lines  on  South 
Fourth  and  on  Broadway  and  the  extension  to  the  Soldiers'  Home 
grounds.  The  McKinley  people  also  added  materially  to  the  extent 
and  quality  of  the  rolling  stock,  built  a  car  barn  at  Twentieth  and 
Hampshire,  with  steam  heating  plant  to  supply  the  office  and  waiting 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COl'NTY  509 

room  at  Twentieth  and  Maine  streets,  and  increa-sed  tlie  operating 
power  of  the  system  by  installing  a  Corliss  engine  and  other  ma- 
chinery. The  electric  lines  as  operated  in  (^uiney  are  well  managed 
both  mechanically  and  financially,  aud  are  invaluable  public  utilities 
and  comfortable  conveniences. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

LITERARY,  REFORMATORY  AND  CHARITABLE 

The  Quincy  Her.\ld — The  Quincy  Whig — Quincy  Germania — The 
QuiNCY  Journal — L^vbor  Publications — Other  Publications — 
Quincy  Press  Club — The  Friends  in  Council — The  Round 
Table — The  Atlantis  Club — The  Study  and  Tuesday  Study 
Clubs — Quincy  Women's  Forum — Three  Arts  Club — Quincy 
Historical  Society  —  Centenni.\l  Celebrations  —  Women's 
Christian  Temperance  Union — The  Assocl\ted  Charities — The 
Cheerful  Home  Settlement — Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
CL\Ti0N — Quincy  Humane  Society  and  Henry  P.  W^vlton — 
Young  Women's  Christian  Association — Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution — Adams  County  Red  Cross  CHiVPTER — 
Homes  and  Hospitals — First  Orphanage  op  Quincy — The  Wood- 
land Home — St.  Vincent  Home  for  the  Aged — St.  Mary  's,  the 
First  Hospitai. — Lindsay  Church  Home — The  Blessing  Hos- 
piTMr — The  Anna  BRO^vN  Home — Old  People's  Home  (Das  Al- 
tenheim) — Detention  Home. 

Probably  no  city  of  its  size  in  Illinois  has  been  the  center  of 
a  more  active  and  productive  intellectual  and  philanthropic  life  than 
Quincy.  This  has  been  so  shot  with  the  elements  of  both  radicalism 
and  conservatism  as  to  have  a  wide  and  strong  influence  on  state 
and  national  thought.  The  Quincy  newspapers  and  the  local  leaders 
in  the  higher  activities  gave  the  city  an  early  standing  as  a  forum  for 
debate  and  agitation  of  the  Mormon  and  Slavery  questions,  in  which 
both  sides  to  the  controversies  might  be  assured  ' '  fair  play, ' '  if  they 
violated  no  law  themselves.  During  the  period  of  the  Civil  war 
Quincy  was  a  most  important  strategic  point  both  in  the  military 
operations  against  the  Confederacy,  as  well  as  in  the  vigorous  fight 
waged  by  the  press  of  the  Upper  Mississippi  Valley.  Its  newspapers 
were  among  the  pioneers  of  the  West  and  they  have  never  lost  their 
youthful  vitality  and  persistency  either  in  attack  or  defense. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  Quincy 's  literarj^  and  reformatory  clubs, 
its  charitable  movements  and  institutions,  chiefly  founded,  main- 
tained and  developed  by  its  high-minded  and  cultured  women.  The 
Friends  in  Council  is  the  oldest  literary  and  social  club  of  women 
in  the  West  and  the  famous  Sorosis,  of  New  York,  is  the  only  organiza- 
tion of  the  kind  which  antedates  it  in  the  United  States. 

510 


QULNCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY  511 

The  Quincy  Herald 

The  Herald  represents  the  direct  successor  of  the  first  newspaper 
to  be  established  in  Adams  County  and  one  of  the  pioneer  ventures 
of  the  kind  in  the  ilississippi  Valley.  Its  original  progenitor,  the 
founder  of  the  tribe  of  newspapers  in  this  section  of  the  state,  was 
the  Bountj'  Land  Register,  first  issued  April  17,  1835,  to  advertise  the 
merits  (only)  of  the  3,500,000  acres  of  public  lands  in  the  state  be- 
tween the  Illinois  and  the  Mississippi  rivers  allotted  to  the  soldiers 
of  the  War  of  1812.  This  comprehended  about  three-fifths  of  the 
entire  tract,  and  it  was  decreed  by  Congress  that  no  land  should  be 
sold  by  the  Government  lying  in  the  section  named  until  all  lx)unties 
to  the  soldiers  should  be  paid.  The  Bounty  Land  Register  therefore 
had  a  large  task  before  it.  Its  columns  were  devoted  to  descriptions 
of  the  beauties  and  jjractical  values  of  the  bounty  lands,  and  it  carried 
all  kinds  of  advertisements,  including  those  noting  delinquent  land 
sales  in  Knox,  Fulton  and  Hancock  counties.  Later,  of  course,  with 
more  general  settlements  and  the  establishment  of  newspapers  in  the 
adjacent  counties,  the  character  of  the  Register  became  changed  and, 
while  its  business  sphere  was  contracted,  its  news  and  editorial  scope 
was  broadened.  As  the  early  files  of  the  Register  were  destroyed  by 
fire,  the  authority  for  the  date  of  its  first  issue  rests  upon  the  testi- 
mony of  Capt.  Henry  Asbury  in  his  "Reminiscences." 

The  original  publishers  of  the  Bounty  Land  Register  were  C.  M. 
^Yoods  and  Dunbar  Aldrich,  who  were  both  practical  printers,  as- 
sisted in  the  editorial  department  by  Judge  Richard  Young.  At  the 
time  it  was  issued,  there  were  two  other  newspapers  published  in 
Illinois — the  Springfield  Journal,  the  first  number  of  which  appeared 
Xovember  10,  1831,  and  the  Galena  Gazette,  established  in  1834. 

On  November  15,  1836,  one  week  after  the  election  of  ]Martin  Van 
Buren  as  President  of  the  United  States,  the  paper  was  transferred  to 
John  H.  Pettit,  of  Cincinnati,  and  became  the  Quincy  Argus  and  Illi- 
nois Bounty  Land  Register.  Editor  Pettit  immediately  got  busy  and 
declared  that  in  ten  years  Quincy  would  be  the  largest  city  in  the 
Mississippi  Valley  with  the  exception  of  St.  Louis;  but,  although  it 
did  double  within  the  decade.  Galena  and  Dubuque  had  forged  ahead 
of  it,  and  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis  were  just  getting  into  view  as 
straggling  villages  with  rather  jidiculous  ambitions. 

In  1841,  after  laboring  along  for  nearly  five  years  under  the 
burden  of  its  name,  the  Quincy  Argus  and  Bounty  Land  Register 
was  changed  in  title  to  simply.  The  Herald.  It  was  first  issued  as 
a  daily  paper  in   1850. 

Since  The  Herald  became  a  daily  paper  in  the  middle  of  the  last 
century,  the  paper  has  taken  the  leadership  in  the  forming  of  the 
opinion  of  the  community  on  the  many  momentous  questions  which 
have  come  before  the  country  and  particularly  before  the  people  of 
Quincy  and  Adams  County.  During  this  time  also  the  ownership 
has  changed  many  times  and  with  almost  every  transfer  of  owner- 


512  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ship  there  came  also  a  change  in  editorial  control.  One  of  the  most 
famous  of  the  editors  of  The  Herald  during  the  early  years  of  its 
existence  as  a  daily  paper  was  xVustin  Brooks  whose  editorial  expres- 
sions made  him  and  his  paper  widely  quoted  throughout  the  country. 

The  Quincy  Herald  Company  was  incorporated  on  June  25,  1S90, 
by  the  three  men  who  previously  had  been  partners  in  its  ownership, 
George  E.  Doying  of  Jacksonville,  William  H.  Hinrichsen  of  Quincy, 
and  Warren  Case  of  Quincy.  Shortly  after  the  forming  of  the  cor- 
poration, the  stock  was  sold  to  Mrs.  Ida  R.  Morris,  whose  sons,  Isaac 
N.  and  Joseph  R.  Morris,  were  placed  in  charge  of  the  paper's  business 
and  editorial  management.  The  Morris  brothers  held  the  stock  of  the 
company  about  a  year  and  on  September  23,  1891,  the  ownership  of 
the  companj'  was  taken  over  by  Charles  L.  Miller,  Edmund  M.  Bots- 
ford  and  Hedley  J.  Eaton,  all  of  Rockford,  Illinois.  Ever  since  the 
purchase  of  the  paper  by  these  three  men  The  Herald  has  grown 
steadily  in  influence,  journalistic  standards  and  material  equipment. 
Mr.  Miller  remained  in  Quincy  but  a  short  time  and  on  his  return  to 
Rockford  the  editorial  direction  of  the  paper  was  taken  over  by  Ed- 
mund il.  Botsford.  Mr.  Eaton  was  the  business  manager.  These  two 
men  remained  as  the  active  managers  of  The  Herald  almost  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  Mr.  Eaton  and  Mr.  Botsford  retired  from  active  par- 
ticipation in  the  management  of  the  paper  several  years  ago,  but  Mr 
Eaton  personally  and  Mr.  Botsford 's  estate  still  retain  important 
financial  holdings  in  the  corporation.  Mr.  Botsford  died  January 
8,  1918,  after  many  years  of  unusual  usefulness  as  a  leader  in  the  form- 
ing of  the  opinion  of  the  community. 

In  1909  Ray  M.  Oakley,  who  had  learned  the  Herald  thoroughly 
by  many  years  of  experience  in  the  business  office  of  the  company, 
was  admitted  as  a  member  of  the  corporation.  In  1914  Charles  F. 
Eichenauer,  who  likewise  had  served  a  thorough  apprenticeship  in 
the  editorial  rooms,  also  became  a  stockholder  and  officer  of  the  com- 
pany. The  present  officers  of  The  Quincy  Herald  Company  are: 
Charles  P.  Eichenauer,  president;  Hedley  J.  Eaton,  vice  president; 
Ray  JI.  Oakley,  secretary  and  trea.surer.  John  D.  Eaton,  who  was 
treasurer  of  the  company  for  several  years  and  still  retains  an  in- 
terest in  it,  is  serving  in  the  army  of  the  United  States  at  the  present 
time.  The  men  active  in  the  management  of  the  paper  are  Ray  M. 
Oakley,  who  is  the  business  manager,  and  Charles  F.  Eichenauer,  who 
is  the  managing  editor.  The  present  stockholders  are  Hedley  J.  Eaton, 
the  E.  M.  Botsford  estate,  Mrs.  Carolina  Botsford,  Ray  M.  Oakley. 
Charles  F.  Eichenauer,  John  D.  Eaton,  and  ilrs.  Katherine  Botsford 
Gay. 

Two  important  events  in  the  history  of  The  Herald  are  the  change 
from  a  morning  to  an  evening  newspaper  on  June  19,  1893,  and 
moving  in  1907  from  an  old  and  inadequatelj'  equipped  office  to  the 
present  complete  home  of  its  own  on  "Herald  Square"  on  Fifth  and 
Jersey  streets,   a   building  unique   in   architecture   which,   with   its 


QLIXCV  AM)  ADA.MS  (OIXTV  513 

beautiful  lawn,  is  oni-  of  the  down  town  attractions  of  tlic  (.-ity.  The 
c'luipuiont  ineludes  six  of  tlie  latest  improved  typesetting  machines 
and  a  Goss  perfecting  press  having  a  capacity  for  thirty-two  pages. 

The  Qlincy  Whig 

The  fii-st  number  of  the  Quiiicy  Wlii^  was  issued  May  ">,  1838,  with 
Maj.  II.  V.  Sullivan  as  proprietor  and  i)ul)lislier  and  N.  Bushnell  and 
A.  Johnson,  two  young  lawyers,  as  editors.  In  the  following  August, 
S.  M.  Rartlett.  who  had  previdusly  edited  a  paper  at  Galena,  as.so- 
eiated  himself  with  Major  Sullivan  as  a  partner  and  sole  editor,  and 
thus  continued  until  his  death  on  September  6,  1851,  at  the  age  of 
thirty-eipht  years.  John  T.  Morton  purehaseil  the  interest  of  the 
deccaseil  partner  and  editor,  and  the  tirm  of  .Morton  &  Sullivan  con- 
ducted the  paper  until  1854,  when  Henrj'  Young  as.soeiated  himself 
with  Major  Sullivan.  The  first  Daily  Whig  was  issued  March  22, 
1852,  as  a  six-column  sheet.  On  the  death  of  Mr.  Young  in  1855,  V. 
Y.  Ralston  assumed  the  interest  of  the  former,  and  Jlorton  &  Ralston 
eonduetod  the  business  until  August,  1856,  when  F.  S.  Giddings  be- 
came a  copartner,  but  both  he  and  Mr.  Ralston  retired  in  the  follow- 
ing year. 

In  March,  1858,  the  Quincy  Republican,  which  had  iieen  in  ex- 
istence about  a  year,  was  absorbed  by  the  Whig,  and  ilorton  & 
Dallam  (F.  A.),  Mr.  Dallam  formerly  proprietor  of  the  Republican, 
conducted  the  consolidated  newspaper,  as  the  Whig  and  Republican 
until  the  following  year.  In  the  fall  of  1860  ;\Ir.  Dallam  withdrew. 
James  J.  Langdon  was  part,  or  sole  proprietor  from  1860  to  1868,  the 
evening  paper  being  first  issued  April  9,  1860.  Charles  Holt  obtained 
a  half  int^-re-st  in  June.  1864.  and  in  the  spring  of  1868  Messrs. 
Hailhache  &  Phillips  purchased  the  business  and  plant,  engaging  Paul 
Selby  as  editor.  It  came  out  as  a  morning  ]iaper  in  October  of  that 
year.  In  May,  1860.  the  property  was  transferred  to  the  Quincy  Whig 
Company,  Mr.  Bailhachc  continuing  as  business  manager  and  Mr. 
Selb.v  as  editor,  until  October  of  that  year.  From  October,  1869,  to 
June,  1871,  Gen.  John  Tillson  was  editor-in-chief  of  the  Whig,  and 
from  that  time  until  February,  1873,  -Mr.  Selby  acted  as  editor  and 
manager.  Porter  Smith  came  into  possession  during  February,  1873, 
and  in  the  following  month  the  Whig  dropped  its  morning  edition  and 
resumed  its  evening  issue.  On  January  1,  1874.  Daniel  Wilcox,  one  of 
the  former  publishers  of  the  Milwaukee  Sentinel,  pnrcha.scd  the  Whig 
and  subsequently  his  two  sons.  C.  A.  and  David  F.  Wilcox,  were  re- 
ceived into  i)artnership.  At  the  death  of  the  senior  proprietor  May 
19,  1878,  the  latter  liecame  owners  and  publishers.  X.  0.  Perkins  had 
been  managing  editor  since  January,  1874. 

In  July.  18!)8,  .Messrs.  Wilcox  sold  to  a  stock  company,  Louis  F. 
Schaefer  becoming  business  manager  and  II.  JI.  McMein.  managing 
editor.  In  October  of  that  year  Robert  Ransom  and  John  H.  Kills 
bought  the  stock  of  the  company,  and  in  February,  18J;),  the  latter 

Vol.  1—33 


514  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

became  sole  proprietor.  He  continued  as  such  until  his  death  in 
March,  1903.  From  that  time  until  the  sale  of  the  publication  to  the 
present  owners,  the  Whig  Company,  Mrs.  Anna  M.  Ellis,  widow  of 
John  B.,  was  continuously  its  president  and  the  publisher  of  the  paper. 
The  editorship  of  the  Whig  during  most  of  the  time  from  its  pur- 
chase in  1899  until  the  transfer  to  the  present  owners  in  December, 
1915,  was  held  by  Perry  C.  Ellis.  Mr.  Ellis  resigned  in  1911  to 
establish  the  Mississippi  Valley  Magazine,  now  the  Mississippi  Valley 
Farm  News.  He  was  succeeded  by  William  C.  Pringle  as  editor,  who 
held  the  chair  for  about  two  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Arthur 
Jl.  Brown,  who  retired  about  the  time  the  present  management  as- 
sumed ownership.  The  Whig  Company,  as  now  constituted,  consists 
of  the  following:  A.  0.  Lindsay,  president  and  manager;  R.  C.  Par- 
rish,  secretary;  E.  B.  Kuesink,  treasurer;  Robert  Switzer,  managing 
editor. 

The  Quincy  Germ.\nia 

The  Quincy  Germania,  wJiich  publishes  both  a  daily  and  a  weekly 
edition,  was  established  in  1874  as  the  successor  of  the  Westliehe 
Press  and  Tribune.  Its  editor  was  Dr.  G.  C.  Hof¥man  and  he  con- 
tinued as  such  until  his  death  January  4,  1888,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Henry  Bornmann  who  had  been  his  assistant  editor.  Mr. 
Bornmann  continued  as  such  for  many  years.  In  1895  Fred  C.  Klene 
succeeded  Henry  Ording,  Jr.,  as  business  manager,  and  still  holds 
that  position. 

The  Quincy  Journal 

The  Quincy  Journal  was  founded  September  11,  1883,  by  Hiram 
N.  Wheeler.  In  1889  the  owners  of  the  Journal  purchased  the 
Quincy  News,  which  was  consolidated  with  the  Journal.  Mr.  Wheeler 
continued  as  publisher,  editor  and  owner  of  the  Journal  until  his 
death,  September  3,  1916.  According  to  his  will  the  Journal  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  trustees  to  manage  for  their  heirs.  Mr. 
Wheeler,  the  founder  of  the  publication,  began  his  newspaper  career 
in  1871,  as  correspondent  of  the  Elgin  (111.)  Advocate;  in  1871  and 
1872  was  correspondent  of  the  Chicago  Tribune;  in  1873,  with  two 
others,  he  purchased  the  St.  Charles  (111.)  Transcript  and  changed 
its  name  to  the  Northern  Granger  and  in  1875  to  the  St.  Charles 
Leader;  in  1878  he  moved  the  Leader  to  Elgin  and  made  it  a  daily. 
In  1881  Mr.  Wheeler  edited  the  Pekin  Times  and  later  in  the  same 
year  came  to  Quincy  and,  with  Frank  Mc^laster,  bought  the  Quincy 
Herald.  Later  he  sold  the  Herald,  and  established  the  Journal  in 
1883.  He  was  recognized  as  a  fearless  newspaper  writer,  always 
leaving  his  impress  on  the  papers  he  edited. 


t^riNX'Y  AM)  ADAMS  (OINTV  515 

Labor  Publications 

Tlie  Journal  of  liulustry,  published  ami  edited  i).v  Ficd  1'.  Taylor 
since  1885,  when  he  established  it,  is  the  veteran  in  this  field. 

The  Quiney  Labor  News  wa.s  founded  in  lSfi;{.  ^V.  H.  IlnlTiiian 
purchased  it  in  November,  18'J7,  and  in  the  following  January  was 
incorporated  the  HolTman  Printing  Company. 

The  Labor  Advocate  was  established  a  number  of  years  ag^  by 
II.  L'.  Distelhorst,  and  is  still  owned  and  nianafrcd  by  the  family. 
Clarence  Obrock  is  its  editor. 

Other  Publications 

A.  Otis  Arnold  issues  a  number  of  publications  from  his  print- 
ing plant,  of  which  he  is  sole  proprietor.  These  include  the  Poultry 
Keeper,  the  Record  (established  in  1897),  the  Home  Instructor  and 
the  Illinois  Farmer. 

Perry  C.  Ellis  publishes  and  edits  the  .Mississippi  Valley  Maga- 
zine, which  he  founded  in  1911,  and  the  Farm  News,  now  the  official 
medium  of  the  Adams  Comity  P'arin  Improvement  Association,  which 
he  established  in  1!)15. 

The  Reliable  Poultry  Journal  was  established  in  March,  1894,  and 
has  been  continuously  published  by  an  incorporated  company  under 
that  name  (the  Reliable  Poultry  Journal  Publishing  Company).  The 
officers  of  the  corporation  are  as  follows:  Dr.  0.  II.  Crandall,  presi- 
dent ;  F.  L.  Bradford,  vice  president,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

QuiNCY  Press  Club 

In  connection  with  the  local  newspapers,  not<?  should  be  made  of 
the  formation  of  the  Quincy  I'ress  Club  in  February,  1918.  About 
a  score  of  new.spaper  men  attended  and  letters  of  regret  were  read 
from  several  unable  to  be  present,  who  applied  for  meml)ership.  The 
organization  effected  was  as  follows:  J.  J.  Linton,  of  the  Herald, 
president;  Truman  T.  Pierson,  of  the  (Quincy  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, secretary. 

TnE  Friends  in  Council 

Because  the  founding  and  the  development  of  the  Friends  in 
Council  were  so  natural,  the  organization  took  firm  root  and  its  name 
and  influence  has  spread  abroad  in  a  remarkable  manner.  At  dif- 
ferent ]>eriods  of  its  more  than  fifty  years  of  life  and  work,  fourteen 
literary  and  social  a.ssoeiations  of  women  in  other  sections  of  the 
United  States  have  become  Friends  in  (^ouncil :  and  the  name  seems 
to  have  Ikk-ohic  a  talisman  for  congeniality,  efficiency  and  perinaneney. 
The  Quincy  Iwdy  has  a  special  claim  to  historical  distinction,  as  in 
1878  it  occupied  a  pretty  little  building  in  the  garden  of  a  resident 


516  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  the  cit.y  (]\Irs.  Sarah  A.  Denniaii),  which  represented  the  first  elub 
house  owned  by  a  women's  organization  in  the  United  States. 

The  origin  of  the  Quincy  Friends  in  Council  dates  from  November 
16,  1866,  when  twelve  ladies  met  at  the  residence  of  ilrs.  Denman 
on  Broadway  for  the  purpose  of  reading  "The  History  of  the  Rise  and 
Influence  of  Rationalism  in  Europe,"  by  Leeky.  This  course  of  six- 
teen weeks  was  followed  by  the  reading  and  discussion  of  Lydia  M. 
Child's  "Progress  of  Religious  Ideas,"  and  subsequently  Plato, 
Epictetus  and  other  world-famed  authors  had  their  weeks  of  studj- 
and  absorption.  It  became  evident  that  the  society  had  vitality,  and 
on  February  16,  1869,  eighteen  of  the  members  met  in  the  Quincy 
Female  Seminary  to  formally  organize  under  the  name,  Friends  in 
Council.  In  the  spring,  meetings  were  held  in  Mr.  Denman 's  office 
and  later  in  the  library  of  the  seminary.  Even  before  the  organiza- 
tion had  been  formally  effected,  the  spirit  of  tolerance  and  a  liberality 
of  attitude  toward  diverse  opinions,  had  been  naturally  developed 
among  the  members,  and  no  society  ever  adopted  a  name  which  better 
expressed  this  Christian  viewpoint.  The  courses  of  study,  as  faith- 
fully followed  from  year  to  year,  were  so  broad  in  their  scope  that 
it  would  be  impossible  to  review  them  in  this  sketch.  The  active 
membership  is  limited  to  thirty-five,  and  it  is  alwaj's  full. 

The  doors  of  Friends  in  Council  were  three  times  opened  to  admit 
the  Angel  of  Death,  during  the  first  decade  of  its  existence.  Mrs. 
Susan  Strong  Dow  passed  from  earth  on  New  Year's  day  of  1872. 
Mrs.  Eliza  A.  Paullin  died  on  March  3,  1876,  and  Mrs.  Louise  N. 
Robbins  on  the  16th  of  the  same  month.  The  latter  had  held  the 
office  of  treasurer  of  the  society  for  a  number  of  years. 

For  thirty-seven  years  the  Friends  in  Council  met  in  their  club 
house  in  Mrs.  Denman 's  garden.  In  1882,  four  years  after  taking 
possession  of  their  pretty  home,  its  donor  and  the  founder  of  the  club 
passed  from  the  earthly  sight  of  her  friends.  In  May.  1915,  the  elub 
house,  which  had  to  be  moved,  was  placed  on  the  grounds  of  the 
Historical  Society  as  a  suitable  building  to  be  thus  honored.  The 
Friends  in  Council  became  a  regularly  incorporated  body  under  the 
laws  of  the  state  on  August  26,  1875. 

An  impoi'tant  event  which  occurred  in  1895  should  be  recorded. 
At  that  time,  in  accord  with  the  recommendation  of  the  General 
Federation  of  "Women's  Clubs,  Friends  in  Council  adopted  as  the 
date  of  its  founding  November  16,  1866,  instead  of  1869.  when  the 
society  was  formally  organized.  This  was  held  by  the  Federation  in 
harmonj'  with  the  methods  of  reckoning  followed  by  other  clubs. 

On  October  5,  1915,  a  reunion  was  held  in  the  dear  old  club  house 
which  had  been  safely  moved  to  the  grounds  of  the  Historical  Society, 
comprising  the  historic  Wood  estate.  Upon  that  occasion  gifts  wei"e 
made  in  memory  of  early  members,  congratulations  from  absent  ones 
were  read,  and  in  an  hour  of  happy  social  communion  the  building 
was  re-dedicated.  In  the  following  year,  which  marked  the  golden 
anniversary  of  the  birth  of  the  society,  a  beautiful  bronze  tablet,  the 


Sak.mi  Atwatku  Denman 


518 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


gift  of  absent  friends,  commemorating  the  year  when  the  club  house 
was  presented  to  Friends  in  Council  by  Sarah  Atwater  Denman,  as 
well  as  that  in  which  it  was  founded,  was  placed  upon  the  building. 
Commencing  with  1866,  ilrs.  Sarah  Denman  served  as  pi-esident 
of  the  Friends  in  Council  for  a  period  of  five  years ;  Mrs.  C.  H.  Bull, 
two  years;  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Sellby,  Mrs.  Almira  Morton,  Mrs.  Helen 
Parker,  Mrs.  Agnes  Baldwin  and  'Sirs.  Cornelia  Marsh,  one  year  each ; 
Mrs.  Anna  B.  McMalean,  six  years ;  Miss  Mary  Burgess,  two  years ; 
Mrs.  J.  R.  Wallace,  one  year ;  Mrs.  S.  H.  Dana,  six  years ;  Mrs.  Edward 
J.  Parker,  three  years;  Miss  Maiy  Ball,  two  years;  Mrs.  J.  S.  Bacon, 
two  years;  Mrs.  William  McFadow,  Miss  Julia  Deane,  Mrs.  C.  A. 
Babcock,  I\Irs.  J.  W.  Emery,  Miss  Jane  Fisk,  Mrs.  George  Janes  and 
Mrs.  Rosalind  B.  Hammitt,  one  year  each ;  Mrs.  Frank  Crane,  two 


First  Woman's  Club  House  in  America 

years;  Mrs.  George  Cottrell  and  .Mrs.  Robert  White,  one  year  each; 
aijd  Mrs.  Edward  Fawcett,  three  years. 

The  Round  Table 


Balzac  said  that  when  man  had  civilized  all  else,  woman  would 
be  the  last  to  be  civilized  by  him.  On  the  fifth  day  of  May,  1880,  a 
coterie  of  women,  who  were  looking  forward  to  high  things,  as  well  as 
the  betterment  of  themselves,  and  realizing,  according  to  the  famous 
French  author,  what  a  heavy  responsibility  rested  upon  man,  felt 
that  it  was  time  to  divide  the  burden  with  him.  They  therefore  met 
in  the  club  room  of  the  Friends  in  Council,  under  the  direction  of 
Miss  Chapin,  for  many  years  a  faithful  teacher  in  Quincy,  and  or- 
ganized the  Round  Table.  The  club  idea  was  then  in  its  infancy  and 
to  most  of  the  women  the  work  they  were  called  upon  to  do  was  quite 
new. 

The  original  plan  was  for  study  and  mental  culture,  rather  than 


QUIN'CY  AND  ADAMS  COINTV  519 

for  the  development  of  woniaii  as  a  practical  power  l)cliind  the  great 
movements  which  are  agitating  and  directing  the  world.  The  earlier 
years  were  devoted  to  the  stnd.v  of  history,  art  and  literature:  some- 
times with  a  text  book  as  guide.  The  constitution  of  the  Initcd 
States  and  American  inventions  were  taken  up;  Thackery's  "Henry 
Esmond"  and  its  sc(|ucl.  the  "Virginians,"  including  the  Englisii 
history  of  that  period  and  the  colonial  days  of  America.  The  e.xjjan- 
sion  of  America,  of  Greece  and  the  Greeks,  was  di.scus.sed  and  elabor- 
ated; years  of  delightful  travel  were  taken  through  the  courses  offered, 
and  modern  literature  was  jjroffcred  in  all  its  phases.  While  the 
Round  Table  is  still  a  literary  club,  as  the  years  have  pas.sed  it  has 
assumed  to  do  its  share  in  handling  affairs  which  concern  the  practical 
matters  of  the  day,  and  its  committees  on  music,  education,  piiilan- 
thropy  and  household  economics  work  along  their  respective  lines  in 
connection  with  the  policies  of  the  State  Federation.  Travelling  li- 
braries have  been  sent  to  some  of  tiie  outlying  schools  that  were 
far  distant  from  the  public  library. 

The  membership  of  the  Round  Table  is  limited  to  thirty-five 
(actual  membership,  thirty-three).  Of  that  nundier  ilrs.  W.  H. 
Govert  is  a  charter  member.  The  presidents  of  the  club,  in  succes- 
sion, have  been  Mi's.  David  Wilco.x,  ]Mrs.  George  Wells.  Jliss  Carrie 
Burge-ss,  Jlrs.  Seymour  Castle,  :\Irs.  W.  L.  Willis,  Mrs.  W.  II.  Govert. 
Mrs.  W.  S.  Flack,  Mrs.  Henry  Hatch,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Philbrick,  Mrs.  James 
Parkins,  ]\Iiss  Cora  Briiiton,  Mis.s  Jennie  McClelland,  Jlrs.  Charles 
Demick,  Mrs.  jrarcellus  Kirtley,  Jlrs.  W.  II.  Alexander.  Miss  Louisa 
Robbins.  Mrs.  J.  :\I.  Welch,  ilrs.  J.  H.  Clark,  :Mrs.  E.  J.  Taylor,  Mrs. 
W.  H.  Govert  and  Mrs.  C.  A.  Cox.  The  secretaries:  Miss  Helen  Wil- 
liamson, :\Irs.  Charles  Pratt,  Mrs.  W.  L.  Willis,  :Mrs.  W.  H.  Powcn. 
Miss  Cora  Brinton,  Miss  Jennie  Gatchell,  Mrs.  Helen  Tunier,  Jliss 
Mary  Jarrett,  Miss  Jennie  McClelland.  ]\rrs.  Charles  Dimick.  Mrs. 
James  Parkins.  Miss  Ollie  Ncwland,  ]\Irs.  Elmer  Cham]),  Mi-s.  Carl 
Knittel,  Mrs.  C.  II.  .\llard,  Mrs.  F.  M.  Pendleton  and  ilrs.  J.  L. 
Thoma.s.  The  present  meeting  jtlace  of  the  Round  Table  is  the  third 
story  tower  room  of  the  public  library. 

The  Atl.\ntis  Club 

The  organization  of  the  Atlantis  was  the  result  of  a  happy  thought 
of  the  late  Jlrs.  Sarah  Penman,  of  Quincy,  who  called  a  meeting  at 
the  rooms  of  the  Fh-iciids  in  Council  on  January  16,  1880.  Thirty- 
three  ladies  were  pre.sent  to  form  the  Atlantis  Club  for  "mutual  im- 
provement." The  motto  "Do  thy  work  and  reinforce  thyself"  has 
appeared  upon  its  progrannne  books  year  after  y<-ar,  and  has  ever 
been  an  unfailing  inspiration.  The  Atlantis  presidents  have  been 
as  follows:  Mrs.  Charlos  W.  Keyes.  Miss  Alice  Dayton.  Mrs.  Anna 
S.  Woods,  Mrs.  Anna  L.  Parker.  Mrs.  Susan  Tibbctts.  Mrs.  Carrie  S. 
Castle,  Mrs.  Aimie  F.  Guinan,  Mrs.  E.  F.  Bradford,  Mrs.  L.-ila  K. 
"White,  Miss  Ida  C.  Stewart,  iMrs.  L.  B.  Boswell,  Mrs.  Anne  .1.  Wood. 


520  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Miss  Mary  E.  Stone,  Mrs!  G.  P.  Behrensmeyer,  Mrs.  E.  M.  Botsforcl, 
Mrs.  G.  A.  Wall,  Mrs.  Myra  Wilcox  Shawgo.  The  membership 
of  the  club  is  limited  to  thirty-five,  there  generally  being  a  waiting 
list. 

The  subjects  of  study  have  had  a  wide  range,  embracing  a  course 
in  modern  science  and  especially  the  discoveries  and  developments 
since  the  early  '80s.  Then  followed  physical  geography  and  poetry, 
topical  history,  mental  physiology,  Shakespeare's  ti'agedies,  the  classic 
drama,  and  a  year  each  of  George  Eliot,  Victor  Hugo  and  Robert 
Browning ;  a  study  of  government,  followed  by  French  art,  two  years ; 
the  Nineteenth  Century  American  Literature ;  France,  two  years ; 
Russia,  the  Orient,  English  History  and  Chronicle,  Plays  of  Shake- 
speare, three  j-ears.  These  courses  were  followed  by  six  years  of 
English  literature,  modern  European  drama  and  a  study  of  the  Old 
Testament  as  literature,  and  the  present  year's  study  of  Latin 
America. 

The  Study  Club 

The  Study  Club  of  Quincy  was  formed  about  1891,  at  the  home 
of  Mrs.  F.  T.  Hill  on  Broadway.  That  has  continuously  been  the 
meeting  place.  The  organization  has  always  been  a  parlor  club,  with 
never  more  than  a  dozen  members,  and  it  has  confined  its  work  to 
the  study  of  history,  art  and  literature.  The  founder  and  first  presi- 
dent of  the  club  was  Mrs.  Heni-y  Root,  the  wife  of  Mrs.  Hill's  father. 
Its  second  president  was  Mrs.  John  M.  Glover;  its  third,  Mrs.  W.  L. 
Vandeventer;  its  fourth,  ilrs.  Aleck  Sholl,  and  its  fifth  and  last,  Mrs. 
F.  T.  Hill,  who  is  now  serving  her  twenty-first  year.  The  first  vice 
president  is  Mrs.  D.  F.  (Emma  H.)  Wilcox;  the  second  \ace  president, 
Mrs.  A.  W.  (Helen  E.)  Turner;  secretary  and  treasurer,  Mrs.  T.  D. 
(Frances  E.)  Woodruff.  Besides  the  meetings  for  study,  the  club 
always  has  two  picnics — one  indoors,  during  January  or  February, 
and  one  out-of-doors  in  June. 

The  Tuesd.vy  Study  Club 

This  organization  was  effected  in  1910.  and  for  six  years  was 
known  as  the  Study  Club  Junior.  During  that  period  Mrs.  Mui'phy 
served  as  president,  Mrs.  Sophia  T.  Sullivan  as  vice  president  and 
Miss  jMary  L.  Shultheis  as  secretary.  In  1916  the  name  was  changed 
to  the  Tuesday  Study  Club.  Mrs.  Sullivan  served  as  president  from 
1916  to  1917,  with  Mrs.  A.  H.  Sohm  as  vice  president  and  Miss  Helen 
Shultheis  as  secretary.  From  1917  to  1918  Mi's.  A.  H.  Sohm  served 
as  president,  with  Mrs.  Frank  Alexander  as  vice  president  and  ilrs. 
Sullivan  as  secretary.  The  membership  is  limited  to  twelve.  The 
object  of  the  club  is  study,  as  well  as  general  improvement  along 
the  practical  lines  which  net  the  lives  of  modern  women.  During 
the  period  of  its  existence  the  members  have  devoted  their  time  to 


Qri.XCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY  521 

the  study  of  history,  art  and  literature  of  various  eountries,  including 
Egrypt,  Japan,  Iniiia,  France  and  the  United  States. 

QuiNCY  Women's  Forum 

A  few  enthusiastic  women  met  iu  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  rooms 
on  April  7,  1916,  and  appointed  Mrs.  Anna  Jarrett  Wood  temporary 
chairman  of  the  orjraiiization,  after  which  was  discussed  the  (jucstion 
"Shall  we  have  a  women's  organization?"  A  motion  to  that  ettVct 
was  finally  carried  unanimously,  subsequently  the  constitution  and 
by-laws  of  the  "Quincy  Women's  Forum"  was  adopted  and  (May 
lltlil  the  folldwinfi  officers  were  elected:  President,  Mrs.  Anna 
Wood ;  vice  president,  Miss  Julia  Sibley :  recording  secretary,  Mrs. 
Ray  Oakley;  corresponding  seeretar.v.  Miss  Helen  Osborn ;  treasurer, 
Mrs.  Dan  Hoover.  As  stated  in  its  constitution,  the  primary  object 
of  the  Forum  "shall  be  the  study  of  ])ul)lic  issues."  The  courses 
are  divided  into  the  dc])artnients  of  civics,  legislation,  education, 
social  and  industrial,  and  ]iiirliainentary  law,  each  department  under 
the  direction  of  a  chairman.  It  was  resolved  to  hold  the  meetings 
in  the  Chamber  of  Commcrc<^  rooms.  \o  changes  in  the  original 
officers  have  occurred  except  in  the  secretaryships,  Mrs.  Lefiingwell 
succeeding  Miss  Osborn  as  corresponding  secretary  in  1917,  and  Mrs. 
John  F.  Garner,  following  Mrs.  Oakley  as  recording  seeretarj-  in  1918. 

Three  Art  Clubs 

The  youngest  organization  effected  by  tlic  women  of  Quincy  is  the 
Three  Arts  Club,  formed  in  September,  1916.  ^lusic,  Art  and  Litera- 
ture are  the  subjects  embraced  in  its  coui-ses,  which  are  outlined  bj' 
Dr.  W.  W.  Lauder.  The  membership  of  the  club  is  limited  to  eighteen, 
and  its  meetings  are  lield  in  St.  Mary's  Academy.  Miss  Helen  ITcintz 
is  president  of  the  dub;  .Mrs.  Rudolj)h,  vice  president;  Miss  Coletta 
Jochem,  secretary-trea.surer. 

Quincy  Historic.vl  Society 

This  society  was  organized  by  Rev.  S.  H.  Emery  and  Thomas  Pope, 
in  the  rooms  of  the  Young  Men's  Business  A.ssociation,  on  Tuesday 
evening,  October  6,  1896,  with  sixty  members.  The  officers  were  a-s 
follows:  President.  Lorenzo  Bull;  first  vice  president,  James  Wood- 
ruff; second  vice  president,  E.  B.  Hamilton;  recording  secretary,  T. 
M.  Rogers;  corresponding  secretary,  S.  H.  Emery,  Jr.;  treasurer, 
Edward  C.  Wells;  auditor,  Chaiuicy  II.  Castle;  librarian,  J.  G.  Moul- 
ton :  historiographer,  W.  II.  Collins.  At  the  first  meeting  W.  A.  Rich- 
ardson and  Joseph  W.  Emery  were  appointed  a  committee  to  secure  a 
room  for  the  use  of  the  society  in  the  ])ublic  library  building.  It  was 
decided  to  hold  the  meetings  (luartcrly  and  fix  the  dues  at  $1  a  year 
and  ii'lO  for  a  life  membership.  Later  the  constitution  and  by-laws 
were  revised  making  the  life  membership  $25. 


s 

6 

o 
m 


o 
S 


S 


o 

g 
3 


Q 

o 


(^UIXCV  AM)  ADAMS  COrXTY  523 

In  1906  the  society  purchased  the  old  home  of  Govi-riior  Wood  on 
State  Street,  erected  in  1835;  afterward  adding  surrounding  ground 
until  now  it  is  an  ideal  place  for  such  an  organization,  llandsoitie 
memorial  tablets  have  been  put  in  for  pioneer  citizens  to  the  number 
of  nearly  300.  with  more  to  follow.  The  house  is  filled  with  old 
colonial  furniture,  among  the  pieces  a  s])irinet  made  in  London  by 
Astor  in  the  eighteenth  century;  and  the  desk  used  l]y  John  (^uincy 
Adams  when  President  of  the  United  States. 

The  visitors'  twok  has  naines  of  person.s  from  all  over  the  world, 
so  popular  has  this  historical  old  mansion  become.  There  are  many 
fine  paintings  in  the  building,  jiortraits  of  prominent  citizens  long 
gone  to  their  reward.  The  membership  varies  from  two  to  three 
hundred,  made  up  largely  of  representative  i)eople  of  the  city  and 
county.  The  house  contains  many  relics  of  by-gone  grandeur  and 
splendor. 

The  present  officers  are  as  follows:  President,  J.  W.  Emery;  first 
vice  president,  Henry  Bornmann ;  second  vice  president.  Miss  Louise 
Maertz;  recording  secretary,  Miss  Julia  Sibley;  eori-esijondiiii:  sec- 
retary, iliss  Mary  Bull;  treasurer,  Jlrs.  E.  J.  Parker;  auditor,  E.  F. 
Bradford;  librarian,  Capt.  W.  IL  Gay;  historiographer,  W.  A.  Rich- 
ardson. 

Centenni.vl  Cei.ebr.vtion 

In  connection  with  things  historical,  even  as  they  relate  to  Adams 
County,  is  the  committee  appointed  by  the  Illinois  Centennial  Commis- 
sion to  take  charge  of  the  celebration  in  Quiney  and  Adams  County. 
In  Februarj-,  1918,  eight  sub-eominittces  were  appointed,  with  Judge 
S.  B.  Montgomery  as  general  chairman  and  the  following  heading  the 
sub-committees :  Finance,  JIaj.  James  E.  Adams;  history,  William  A. 
Richardson;  fraternal  organizations  and  clubs,  Truman  T.  Pier.son; 
churches,  Mrs.  T.  D.  Woodruff;  schools,  John  A.  Steiner;  county 
organization.  Judge  Lyman  MeCarl ;  fall  celebration,  William  A. 
Pfeiffcr;  publicity,  William  A.  Jackson. 

The  celebration  in  Adams  Comity  commenced  on  February  12th, 
Lincoln's  birthday.  Superintendents  Steiner  and  Gill  took  the 
matters  of  that  feature  in  hand,  and  every  school  in  the  city  and 
county  had  speakers  and  cxerci.ses  a])i)ropriate  to  the  occasion.  Thus 
early  in  the  year  did  every  family  in  Adams  County  realize  that  1918 
was  the  centennial  year  of  Illinois  statehood.  To  the  working  force 
represented  by  the  committees  named  was  added  a  vice  president  from 
each  of  the  townshi]is.  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  data  and  mark- 
ing places  and  buildings,  identified  with  the  historj'  of  Adams  County. 
A  general  and  imjiressive  celebration  of  the  state  centennial  is  ])lanned 
for  the  fall  of  1918 — the  constitution  dating  from  August,  1S18,  and 
the  admission  of  Illinois  into  the  I'nion  from  December. 


524  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Women's  Christian  Temperance  Union 

This  was  one  of  the  first  local  organizations  of  women  to  com- 
mence a  practical  work  of  charity,  philanthropy,  reform  and  general 
helpfulness  for  the  uplift  of  their  ovni  sex.  The  title  of  the  Union 
by  no  means  expresses  the  variety  and  scope  of  its  activities,  as  will 
be  evident  in  the  progress  of  this  sketch. 

The  Women's  Christian  Temperance  Union  of  Quiney  dates  its 
organization  from  the  year  1877.  Meetings  for  that  purpose  were  held 
in  the  homes  of  Miss  Martha  Lambert  and  Mrs.  William  Govert,  but 
it  was  at  a  gathering  held  at  the  First  Baptist  Church  June  15,  1877, 
that  the  organization  was  perfected.  Officers  as  follows  were  elected : 
President,  Mrs.  Banmgartner;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  William 
Govert;  treasurer,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Holton;  con-esponding  secretary,  Mrs. 
C.  H.  Tilson.  Others  prominent  in  the  organization  at  that  time  were 
Mesdames  Thompson,  Minnie  Schultheis,  E.  Follansbee,  Van  Dorn, 
Littlefield  and  Hamlin,  Miss  Tillson  and  many  others.  On  March  3, 
1891,  the  organization  purchased  from  Mrs.  Almira  Morton  property 
on  North  Sixth  Street  for  $5,500.  Besides  those  mentioned  are  re- 
corded the  names  of  Mrs.  Fidelia  Lyford  and  Miss  Sarah  Thrush 
among  those  who  were  prominent  in  the  canvass  for  funds  with  which 
to  purchase  the  property.  During  the  years  that  followed  the  follow- 
ing were  leaders  in  the  work :  Miss  Irene  Smith,  Mesdames  Mary  Mc- 
Davitt,  Caroline  McDavitt,  Anna  Woods,  James  Orr,  M.  L.  Dines, 
J.  H.  Brown,  Mathew  Orr,  A.  M.  Stilley,  Fischer,  Mary  Edwards, 
Rebecca  Viekers,  Josie  Lummis,  Agnes  Cormeny  and  Mattie  Duncan. 

On  tlie  14th  of  July,  1914,  the  old  property  was  sold  and  the  Ella 
Lewis  property,  one  door  north  of  the  postofEce,  was  purchased  for 
$8,200.  At  that  time  the  following  trustees  were  elected :  Mesdames 
J.  H.  Brown,  Rebecca  Viekers,  M.  L.  Dines,  Mary  Edwards  and 
Josie  Lummis,  Miss  Sarah  Thrush  and  F.  W.  Lyford.  At  this  time 
Mrs.  Josie  Lummis  is  both  president  of  the  board  of  trustees  and  head 
of  the  organization  as  a  whole.  Miss  Agnes  Cormeny  is  the  recording 
secretary  and  Mrs.  Rebecca  Viekers,  trea.surer.  The  society  has  120 
enrolled  members. 

During  the  more  than  forty  years  of  its  activity,  the  Union  has 
accomplishment  much  varied  and  practical  good.  In  the  earlier  period 
it  established  the  first  public  reading  room  in  Quiney,  which  was  later 
merged  into  the  public  library.  The  society  also  assisted  in  furnishing 
the  rooms  for  the  first  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  organized 
in  the  city.  Hundreds  of  women  and  girls  have  been  sheltered  in 
the  rooms  of  the  Home,  and  untold  numbers  of  fallen  women  have 
sought  comfort  and  help  from  the  Christian  women  who  compose  the 
membership.  The  Women's  Christian  Temperance  Union  of  Quiney  is 
the  only  organization  of  women  in  the  city  who  own  the  building 
in  which  they  meet  and  which  is  the  center  of  their  activities.  Re- 
corded on  the  pages  of  the  history  of  this  organization  are  found  many 


C^llXCY  AND  ADAMS  COr.NTV  525 

deeds  of  kindness,  acts  of  charity,  and  works  for  the  protection  and 
safe-guardiug  of  the  home,  of  wliich  the  world  will  never  know. 

The  Associated  Charities 

The  Associated  Charities  of  l^uiiicy  was  or^Miiized  in  188").  Wil- 
liam ilcFadon,  an  al)le  lawyer  of  that  city  and  later  of  Chicago,  was 
its  first  president.  It  is  a  sort  of  a  clearing  house  of  all  the  charities 
and  philanthropies  of  Quincy.  It  seeks,  by  a  thorough  system  of 
registration  and  visitation,  to  learn  of  the  true  condition  of  all  appli- 
cants, helping,  or  causing  to  be  assisted,  all  worthy  ones,  discouraging 
the  unworthy  and  exposing  imposters.  It  has  i)reservpd  its  organiza- 
tion all  these  years,  and  has  done  more  to  alleviate  poverty  than  any 
other  outdoor  charity  in  Quincy.  Its  present  officers  are:  Judge 
Lyman  McCarl,  president;  Rev.  George  A.  Butrick,  vice  president; 
Mrs.  0.  F.  Schullian,  secretary;  Mrs.  Frances  Lubbe,  treasurer;  Mi*s. 
Eugenia  H.  Dudley,  friendly  visitor.  The  officers  named  and  the 
following  constitute  the  board  of  directors:  D.  F.  Wilco.x,  George  A. 
Hiiikert,  Ira  Calkins,  Dean  W.  Cone,  Mayor  J.  A.  Thompson,  ilrs. 
J.  A.  Stillwell,  Miss  Mary  Anderson,  Mrs.  Charles  ^I.  Gill,  ilrs.  C. 
Lawrence  Wells,  Rev.  L.  M.  Greenman  and  Charles  M.  Rosenheim. 

The  Cheerful  Home  Settlement 

The  main  purpo.se  of  the  Cheerful  Home  on  Jersey  Street,  formerly 
the  Wells  residence,  has  always  been  to  afford  a  pleasant  gathering 
place  for  boys  and  girls  where  they  might  be  instructed  and  enter- 
tained. The  general  effort,  which  has  extended  over  more  than 
thirty  years  of  consistent  work,  has  been  in  the  line  of  prevention — 
endeavoring,  by  education  and  recreation,  througli  the  provision  of 
cheerful  and  comfortable  quarters,  to  keep  the  minds  and  bodies  of 
the  young  fully  and  healthfully  occupied,  thus  shielding  them  from 
temptation  and  helping  them  to  form  good  habits.  In  other  words, 
as  stated  in  the  by-laws  of  the  Cheerful  Home  As.sociation :  "To  pro- 
mote right  living,  thrift  and  happiness  by  means  of  instruction  in 
useful  knowledge,  industrial  training,  wholesome  recreation  and 
friendly  visits." 

The  management  of  the  Home  is  composed  of  a  board  of  directors 
of  nine  men,  who  hold  the  property,  and  an  executive  l)oard  of  man- 
agers (women),  who  are  responsible  for  all  the  activities  which  are 
carrying  out  the  ob.jects  of  the  as.sociatiou.  Miss  Mary  Bull  .served 
as  president  of  the  latter  for  ten  years;  was  followed  by  Mrs.  Lewis 
Boswell,  for  two  years  and  by  Mrs.  John  Stillwell  (present  incum- 
bent) for  the  five  years  just  past.  The  head-resident  of  the  Home  is 
Miss  Gay  Briixton ;  visiting  nurse.  Miss  Lyia  Biddingcr:  kindergart- 
ner.  Miss  Nellie  Graves.  They  all  reside  in  the  building.  The  ])hysical 
director,  Miss  Mary  Alexander,  lives  in  Quincy  as  one  of  the  active 
workers,  but  does  not  reside  at  the  Home.     The  settlement  has  no 


1  St.  Aloysius  Orphans  Home 

2  Woodland  Home  for  Orphans 

3  Cheerful  PIome  Settlement  and  Day  Nursery 


(inXCV  AND  ADAMS  ( OINTY  527 

endowment  and  is  supported  entirely  In-  voluntary  sul>seri|>tions.  Its 
departments  may  lie  said  to  inelude  a  day  nursery,  a  kiiulergarten, 
g'ynmastics  and  freneral  athletics,  an  ciiiiiloyint'nt  Imroan,  li-iral  advice, 
juvenile  protective  work,  vistinfi  nursing;  ajid  summer  work.  inelndiiiB 
the  supervision  of  playgrounds,  outinjrs  and  a  vaeation  sehool. 

The  founder  of  the  Cheerfid  Home  was  Miss  Cornelia  A.  Collins, 
who,   in  1886,  engaged   Miss   Mary    .MeDowell.  of   Chicago,   to  teach 
normal  classes  on  the  kitchen-garden  system  in   the  parlors  of  the 
Presh.vterian  Church.     Two  of  these  ela.s.ses  were  afterward  started 
for  young  girls,  taught  by   memliers  of  the  normal  classes.     In  the 
following  year  a  room  on  the  second  tloor  of  a  Imilding  on  Nnrth 
Fourth   Street  was   rented  and   other  hranches  of  work   undertaken 
for  boys  and  girls.     Evening  work  for  boys  was  begun  in  January, 
1888,  and  other  activities  were  added.    The  headquarters  of  the  settle- 
ment were  transferred  to  South  Fifth   Street  in  1802.  where  larger 
gynniasium  facilities  were  available,  and  in  1901  Lorenzo  Hull  bought 
the  Wells  residence  on  Jersey  Street.     He  presented  the  property  to 
the   Cheerful   Home   Association,   which   was  reorganized   and    iiico7'- 
porated  in  June  of  1901.    The  other  leading  events  in  the  development 
of  the  enterprise  were :  The  establishment  of  the  kindergarten  under 
Miss  Annette  Kim])all  in  1002:  the  advent  of  Miss  Clara  L.  Adams, 
first  resident  worker  and  the  opening  of  the  gymnasium,  built  on  the 
rear  of  the  lot  by  Lorenzo  Hull,   in   1903;  the  organization  of  the 
Woman's  League,  in  lOOfi;  estiiblishiiicnt  of  the  day  nursery  in  1007, 
and  the  title  to  the  Cheerful  Home  property  and  the  commencement 
of  the  visiting  nurse's  work  in  1914. 

The  presidents  of  the  Woman's  Executive  Board  of  the  Cheerful 
Home  since  its  organization  have  been  as  follows:  Jliss  Cornelia 
Collins,  1886-1901 :  Miss  Mary  Hull,  1901-10:  Mrs.  Lewis  Baswell,  1911- 
13;  Mrs.  John  Stillwell,  1913— 

Young  Men's  Christi.vn  Association 

The  original  body  was  organized  about  1867,  with  about  thirty- 
five  members.  The  association  first  occupied  handsome  fpiartcrs  in  the 
Wells  &  ^(cFadon  (LibranO  block  on  Sixth  Street  between  Maine 
and  Jersey.  Both  an  audience  hall  and  a  reailing  room  were  opened, 
and  for  years  daily  prayer  meetings  and  Sunday  services  were 
maintained.  The  meudiers,  who  at  one  time  numbered  100,  also 
established  the  Levee  Mission  Sunday  School.  Such  enteri)risi's  for 
the  public  good  crippled  the  association  financially  and  within  a 
decade  it  was  so  heavily  in  debt  that  its  work  was  suspended.  In 
1876  an  un.successful  effort  was  made  to  permanently  reorgaiuze,  but 
for  many  years  it  had  only  a  nominal  existence.  About  1892  a  more 
substantial  organization  was  perfected.  Soon  afterward  Jacob  Kessler 
of  the  North  Side  Branch  of  the  St.  Louis  Young  Men's  Christian 
As.sociation  visited  Quincy  and  organized  a  branch  in  that  city,  long 
known  as  the  German  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.    It  would 


528  •     QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

seem  that  the  branch  outgrew  the  parent  trunk,  and  not  long  after 
the  organization  of  the  German  society  the  original  association  dis- 
banded. Henry  Fischer  was  elected  president  of  the  German  Young 
Men's  Clmstian  Association.  H.  C.  Sprick  was  the  first  secretary 
and  held  the  position  for  many  years.  He  writes:  "We  did  not 
incorporate,  but  simply  organized  as  a  German  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Under 
the  state  ruling,  however,  we  could  only  act  and  operate  as  a  branch, 
since  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  had  a  real  organization  at  that  time,  which,  to 
our  sorrow,  was  compelled  to  disband  soon  after  our  organization. 
We  operated  as  such  branch  for  many  years. 

"The  erection  of  the  building  on  Ninth  and  State  streets  was 
undertaken  during  the  panic  of  1893,  and  a  great  deal  of  anxiety  was 
expressed  by  those  cai-ryiug  the  burden  at  that  time  in  trying  to 
finance  the  building.  Had  the  panic  not  come  at  that  time,  no  doubt 
the  building  might  have  been  erected  free  from  debt ;  but,  as  it  was, 
there  was  an  indebtedness  of  some  .$10,000  wliich  had  to  be  carried 
for  many  years;  in  fact,  up  to  the  time  the  new  organization  was 
effected  and  the  new  building  was  planned.  Then  the  parties  who 
were  carrying  the  debt  for  the  branch  took  over  the  building  in  lieu 
of  the  debt,  at  quite  a  sacrifice  on  their  part." 

In  1911  tlie  massive  and  handsome  four  story  and  basement  brick 
Imilding  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Jersey  was  completed  and  no 
establishment  of  its  kind  is  better  adapted  to  the  uses  to  which  it 
is  dedicated.  With  site  and  equipment,  the  total  cost  was  more  than 
$103,000.  Of  late  years  J.  K.  Pearce  and  T.  Chester  Poling  have  been 
presidents  of  the  association.  J.  A.  Hanna,  who  was  general  secre- 
tary for  some  time,  was  replaced  by  the  present  incumbent,  George 
B.  Cawthorne,  in  October,  1917.  V.  G.  Musselman  is  vice  president 
and  secretary  and  F.  W.  Crane,  treasurer.  S.  N.  Gabel  is  serving 
as  physical  director.  Approximately  700  young  men  are  taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  various  accommodations,  comforts,  training  and  reci'ea- 
tions  provided  by  the  association.  There  are  fifty-two  sleeping  rooms 
in  the  building,  or  accommodations  for  about  seventy  dormitory  mem- 
bers. A  large  and  light  reading  room,  billiard  tables,  a  fine  gymna- 
sium with  all  the  modern  apparatus,  a  large  swimming  pool  and  prac- 
tical courses  in  meelianieal  drawing,  salesmanship,  and  bookkeeping 
are  all  provided,  with  opportunities  for  out-of-door  recreations,  as  well 
as  religious  instruction — thus  meeting  the  requirements  of  all  tempera- 
ments and  constitutions. 

QuiNCY  Humane  Society  and  Henry  P.  Walton 

The  Quiney  Humane  Society  has  l)een  doing  a  good,  if  quiet  and 
modest  work,  for  many  years  past.  Organized  as  the  Quiney  Society 
for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals  in  July,  1880,  its  first  of- 
ficers were :  T.  M.  Rogers,  president ;  J.  R.  Stewart,  secretary :  Henry 
Root,  treasurer,  and  Dr.  H.  W.  Hale,  .superintendent.  On  June  20, 
1882,  the  name  was  changed  to  the  Quiney  Humane  Society.     Anna 


QUINL'Y  AND  ADA.MS  (  olXTY  '^29 

E.  Brown  died  on  October  28.  1893,  and  Ijenueatlifil  alxnit  $13,000  to 
the  society,  although  the  fund  did  not  become  available  until  two  years 
afterward.  It  was  the  means  by  which  the  work  of  tiie  organization 
was  greatly  enlarged. 

The  late  Henry  1*.  Walton,  who  wa.s  president  of  tlie  society  for 
over  twenty  years,  was  the  most  notable  local  force  in  the  movement 
for  the  alleviation  of  the  liardshijis  and  sufferings  of  the  helpless, 
whether  brute  or  human.  lie  came  of  an  old,  fine  New  England 
family,  born  in  Massachusetts  himself,  first  locating  at  Kentland. 
Indiana,  and  becoming  a  resident  of  Quincy  in  1873.  There  he  lived 
for  more  than  forty  years,  a  successful  inereliant,  a  friend  to  the  suf- 
fering; long  president  both  of  the  Humane  Society  and  the  Woodland 
Cemet<'ry  As,sociation ;  a  promoter  of  the  City  Beautiful;  superintend- 
ent of  streets  for  tift^'en  years,  serving  the  city  in  tliat  capacity  with- 
out pay,  and  all-in-all  one  of  the  largest,  most  tender  and  disinterested 
souls  interwoven  with  the  higher  progress  of  the  community.  Mr. 
Walton's  death,  on  December  27,  191o,  brought  widespread  regret  to 
a  broad  circle  of  friends  and  admirers  and  a  quiet  sadness,  shot 
through  with  bright  strands  of  cheerfulness  and  thankfulness,  that 
the  world  had  been  so  long  blessed  by  the  ministrations  of  such  a  man. 

Young  "Women's  Christian  Association 

The  movement  for  the  organization  of  the  Young  Women's  Chris- 
tion  Association  of  Quincy  commenced  in  January,  1905,  but  it  did  not 
take  definite  shape  until  the  following  month.  On  February  9th  a  meet- 
ing of  those  interested  was  held  in  the  Vermont  Street  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  at  which  a  committee  previously  appointed  to  canvass 
the  situation  reported  that  over  400  had  pledged  themselves  to  be- 
come members  of  the  a.ssoeiation  and  about  $1,000  had  been  actually 
contributed.  The  officers  finally  elected  were :  Mrs.  Nelson  Funk, 
president;  Miss  Ida  Stewart,  vice  president;  ilrs.  C.  A.  Osborn,  secr»* 
tary ;  ^Irs.  J.  Y.  Lewis,  treasurer.  Mrs.  Funk  served  as  president  from 
1905  to  1907;  Miss  Stewart,  1907-1910;  Mrs.  Russel  Barr.  1910-11; 
Mrs.  Seymour  Castle,  1911-13;  Mrs.  George  Wilson,  1913-16;  Mi.ss  Ida 
Stewart,  1916-18.  The  secretaries  who  have  sers'cd  the  association  are 
as  follows:  Mis.s  :\rarv-  Parker,  1905-06;  Miss  Frances  Mills,  1906-08; 
Mi.ss  Grace  Channon,  acting,  1908-09;  Miss  Ruth  Wheeler,  1909-12; 
Mi.ss  Grace  Channon,  1912-15;  Miss  Mary  B.  Hyde,  1915-18. 

The  a.ssociation  has  always  rented  quarters  either  in  the  Xewcomb 
Building,  the  William.son  Building,  or  at  the  present  location,  all  of 
which  have  been  near  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Maine  streets.  The 
present  membership  is  893,  the  largest  in  the  history  of  the  a.s.so- 
ciation. 

TMien  times  are  more  propitious  than  the  present,  it  is  anticipated 
that  the  Young  Women's  Christian  As.soeiation  of  Quincy  will  com- 
mence the  erection  of  a  suitable  home  of  its  own.  As  it  is,  its  re- 
ligious, educational,  social  and  physical  departments  are  bu.sy.     A 


530  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

cafeteria  is  also  maintained  which  serves  a  noou  meal  to  both  men 
and  women. 

Present  officers  of  the  Young  "Women's  Christian  Association  of 
Quincy :  Miss  Ida  C.  Stewart,  president ;  Mrs.  J.  W.  Wall,  fir.st  vice 
president ;  Mrs.  Al  Ellis,  second  vice  president ;  ]\Irs.  Susan  Hill,  sec- 
retary ;  Mrs.  J.  M.  "Winter,  treasurer ;  Miss  Helen  Osborn,  correspond- 
ing secretary. 

Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution 

The  Quincy  body,  known  as  the  Polly  Sumner  Chapter,  was  or- 
ganized January  14,  1910,  with  the  following  officers:  Regent,  31rs. 
A.  N.  Turner;  vice  president,  Mrs.  E.  F.  Bradford;  secretary,  Mrs. 
S.  L.  Justice;  treasurer,  Mrs.  S.  W.  Eldred;  registrar.  Miss  Julia 
Sibley.  As  is  generally  known,  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution is  strictly  a  patriotic  society  and  its  work  is  to  instil  into  the 
minds  of  the  young,  bravery,  loyalty  and  the  love  of  liberty.  Its 
members  are  therefore  educated  to  accomplish  that  great  work  in 
molding  the  sentiment  of  the  future.  Some  line  of  study  is  taken  up 
each  year,  covering  such  sub.jeets  as  Revolutionary  Times,  Colonial 
Days,  Historv'  of  Illinois,  Quincy  and  Vicinity.  Last  year  (1917)  the 
History  of  Adams  County  was  under  consideration ;  also  the  life  of 
John  Quincy  Adams  and  other  subjects  leading  to  the  State  Centen- 
nial of  1918.  In  that  connection  the  chapter  presented  to  the  county 
courthouse  a  large  portrait  of  the  President  who  has  been  so  signally 
and  completely  honored  in  this  section  of  the  state.  Flag  cards  and 
slips  containing  flag  lore  were  also  distributed  among  the  schools 
and  other  public  Iraildings  of  the  city,  and  this  feature  of  patriotic 
propaganda  was  later  extended  through  the  county.  The  Daughters 
have  been  in  the  thick  of  all  special  war  work,  such  as  the  raising  of 
funds  for  the  Red  Cross,  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and 
Liberty  Loans. 

Adams  County  Red  Cross  Chapter 

In  April,  1917,  through  the  efforts  of  Dr.  C.  A.  "Wells,  of  Quincy, 
steps  were  taien  to  form  a  Red  Cross  chapter  in  Quincy,  application 
to  obtain  a  charter  for  the  same  being  made  to  the  Red  Cross  Head- 
quarters at  Washington.  The  charter  was  received  on  the  30th  of 
the  month,  a  board  of  directors  was  chosen,  who,  in  turn  elected  the 
following  officers :  D.  L.  ]Musselman,  chairman ;  Joseph  J.  Freiburg, 
first  vice  president ;  Dr.  C.  A.  "Wells,  second  vice  president :  H.  C. 
Sprick,  treasurer:  Mrs.  Edward  Fawcett,  secretary.  The  executive 
committee  appointed  by  the  chairman  consisted  of  the  following : 
Mrs.  E.  J.  Parker,  chairman  of  the  surgical  dressings  committee; 
John  Korn,  chairman  of  the  civilian  relief  committee;  Doctor  "Wells, 
chairman  of  the  first  aid  committee,  together  with  the  secretary, 
treasurer  and  chairman  of  the  chapter.    Mrs.  Fawcett  was  chairman 


l^l  IXrV  AND  ADA.MS  COlNTY  531 

of  the  mcmbersliip  eommittcc  as  well  as  secretary,  ilrs.  0.  G.  Jlull, 
later  being  appointed  to  tiie  ehairmansliip  of  the  eoniniittee,  as  Mrs. 
Fawcett  found  her  combined  duties  too  heav^'.  By  tlie  lirst  of  March, 
1918,  the  membership  of  the  Aiiams  County  Red  Cross  Chai)ter, 
througii  splendid  "drives,"  had  reached  12,809,  over  20  per  cent  of 
the  entire  population  of  the  county.  The  Chamber  of  Commerce 
kindly  grauted  the  use  of  the  entire  third  floor  of  their  building,  free 
of  rent,  to  the  Red  Cross,  besiiles  giving  them  an  office  on  the  ground 
floor. 

The  workshop  has  been  open  three  days  each  week  with  an  average 
daily  attendance  of  tifty  people.  Tlie  committees  having  in  charge 
surgical  dressings,  hospital  supplies,  knitting,  general  supplies,  can- 
teen and  i)ublicity  work,  and  the  canvass  for  junior  membership,  have 
made  nmrked  progress.  In  February,  1918,  a  meeting  of  tlie  diapter 
was  held  and  its  activities,  by  change  of  name,  were  made  legally  to 
include  tlie  county  instead  of  Quiiicy  alone.  The  main  chapter  is 
located  at  (^uiiicy  and  its  twenty-six  branches  spread  over  the  different 
townships.  In  addition,  Quincy  has  a  colored  auxiliary  which  is  doing 
efficient  work. 

Homes  and  Hospit.vls 

Quincy 's  good  heart  and  the  practical  helpful  bent  of  her  charities 
are  forcibly  seen  in  the  numerous  homes  and  hospitals  which  have 
been  established.  Some  have  been  founded  to  provide  a  haven  for 
men  and  women  in  their  old  age;  others  for  the  protection  of  young 
men  and  women,  coming  as  strangers  to  the  city,  without  domestic 
ancliorages;  and  still  othei-s  slielter  tliose  who  have  sinned  against 
society  and  them-selves.  The  generosity  of  private  individuals  gave 
birth  to  some;  religious  organizations  established  many,  and  all  are 
the  outcome  of  the  Christianity  wliicii  acts  as  well  as  preaches  the 
Word. 

First  Orphanage  of  Quincy 

First  in  the  list,  chronologically  considered,  is  St.  Aloysius  Orphan 
Home,  at  Twentietli  and  Vine  streets,  estatilislicd  liy  the  German 
Catholics  in  1852,  as  a  direct  result  of  tlie  ravages  of  tiie  cliolera  which 
had  bereft  so  many  children  of  the  community  of  eitiier  father  or 
mother,  or  both  jiarents.  Altiiough  the  Sistei-s  of  Notre  Dame  had 
active  charge  of  the  orphanage,  as  it  was  tlie  only  institution  of  tlie 
kind  at  the  time  of  its  establislimcnt,  no  sectarian  lines  were  drawn 
during  the  earlier  years  of  its  existence.  Tlie  Imildiiig  now  occuiiied 
was  constructed  in  1865,  additions  and  interior  improvements  having 
been  since  made. 

Tin;  W(xii)i.\M>  lIoMK 

III  the  meantiiTie  tJic  ladies  of  tlie  First  Congregational  Church  of 
Quiney  had  started  a  movement  looking  toward  the  founding  of  a 


532  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

liome  for  orphans,  destitute  widows,  and  friendless  children  which 
should  be  more  specifically  supported  by  the  Protestants  of  the  city. 
In  January,  1853,  they  organized  a  society  under  the  name  of  the 
Ladies  Union  Benevolent  Society.  That  organization  gave  the  impetus 
to  the  establishment  of  the  Woodland  Home  for  Orphans  and  Friend- 
less. The  original  board  of  managers  consisted  of  one  member  chosen 
from  each  church  in  the  city  which  contributed  to  the  cause.  Two 
years  later,  the  following  citizens  contributed  $100  each,  and  five  acres 
south  of  the  city  was  purchased  as  a  site  for  the  Shelter:  Frederick 
Collins,  Joel  Rice,  Samuel  Holmes.  O.  H.  Browning.  Newton  Flagg, 
Charles  A.  Savage,  William  Caldwell,  John  Wheeler,  Hiram  Rodgers, 
Nathaniel  Pease,  John  Blatehford,  Elijah  Gove,  John  W.  McFadou, 
John  AA^ood  and  W^illard  Keyes. 

On  February  14,  1855,  the  Woodland  Home  for  Orphans  and 
Friendless  was  incorporated  by  special  act  of  the  State  Legislature, 
and  the  fifteen  gentlemen  named  were  appointed  trustees  for  life,  with 
the  power  of  filling  vacancies.  This  self-perpetuating  board  of  trus- 
tees ha-s  for  many  years  appointed  an  executive  committee  of  women, 
who  have  managed  the  domestic  affairs  of  the  institution.  The  first 
body  of  that  nature  comprised  Mi-s.  J.  T.  Holmes,  first  directress;  ilrs. 
F.  Collins,  second  directress;  Mrs.  C.  H,  Church,  secretarJ^ 

For  a  few  years  the  children  cared  for  by  this  charity  were  boarded 
in  families.  Then  a  house  was  rented  on  Tenth  Street  between  Maine 
and  Jersey.  In  1867  the  property  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Fifth 
and  Wa.shington  was  purchased  and  occupied  until  May,  1893.  In  the 
month  and  year  named  the  Woodland  Home  was  installed  at  Twenty- 
seventh  and  Maine  streets,  the  land  and  biiildings  which  represented 
it  costing  about  $17,000.  The  institution  has  received  gifts  and  be- 
quests from  time  to  time,  the  income  from  which  go  far  toward  meet- 
ing the  operating  expenses  of  the  Home.  Homeless  children  are 
received  and  cared  for  until  they  may  be  placed  in  worthy  families. 
Children  of  worthy  working  mothers  are  also  received  as  boarders, 
and  often  widowers  place  their  motherless  ones  at  Woodland  Home, 
knowing  that  they  will  there  receive  faithful  and  affectionate  care. 

The  present  board  of  trustees  of  the  Home  is  as  follows:  0.  B. 
Gordon,  president ;  W.  A.  Richardson,  vice  president ;  George  Wells, 
treasurer:  E.  K.  Stone,  secretary. 

Woman's  Executive  Committee:  Mrs.  J.  W.  Gardner,  president; 
Mrs.  Harry  Bray,  first  president ;  i\Ii-s.  Thomas  A.  Brown,  second  vice 
president ;  Mrs.  E.  K.  Stone,  treasurer ;  Mrs.  W.  Emers-  Lancaster, 
recording  secretarj^;  Mrs.  Dean  Richardson,  corresponding  secretary. 

St.  Vincent  Home  for  the  Aged 

On  the  4th  of  April,  1885,  the  Catholic  order  of  Sisters  known 
as  Poor  Handmaids  of  Our  Lord  sent  a  little  band  from  the  mother 
house  in  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana,  to  establish  a  home  for  the  aged  at 
Quincy.    At  first  they  took  up  their  residence  in  the  old  Cox  home- 


griMV  AM)  ADAMS  ( Ol  XTY  '):).{ 

stead  at  Tenth  and  Svennioiv  streets.  A  year  before,  at  tin-  >.iij.'gis- 
tion  of  Rev.  Jo.seph  Still,  then  pastor  of  St.  John's  Church,  the  Sisters 
had  purchased  a  plot  of  ground  north  of  the  city  and  huilt  as  an  addi- 
tion to  the  old  Cox  homestead  a  three-ston-  structure  42  liy  60  feet. 
Into  that  unpretentious  home  eame  the  first  of  the  I'oor  Ilandniaids 
of  Our  Lord  to  care  for  their  charges,  three  aged  persons.  Four  years 
later  they  were  earing  for  forty-three,  and  more  Sisters  wore  sent  to 
continue  the  good  work.  A  third  story  was  adtled  to  the  home  build- 
ing, and  in  1897  another  building  and  a  chapel  wore  erected.  The 
latter  is  on  the  second  floor  of  the  ca.st  wing.  For  the  past  twenty 
years  the  improvements,  both  witiiout  ami  within,  have  been  almost 
continuous,  an  important  addition  being  made  to  the  north  side  of 
the  main  building  in  1911.  Nearly  160  inmates  are  now  (siiring  of 
1918)   being  accommodated. 

Perhaps  the  most  elaborate  celebration  which  ever  occurred  within 
the  walls  of  St.  Vincent  Home  was  that  which  marked  tlie  silver  juliilec 
of  its  founding.  It  extended  over  two  days,  April  4-').  1!)10.  At  10 
o'clock  A.  JI.  of  the  flrst  day  a  solemn  mass  was  celebrated  by  Rev. 
Joseph  Postnor,  rector  of  St.  John's  Church,  with  a  Herman  sernum 
by  Rev.  A.  Zurlionsen,  rector  of  St.  Mary's,  and  one  in  English  by 
Rev.  Edward  Luney,  of  St.  Francis  College.  Eleven  prie.sts  were 
present  at  these  ceremonies.  During  the  afternoon,  hundreds  of 
callers  were  received,  who  were  desirous  of  extending  their  greetings 
to  the  Sisters.  On  the  next  day  (April  5th),  at  10  o'clock,  a  solenni 
requiem  mass  was  said  for  the  repose  of  the  souls  of  deceased  Sisters, 
members  and  benefactors  of  the  Home,  and  during  the  evening  the 
house  was  again  thrown  open  to  callers.  In  the  evening  a  jubilee 
entertainment  was  rendered  at  St.  Francis  College  Hall  by  the  St. 
John's  Dramatic  Chil),  with  jjresentation  of  the  jul)ilee  gifts;  the 
latter  included  over  $2,000  which  represented  eolleetions  made  by 
the  St.  Vincent  Home  Jubilee  Committee. 

Another  noteworthy  occasion  was  the  dedication,  or  blessing,  of  the 
beautiful  statue  of  St.  Vincent  do  Paul  at  Calvary  Cemetery,  on  July 
10,  1916,  that  lieiiig  the  feast  day  of  the  Home's  patmn  saint.  Serv- 
ices were  first  held  in  the  chapel,  after  which  the  Sisters  and  inmates 
were  conveyed  to  the  cemetery  in  autos,  the  sermon  being  preached  by 
Rev.  J.  J.  Driscoll.  of  St.  Peter's  Church,  and  the  statue  blessed  by 
the  Very  Rev.  Dean  H.  Degenhardt,  pastor  of  St.  Honiface  Church, 
also  of  Quincy. 

The  first  cha])lain  r)f  St.  Vincent  Home  was  Rev.  Henry  Frohboese, 
who,  having  retired  from  the  active  ministry,  lived  in  the  noighlior- 
hood.  After  his  death  Rev.  Joseph  Still,  pastor  of  St.  John's  Church, 
ministered  to  the  Home  until  a  successor  could  be  appointed.  From 
1890  to  1895  Rev.  Joseph  Loehner  exercised  those  >luties.  After  his 
appointment  to  St.  Mary's,  the  Franciscans  had  charge  of  the  institu- 
tion until  January,  1906.  At  that  time  P'ather  F.  X.  Sturm  was 
appointed  a.ssistant  at  St.  John's  and,  as  such,  assisted  Father  Still 
in  the  work  at  the  Home.     In  November,  1896,  Rev.  August  Gorris 


534 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


became  liis  assistant  aud  in  1899  the  latter  was  succeeded  by  Father 
F.  J.  Stengel.  Rev.  Joseph  Still  died  in  1907,  when  Rev.  Joseph 
Postner  succeeded  him,  with  Rev.  August  Ilohl  as  his  assistant. 
Father  Hohl  assumed  charge  in  1915;  was  soou  succeeded  by  Rev. 
Joseph  A.  Reis  and  by  the  present  incumbent.  Rev.  Bernard  Zehnle, 
0.  F.  il,  in  December,  1917. 

The  Home  was  opened  in  charge  of  Sister  M.  Eulogia,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Sisters  Eudoxia,  Ansberta  and  Faeunda,  Sister  M.  Romaua 
and  Sister  M.  Elizabeth.  Sister  M.  Romaua  served  from  September, 
1898,  to  September,  1912,  when  she  was  called  away  to  another  mission, 
her  responsibilities  being  then  assumed  by  Sister  M.  Elizabeth,  who 
is  still  in  charge. 

St.  Mary's,  the  First  Hospital 

The  first  hospital  to  be  erected  in  Quincy  was  St.  Mary's,  on  Broad- 
way between  Fourteenth  and  Fifteenth.     Through  the  efforts  of  the 


St.  Mary's  Hospital 


late  Rev.  Father  Ferdinand,  0.  S.  F.,  and  the  Rev.  Father  Schaefer- 
meyer,  a  few  Sisters  of  the  Poor  of  St.  Francis,  under  the  direction  of 
Sister  Eusebia,  came  to  Quincy  in  ilay,  1866,  for  the  purpose  of 
establishing  a  hospital.  They  worked  to  such  advantage  that  the 
corner-stone  of  St.  Mary's  was  laid  March  23,  1867,  in  the  jiresence 
of  the  mayor,  aldermen,  county  officials  and  an  imposing  gathering 
of  unofficial  spectators.  "When  the  hospital  was  ready  for  occupancy 
in  October,  it  had  cost  $16,000  and  would  accommodate  fifty  patients. 
The  first  inmates  were  seven  patients  whom  the  Sisters  had  been  caring 
for  in  a  room  of  St.  Boniface  school  building.  Ten  years  from  that 
time  demands  had  so  increased  that  it  was  necessary  to  erect  an 
addition  to  the  original  hospital  which  cost  .$20,000  and  doubled  its 
capacity.     In  1900  a  second  large  addition  was  built  at  a  cost  of 


(4UL\CY  AM)  ADAMS  (.'OINTY  535 

$•10,000,  so  that  the  completed  btriKtuiu  covers  an  area  represented 
by  a  frontage  of  212  feet  and  a  deptli  of  68  feet.  St.  Mary 's  Hospital 
is  open  to  all,  irrespective  of  creed,  color  or  race. 

Lindsay  Cuurch  Home 

The  Lindsay  Church  Home,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Fourth  and 
Vermont  streets,  was  specitically  foiiiuled  in  1863  for  the  benefit  of 
poor  persons  belonguig  to  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  yuiucj'. 
By  the  provisions  of  her  will,  dated  November  4th  of  that  year,  Jlrs. 
Elizabeth  Lindsay  be(iueatlicd  her  real  estate'  at  the  locality  named, 
witli  pei"sonal  property,  to  Dr.  Edward  U.  Castle,  Seth  C.  Sherman 
and  Peter  Grant,  for  the  purpose  of  founding  the  institution  under 
that  name.  The  Lindsay  Cliurch  Home  was  incorporated  in  Novem- 
ber, 1874,  by  Doctor  Castle,  ^Icssrs.  Grant  and  Slierman,  Henry  As- 
bury,  Henry  A.  "Williamson  and  Edward  J.  Parker.  While  its  means 
have  been  somewhat  limited,  the  Home  has  accomplished  good  results. 

The  Blessing  Hospital 

The  Blessing  Hospital,  located  at  Tenth  and  Spring  streets,  de- 
veloped from  the  work  of  the  ('harital)le  Aid  and  Hospital  Association, 
and  it  has  retained  the  prime  idea  of  its  foundation,  which  is  to  first 
consider  the  needs  of  tliose  who  cannot  afford  to  pay  for  hospital 
acconnuoilation.  The  result  is  that  it  has  always  eared  for  an  un- 
usually large  number  of  free,  or  charity  patients. 

The  history  of  the  hospital  commences,  with  a  public  meeting  held 
in  the  courthouse  on  December  1,  1869,  on  which  occasion  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  raise  subscriptions  and  other  relief  for  the  poor, 
especially  during  the  apjiroaciiing  winter.  The  gentlemen  named  were 
E.  K.  Stone,  Henn-  Allen,  C.  JI.  Pomeroy,  H.  S.  Osborn,  William 
Morris,  M.  B.  Finlay.  F.  S.  Giddings,  Daniel  Stahl  and  William  B. 
Bull.  This  committee  was  known  as  the  Relief  Association,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  raising  over  $5,000  in  money  and  supplies  from  nearh'  400 
donors.  During  the  winter,  relief  was  extended  to  some  350  families 
of  Quincy;  the  second  winter's  work  was  e<|ually  commendable,  and  in 
the  winter  of  1871-72  the  benevolent  ladies  of  the  city  formed  them- 
selves into  an  association  for  the  purpose  of  assuming  the  responsi- 
bilities of  the  former  Relief  Association.  Finally,  in  the  fall  of  1873, 
the  two  Iwjdies  combined  and  were  incorporated,  under  the  state  laws, 
as  the  Charitable  Aid  and  Hospital  Association,  which  had  for  its 
objects  both  the  relief  of  the  poor  and  tiie  founding  of  a  hospital  for 
those  of  the  humbler  and  poorer  cla.sses. 

The  jears  1874  and  1875  found  the  newly  incorporated  associa- 
tion supporting  the  pau]ier,-i  of  the  Tnwnshi]i  of  Quincy,  the  number 
averaging  more  than  300  monthly.  While  it  thus  met  the  physical 
necessities  of  the  poor,  it  also  endeavored  to  tone  the  moral  fiber  of 
those  who  received  its  cliarities.  and  turned  its  special  attention  to 
bettering  the  opportunities  of  the  children. 


536 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


After  the  expiration  of  the  association's  contract  to  relieve  the 
city's  poor  had  expired,  its  attention  was  given  more  particularly  to 
the  hospital  feature.  St.  Mary's  was  then  the  only  institution  of  the 
kind  in  Quincy.  But  the  association  pushed  this  enterprise  so  vigor- 
ously that  in  May,  1875,  the  original  Blessing  Hospital  was  ready  for 
occupancy.  The  building  and  furnishings  cost  $12,000,  which  was  all 
covered  bj'  paid-in  subscriptions.  In  April,  1878,  the  hospital  was 
turned  over  to  a  board  of  ten  women  managers,  who  were  selected 
from  an  executive  counnittee  of  thirty-five  ladies.  The  first  officers, 
under  that  arrangement,  were  as  follows :  [Mrs.  Sarah  Denman,  presi- 
dent; Mrs.  William  Marsh,  vice  president;  Mrs.  Anna  ]\IcMahan, 
recording  secretary ;  Miss  Lucy  Bagby,  corresponding  secretary ;  Miss 


till,    iJLLbSINc,    ll(lsriT-\L 


E.  B.  Bull,  treasurer.  As  authoritatively  announced  when  placed  on 
that  enduring  basis:  "The  association  receives  all  alike  to  its  open 
arms  of  charity,  regardless  of  race,  creed  or  color,  if  there  is  any  hope 
of  their  being  benefited  and  provided  they  have  no  contagious  disease 
which  will  endanger  the  other  patients,  and  is  free  to  all  who  are 
unable  to  pay  and  need  its  services ;  but  is  a  hospital  for  the  sick,  and 
not  an  asylum  for  the  aged  and  infirm." 

In  1895  was  made  the  large  three-story  addition  to  the  west  of 
the  old  hospital,  about  doubling  the  original  capacity.  In  1903  the 
institution  has  so  expanded  that  it  was  found  necessary  not  only  to 
further  increase  the  accommodations  for  patients  but  to  erect  a  home 
for  nurses.  In  furtherance  of  these  ends  additional  land  was  pur- 
chased to  the  east,  the  original  two-story  building  was  raised,  and  a 
massive  three  story  structure,  with  detached  steam  heating  plant 
and  laundry,  was  erected  on  the  enlarged  site.  The  new  building  was 
complete  in  every  modern  requirement — electric  lighting,  elevators. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  537 

ti'Ii'|>hi)m'  system,  etc.  Tlii'  total  cost  of  tliese  iinproveiiii-iits  was  more 
than  $30,000.  Ulcssiiig  Hospital  has  a  small  enclowineiit,  of  about 
$20,000,  which  originated  in  .Mrs.  Deiiinan's  bc(iuest  of  $4,000  made 
in  Mareli,  18S3. 

The  Training  School  for  Nurses,  the  graduates  of  which  are  drawn 
upon  for  the  nursing  staff  of  tlie  liosjiital.  was  estal)lished  in  1891. 

The  names  of  many  of  the  most  prominent  men  and  women  of 
Quincy  are  identified  with  the  founding  and  growth  of  Blessing  Hos- 
pital. Among  them  none  stand  forth  with  greater  luster  than  those 
of  Jlr.  and  Mrs.  .M.  H.  Ueniiian  and  Mi-,  and  Mis.  K.  J.  Parker. 

The  Anna  Brown  Home 

The  Anna  Brown  Home  for  the  Aged,  northwest  corner  of  Fifth 
and  ilaple,  is  tpiite  non-sectarian,  and  stands  for  the  generosity  and 
philanthropy  of  Mrs.  Anna  E.  Brown,  widow  of  Charles  Brown.  They 
both  came  to  Quincy  in  1834,  Jlr.  Brown  starting  the  first  bakery 
in  the  city.  He  died  in  1868  and  his  widow  survived  him  twenty-five 
years.  In  her  will  she  devised  the  old  family  residence,  with  an 
endowment  of  interest-bearing  securities  worth  $55,000,  for  the  found- 
ing and  maintenance  of  a  Home  for  the  Aged.  It  was  opened  in 
January.  1898,  under  the  name  by  which  it  has  continuousl.v  been 
known.  Great  care  is  exercised  in  passing  upon  the  applications  for 
admission  to  the  Anna  Brown  Home,  an  entrance  fee  of  $300  being 
required.  The  result  is  that  the  institution  has  always  stood  high 
in  character  and  financial  stability.  Among  the  number  of  its  in- 
mates are  the  venerable  Daniel  C.  Wood,  eldest  son  of  Governor  John 
Wood,  and  himself  in  his  ninetieth  year. 

Old  People's  Home  (Das  Altenheim) 

The  Old  People's  Home  (Das  Altenheim)  of  the  German  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  at  Quincy.  located  on  Wasliington  Street,  was 
founded  by  that  denomination  in  May,  1890.  The  original  building 
was  donated  by  Charles  Pfeiffer,  of  Quincy,  three  extensions  having 
been  made  to  it.  Mr.  Pfeiffer  was  its  first  superintendent  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  wife.    Rev.  William  Schultz  is  at  present  in  charge. 

Detention  Home 

At  the  December  meeting,  1909,  of  the  board  of  supervisors  of 
Adams  County  a  special  committee  consisting  of  John  Schauf,  J.  R. 
Albright  and  H.  F.  Scarborough  was  appointed  to  meet  with  the 
Woman's  League  in  regard  to  detention  rooms  for  wayward  boys  and 
girls  and  at  the  following  March  meeting.  1910,  the  committee  reported 
favorably.  an<l  thereupon  Supervisor  Scarborough  ofTered  the  follow- 
ing resolution  : 

"Whereas,  the  report  of  the  special  committee  heretofore  appointed 


538  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

by  this  Board  to  secure  suitable  deteutiou  rooms  for  waj'ward  boys 
aud  girls,  recommended  the  establishing  of  such  rooms;  aud 

"Whereas,  a  proposition  has  been  submitted  by  George  F.  Miller 
to  lease  to  this  County  the  house  known  as  428  Vermont  Street,  for 
a  term  of  three  year's  at  an  annual  rental  of  Four  Hundred  and 
Twenty  Dollara  ($420.00),  per  year,  payable  quarterly;  and  in  which 
proposition  he  further  agrees  to  put  said  premises  in  firstclass  condi- 
tion, piitting  in  the  latest  equipped  steam  plant,  electric  light  in  all 
rooms,  bath,  toilet,  on  both  floors,  and  cover  the  windows  of  the  second 
floor  which  w'ould  be  required  as  detention  rooms  with  heavy  screen, 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Board;  aud 

"Whereas,  Miss  Mabel  Featheringill,  Overseer  of  the  Poor,  pro- 
poses that,  with  her  mother,  she  w^ould  remove  the  office  of  the  Over- 
seer of  the  Poor  to  the  above  location,  and  serve  as  matron  of  the 
proposed  detention  rooms  without  additional  cost  to  the  county;  the 
only  compensation  she  would  ask,  being  for  the  board  of  delinquents 
at  the  rate  of  Forty  Cents  (40c)  per  day,  and  for  the  washing  that 
may  be  reqiiired,  at  the  same  rate  paid  for  the  washing  of  County 
prisoners.  Steam  heat,  water  and  electric  light  to  be  furnished  by  the 
County;  and 

"Whereas,  the  above  proposition  meets  with  the  approval  of  the 
committee  of  the  Woman's  League,  Probation  Officer  Smith  and  the 
County  Judge,  therefore  be  it 

"Resolved,  that  a  committee  of  two  be  appointed  by  the  Chair- 
man of  this  Board  to  enter  into  contract  with  George  F.  Miller  and 
Miss  Mabel  Featheringill  in  such  behalf  and  to  proceed  with  tlie  estab- 
lishing of  such  detention  rooms  and  that  said  committee  be  empowered 
to  secure  furnishings  for  three  rooms,  at  a  cost  not  to  exceed  fifty 
dollars." 

Said  resolution  was  adopted.  And  thereupon  a  committee  ap- 
pointed entered  into  a  lease  beginning  April  1,  1911,  with  George 
F.  Miller,  owner  of  the  residence  located  at  428  Vermont  Street, 
which  building  was  used  as  detention  home  until  April  1.  1918.  when 
the  Detention  Home  moved  to  the  present  location  at  527  Broadway. 
The  latter  is  the  commodious  former  home  of  H.  F.  J.  Ricker,  cashier 
of  the  Ricker  National  Bank,  having  been  purchased  by  the  county 
for  $12,500  and  fitted  up  as  a  Detention  Home.  It  will  accommodate 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  children. 

The  Detention  Home  is  conducted  in  no  way  as  a  jail  but  more  as 
a  residence  where  children  are  placed  until  the  day  of  trial  and  there- 
after until  a  permanent  home  can  be  secured  for  them.  At  the 
present  time  Mrs.  Carl  Hofmeister  is  the  matron  of  the  home  and  she 
is  paid  50  cents  a  day  for  taking  care  of  the  children.  The  children 
are  sent  to  the  public  schools,  that  is,  such  of  the  children  as  are  of 
school  age.  It  is  the  intention  of  the  management  to  make  it  as  home- 
like as  possible.  Since  the  home  was  established  over  850  children 
have  been  accommodated  in  it,  which  is  over  an  average  of  120  a  year. 
Juvenile  offenders  in  Adams  County  are  no  longer  incarcerated  in  the 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY  539 

city  prison  or  the  uouiity  jail,  but  all  are  placid  in  the  Detention 
Home.  The  ehildrcn  learn  to  like  it  and  when  tiiey  return  to  Quiney 
on  a  visit  many  of  them  go  liack  to  the  home  to  see  "Jlother  Ilof- 
meister"  as  she  is  familiarly  called.  Much  of  the  credit  of  the  suc- 
cess of  the  home  is  due  to  Judge  McCarl,  Jlrs.  IIofmei.ster.  the  matron, 
and  Thomas  Nolan,  the  probation  officer,  who  has  investigated  over 
7,000  cases  since  his  appointment  to  that  position. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

CHURCHES  AND  SOCIETIES 

First  Union  Congregational,  Church — Vermont  Street  Metho- 
dist Episcopal — Central  Baptist  Church — St.  Boniface  and 
St.  Peter's  Churches — St.  John's  Parish  and  Cathedral — 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  St.  John — First  Presby- 
terian Church — Second  Congregation.\l  Unitarian  Church- 
Kentucky  Street  IMethodist  Episcopal  Church — The  Salem 
Evangelicuj  Church — The  Christian  Churches — St.  Jacobi 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church — ^Congregation  K.  K.  Bnai 
Sholem — St.  Francis  Solanus  Parish — St.  Francis  Solanus 
College  —  Father  Anselm  —  The  Colored  Churches  — 
St.  Peter's  Evangelical  Lutheran — St.  Mary's  Roman  Cath- 
olic Church — Bethel  German  Methodist  Episcopal  Church — 
St.  Paul's  Evangelical  Church — St.  John's  Roman  Catholic 
Church — United  Brethren  Church — First  Church  of  Christ 
Scientist — Luther  Memorial  Church — St.  Rose  op  Lima 
Church — Grace  Methodist  Episcopal  Church — Church  Fed- 
eration— Social,  Industrial,  Secret  and  Benovelent  Societies 
— The  Masons  of  Quincy — Scottish  Rite  Masonry  in  Quincy 
— Building  of  the  Temple — Other  High  Masonic  Bodies — The 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows — The  Knights  of  Pythias 
— The  Royal  Arcanum  Council — -Knights  of  Columbus — The 
Eagles  and  Other  Societies — The  Western  Catholic  Union — 
Qt'incy  Turn  Verein — Quincy  Country  Club. 

The  religious  sentiment  and  work  so  evident  in  Quincy,  as  cen- 
tered in  a  score  of  churches,  are  incalculable  forces  in  the  uplift  of  the 
community  and  the  maintenance  of  its  character  as  a  moral  place, 
safe  in  which  to  live,  whether  considered  from  the  standpoint  of 
democracy  or  a  stable  family  life.  Well  supported  churches  and 
societies,  of  a  benevolent,  social  and  industrial  character,  not  only 
satisfy  a  deep  and  natural  long;ing  for  cooperation  in  the  movements 
which  build  for  tlie  higher  things  of  life,  but  have  a  vital  influence 
on  the  material  development  of  a  city.  They  expand  the  natures 
of  those  who  have  cast  their  lot  in  the  community  and  make  it  a  de- 
sirable place  in  which  to  live  and  rear  the  young  into  helpful  men 
and  women,  each  with  a  definite  mission  in  life,  however  humble. 
Quincy  has  been  remarkably  fortunate  in  these  matters. 

540 


QUIXCY  AM)  AUAilS  COUNTY  541 

FiKsT  Union  Congregational  Chircii 

The  Congrcgationalists  were  the  Hrst  of  the  denominations  to  be 
represented  by  a  minist<?r  of  the  gospel  at  Quincy.  The  efforts  of 
Kev.  Jabez  I'orter  in  1828-29,  wlio  conducted  the  first  religious  serv- 
ices and  organized  the  first  Sunday  (as  well  as  day)  school  in  the  log 
courthouse,  have  already  been  described.  Coming  to  Quincy  as  an 
invaliii,  his  loral  career  of  usefulness  was  short  inilecd,  as  he  died  in 
1829  and  his  remains  were  buried  in  Jefferson  Square. 

In  November,  1830,  Rev.  Asa  Turner,  of  Templeton,  Massachu- 
setts, came  to  Quincy  as  a  representative  of  the  American  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  on  Saturday  afternoon,  of  the  following 
December  4th,  the  fifteen  men  and  women  mentioned  below  met  in 
the  log  house  of  Peter  Felt  and  organized  a  Presbyterian  Church : 
Amos  and  Adelia  Bancroft,  Rufus  and  Nancy  Browii,  Peter  and  Mary 
Felt,  Henry  H.  and  Lucy  K.  Snow,  Levi  and  Anna  Wells,  Maria 
Robbins,  Margaret  Rose,  Martha  Turner,  Daniel  Henderson  and  Hans 
Patten.  Speaking  of  the  name  then  adopted,  Mr.  Turner  said  years 
afterward:  "We  knew  no  better."  On  the  10th  of  October,  18:3.3,  the 
members  unanimously  voted  to  be  known  as  the  First  Congi-egational 
Church. 

During  the  first  year,  the  society  worshipped  in  Rufus  Brown's 
log  home,  in  the  little  courthouse  and  a  rented  room  over  Levi  Wells' 
residence,  southwest  corner  of  Maine  and  Fifth  streets.  Soon  after- 
ward they  built  a  small  chapel  on  Fourth  Street  between  Maine  and 
Jersey,  with  something  like  a  cow-bell  suspended  on  two  poles  at  its 
rear  and  operated  by  a  rope  which  entered  the  house  through  a  hole 
in  the  wall.  This  crude  meeting  house,  known  as  the  Lord's  Barn, 
was  occupied  by  the  First  Congregational  Church  until  1838,  or  a 
period  of  over  seven  years.  The  society  also  came  to  own  a  camp 
ground  of  ten  acres,  on  which  were  held  fre(|ucnt  protracted  meet- 
ings, which,  with  Mr.  Turner's  indoor  ministrations,  resulted  in 
a  church  membership  of  over  170.  In  April,  1840,  he  was  succeeded 
in  the  Congregational  charge  by  Rev.  Horatio  Foote.  tlicre  being  an 
evident  hiatus  of  more  than  a  year  between  the  two  ministries. 

The  continued  increa.se  of  membership  and  the  expansion  of  church 
requirements  made  a  larger  house  of  worship  necessary,  and  in  March, 
1842,  one  was  dedicated  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Jersey. 

On  the  8th  of  June,  1847,  the  congregation  was  divided,  a  por- 
tion of  it.  with  ^Ir.  Foote,  withdrawing,  organizing  the  Center  Con- 
gregational Church  and  erecting  a  house  of  worship  at  the  corner  of 
Jersey  and  Fourth  streets.  The  First  Congregational  continued  its 
organization  under  Rev.  Rollin  'Mears,  at  the  meeting  house  on  Fifth 
and  Jersey,  until  1852;  Rev.  J.  D.  Potter  served  in  1852-53  and  Rev. 
S.  Hopkins  Emery  in  1855-69.  ^fr.  Foote  continued  to  occupy  the 
pulpit  of  the  Center  Congregational  Cburoh  until  ISfil  :  Rev.  Norman 
A.  Millard  from  1862  to  1864:  Rev.  Levi  F.  Waldo  in  1866-68  and 
Rev.  Samuel  R.  Dimmock  in  1868-69.     In   fact,  the  score  of  years 


542  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

covering  the  period  of  the  activities  of  the  two  organizations  proved 
that  a  reunion  was  greatly  to  be  desired. 

This  desideratum  was  realized  on  March  6,  1869,  under  the  name 
of  the  First  Union  Congregational  Church.  It  was  then  decided  to 
sell  both  the  old  buildings,  and  erect  a  commodious  house  of  worship 
at  Maine  and  Twelftli  streets,  in  a  convenient  residence  district.  This 
was  accomplished  in  1873-74  at  a  cost,  including  site,  of  $93,000.  The 
chapel  was  first  occupied  in  January,  1873,  and  the  main  edifice  in 
October  of  the  following  year.  Since  the  reunion  the  pastors  of  the 
church  have  be«n :  Rev.  Samuel  R.  Dimmoek,  1869-71 ;  Rev.  Lysander 
Dickerman,  1872-74 ;  Rev.  Edward  Anderson,  1874-81 ;  Rev.  Frederick 

A.  Thayer,  1882-83;  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Dana,  1883-1903;  Rev.  James 
R.  Smith,  1903-15 ;  Rev.  George  A.  Buttrick  since  1915.  The  present 
membership  of  the  First  Union  Congi-egational  Church  is  about  400 
and  its  Sunday  school  is  in  proportion.  Of  the  latter,  George  B. 
Cawthorne,  general  secretary  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion is  superintendent. 

The  Vermont  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 

As  early  as  1831  the  Methodists  organized  a  class  in  Quiney  and 
came  under  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Spencer  W.  Hunter,  who  had  been 
appointed  to  the  Atlas  circuit  during  the  preceding  fall.  Quiney 
was  made  a  circuit  in  the  fall  of  1832,  and  Rev.  David  B.  Carter 
sent  to  take  charge  of  it.  In  1834  Rev.  James  Hadley  came  to  the 
town  and  preached  once  in  two  or  three  weeks,  the  old  log  coiart- 
house  being  usually  occupied  by  his  class.  The  town  w^as  made  a 
mission  station  in  1835  and  Rev.  Peter  R.  Borin  placed  in  charge. 

The  courthouse  was  burned  December  9,  1835,  and  services  were 
then  held  in  a  log  cabin  on  Jersey  Street  near  Fifth.  The  society 
then  began  the  erection  of  the  church  building  afterward  known  as 
the  Old  Fort,  located  on  Vermont  Street  opposite  the  present  court- 
house. It  was  a  solid  brick  structure  50  feet  square,  and  was  dedi- 
cated on  Christmas  day  of  1836.  That  meeting  house  was  sold  in 
the  summer  of  1865,  and  the  old  Kendall  Hall,  corner  of  Maine  and 
Sixth,  was  used  by  the  Methodists  until  destroyed  by  fire  in  June, 
1867.  Services  were  then  held  at  the  old  college,  now  Jefferson 
School.  The  society  first  appeared  in  the  minutes  as  Vermont  Street 
in  1855,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  William  S.  Prentice.  During  the 
succeeding  decade  Revs.  Reuben  Andrus,  Vincent  Ridgely,  Timothy 

B.  Taylor,  James  Leaton,  Alexander  Semple  and  William  Stevenson 
were  in  charge. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  society  bought  the  lot  on  Vermont 
Street  until  1865.  In  that  year  the  old  Methodist  Protestant  Church, 
which  stood  on  Broadway  near  Sixth,  was  moved  to  the  new  site, 
was  enlarged  and  remodeled,  and  dedicated  in  November,  1867.  That 
structure  was  sold  in  1875  and  while  the  new  building  was  in  course 
of  erection  the  society  worshipped  in  the  old  Westminster  Presby- 


l^riXCV  AND  ADAMS  LOrXTV  543 

terian  Clninli  on  Ilampsliire  Street.  The  lower  room  was  dediuatcil 
on  the  first  Sunday  in  1^77,  and  the  iMitire  Imildiiij?  rededieated  in 
November,  1888.  The  editiee  then  occupied,  which  wa.s  imposing  and 
convenient,  cost  over  -tG.l.OOO. 

Since  the  pa.storatc  of  Rev.  Reuben  Andni.s  in  1865  (second  term) 
the  Vermont  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has  had  about  thirty 
ministers,  and  (now  in  cliargre  of  Kev.  F.  A.  McCarfy)  has  grown 
steadily  and  sulistantially  into  one  of  the  largest  and  most  influential 
religious  bodies  of  Quincj'. 

Central  Baptist  Church 

Since  January.  1!)17,  the  old  First  Baptist  and  the  Vermont 
Street  Baptist  societies  have  been  consolidated  into  one  church  under 
the  name  given  above.  The  pastor  of  the  united  body,  known  as  the 
Central  Baptist  Church,  is  Rev.  W.  0.  Shank,  and  he  ministers  to  a 
menilM^rshij)  of  about  800.  The  ])areut  organization  was  formed  July 
4,  1835,  at  a  gatlicrinir  of  which  Ebcnezer  Turner  was  chairman  and 
J.  T.  Osgood,  secretary:  the  First  Baptist  Church  thus  formed  com- 
prised eight  members.  For  a  time  meetings  were  held  in  the  olil 
SalYord  Sehoolhouse  at  Fifth  and  Jersey  streets;  in  1836  the  society 
entered  the  Salem  Association  and  in  the  following  year  bought  a  lot 
on  Fourth  Street,  between  Hampshire  and  Vermont.  Thereon  a  small 
frame  building  was  erected,  and  in  JIarch.  1838.  Rev.  Ezra  Fisher 
became  a  settled  pastor.  In  April,  1856.  thirt.v-eight  nuMnhei-s  of  the 
First  withdrew  and  formed  the  Vermont  Street  Baptist  Church.  In 
the  spring  of  1869  the  original  society  bought  the  Congregational 
Church,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Jersey,  as  the  two  societies  of  Congre- 
gationalists,  which  had  long  been  separated,  had  reunited. 

In  May,  1856,  the  new  Vermont  Street  Baptist  Church  elected  its 
first  board  of  permanent  officers,  with  Rev.  Horace  Worden  as 
moderator.  Rev.  Joseph  R.  ]Manton  was  the  first  pastor  of  the 
church,  under  whom  the  house  of  worship  at  Seventh  and  Vermont 
was  dedicated  in  October,  1857.  It  cost  about  .+35,000.  The  par- 
sonage was  built  in  1868.  The  society  expanded  so  rapidl.v  that  it 
established  two  missions — Spruce  Street  Chapel,  at  Fifth  and  Spruce 
streets,  in  1869,  and  Immanuel.  at  Twenty-second  and  Cedar  streets,' 
in  1896. 

Following  Mr.  ilanton,  the  successive  pastors  of  Vermont  Street 
Baptist  Church  were  Rev.  A.  M.  Hopper,  H.  AI.  Oalleher.  Frank 
Remington.  Thomas  Goodspeed,  F.  D.  Rickerson.  J.  D.  English,  Leo 
M.  Woodruff.  W.  A.  Stanton,  R.  U.  Harrison.  W.  S.  Pearee.  E.  A. 
Ince,  Ransom  Harvey.  J.  W.  Cramer,  Edward  Siinjison,  Abraham 
LeGrand  and  W.  0.  Shank.  The  |)rcscnt  incumlpcnt.  pastor  of  the 
Central  Baptist  Church  since  its  formation  in  1917,  administered  to 
the  Vermont  Street  society  during  the  last  decade  of  its  existence 
as  a  separate  organization. 


5«  QUrSCY  AND  ADA21S  COUXTY 

St.  Boxiface  Chtkch 

The  present  Boman  Carholic  Chnrc-h  by  that  name  was  the  nrst 
organizatioD  of  that  denomination  to  have  a  resident  priest  in  Quiuey. 
ArriTing  in  the  town  in  August,  1S37.  Father  A.  F.  Brietwette.  first 
eondneted  services  in  the  second  story  of  a  frame  building  on  the 
northwest  comer  of  Broadway  and  Eleventh  Street,  but  in  the  fol- 
lowing year  he  erected  a  frame  building  on  Seventh  Street  between 
York  and  Kentucky,  adjoining  the  site  for  a  church  donated  by  John 
"Wood.  This  sirueture  served  as  a  church,  school  and  priest  "s  resi- 
dence. As  the  loeaticm  was  fotmd  not  to  be  very  desirable,  the  con- 
gregation bought  the  lot  on  the  northwest  c-omer  of  Seventh  and 
Maine  streets  on  which  the  present  church  btiilding  stands.  In  1S39- 
40  a  new  briek  house  of  worship  was  erected,  and  a  few  years  after- 
ward, on  account  of  the  large  influx  of  German  settlers  it  became 
evident  that  even  larger  religiotis  accommodations  were  necessary. 
As  a  consequence  the  present  St.  Boniface.  100  by  64  feet  in  dimen- 
sions, was  btnlt  in  1S46-47. 

The  donations  made  for  the  construction  of  that  pioneer  church 
edifice  consisted  for  the  greater  part  of  labor  and  material:  cadi 
was  very  searc-e  in  those  days  and  it  b  said  that  only  81.240  covered 
that  item  of  the  contributions.  When  the  building  was  completed, 
there  remained  on  it  a  debt  of  only  $1.-500.  As  the  structure  still 
stands  without  apparent  diminution  as  to  its  stability,  it  is  safe  to 
say  that  both  labor  and  material  were  first-class. 

Kev.  Joseph  Kuenster  came  to  Quincy  in  1850,  and  during  the 
seven  years  of  his  busy  and  productive  administration  the  steeple 
of  the  church  was  btiilt,  the  chime  of  bells  htmg,  the  chtirch  organ 
installed  and  the  parochial  schoolhotise  erected  west  of  the  church. 
Father  Kuenster  died  in  Quincy  September  15.  1S57.  and  was  btiried 
in  St.  Boniface  cemetery.  Bev.  Herman  Schaefermeyer.  who  assumed 
the  pastorate  in  1S58.  accomplished  much  in  the  way  of  beautifying 
the  interior  of  the  ehtirch.  He  became  vicar  general  of  the  diocese  in 
1S60,  discontinued  the  pastorate  of  St.  Boniface  in  1S72  for  the  pur- 
pose of  entering  the  order  of  Franciscan  Fathers  and  died  in  the 
Quincy  convent  of  that  order  in  May.  1S*7.  TTnder  his  succesor, 
Bev.  A.  Ostrop.  the  half  block  fronting  on  Hampshire,  between 
Seventh  and  Eighth  streets,  was  ptirehased.  and  the  large  school 
buildings  erected  thereon.  They  were  completed  in  1876.  Bev.  John 
Janssen.  also  vicar  general  of  the  diocese,  served  from  September, 
1577.  to  December.  1879.  and  Bev.  Theodore  Bmener.  previously 
president  of  a  Catholic  Normal  School  at  3ililwaukee.  "Wisconsin,  ad- 
ministered the  affairs  of  the  c-ongregation  from  the  latter  date  tin  til 
Xovember.  18^7.  He  then  resigned  to  join  the  Franciscan  order,  and 
died  thus  identified  at  San  Francisco.  California,  about  1900.  Father 
Bruener  was  succeeded  by  Bev.  ^Michael  "Weis. 

Terv  Bev.  Henry  B.  Degenhardt.  pastor  of  St.  Boniface,  is  also 


QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COL'XTY  bio 

dean  of  the  dioeeae,  and  haa  been  the  »AmmMnXor  of  their  tSain 
ainee  the  death  of  Fatha  Weis.    He  ricefcded  him  in  Jnlj,  I '  - 

The  dmrefc  is  pamptron  and  haa  a  peeoliazlj  tender  wpn  ux  xiit 
hearts  of  the  CaOolies  of  the  eitj,  as  it  is  the  BMther  of  all  its 
dnirdies.  As  the  Genun  Catholie  population  inereaaed,  St.  Francis 
eougieeatiop  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  dty,  St.  Slary's  in  the  aooxhem 
aeetion  and  St.  Jofan'a  (Anreh,  in  the  northvestetn  district,  all 
branded  oat  fma  the  tnmk  at  St.  Bonifaee.  The  preaent  parish 
of  St.  Bonifaee  jiy^iMtHt  430  Cadiolie  families  and  there  are  230 
pnpils  ill  its  psiry-bjal  sehool. 

bx.  FrrEBs  Lhtbch  (Bomax  Catholic,, 


Althoogh  the  famoos  Ber.  J.  L  St.  C^r  had  thargt  of  die  Eng- 
lish qteaking  Catholies  of  the  Qnincj  nrimion  in  1S37,  and  p««ached 
in  Ae  place  oecasionallT,  Ber.  HUarins  Tnefcer  vas  deir  Sat  setded 
or  resdent  priest,  liany  of  the  fbst  eongregatiop  vere  Iiah  lahorers 
eonnerted  vidi  the  faaildin»  of  die  Xorthem  Cross  Bailnad.  In  1S39 
he  corameneed  to  build  a  litde  bride  dnnh,  bat  the  railroad  flat- 
tened oat  and  as  die  laboKcis  left  the  loeali^  the  streoeA  <tf  the 
cangre^don  was  also  disaqnted.  The  English  spakhig  Caftdics 
dwindled  to  sneh  a  weak  band  Aat  the  pardj  finiAed  cknrA  was 
sidd.  Fadier  Tocher  reauined  at  Qainer  nntO  KovcKber.  1SI6,  and 
also  supplied  sndi  oatside  points  as  VersaiWes,  Mt.  Steriing.  Fitt»- 
fidd  and  Gilead.  TUdiin  the  following  fifteen  or  axteen  yeaz%  Brr. 
¥.  Derwin,  Bev.  Patri(±  T.  VeElhcara,  Bev.  James  Dempser  and 
B«T.  3£.  MeLoo^Uin  served  St.  Peter's.  The  adminBtrataon  tf  its 
aSairs  b^r  Ber.  Peter  MeGirr  was  -rezy  noticeaUe  both  £ar  the  hmg 
period  it  COTcred  and  its  froitfnlness;.  "He  eame  to  Qoinej  in  the 
fan  of  16S62  and  labn«d  there  with  mazfced  sneeeas  until  his  death 
Haidi  10.  1893.  Pint  he  eommeDced  a  pariA  aehool  in  a  rmted 
boose  ai  Xinih  and  Maine  streetSL  bat  in  1864  boilt  &e  bride  adK»l- 
hone  bad  of  the  ehnrA  whidi  is  still  osed  far  that  porpose.  In 
1869  he  eomideted  die  pvesoit  hooae  of  worAip  at  a  east  of  ^OjOOOl 
Its  ^it-^natmK  an  160  bv  63  feet,  with  a  steeple  over  300  feet  hi^ 
and  at  the  time  it  was  forraalh'  opoied.  on  Ne«-  Year's  daj.  1S70. 
was  a  modem  and  impressve  rdigioos  structure.  St.  Peter's  Ceme^ 
terv-  on  East  Broadway  wns  also  parAased  dnrinf  that  rear.  Father 
Mebirr  also  haSt  the  parsonage  w^  of  the  AbtA,  which  leplaeed 
a  q— n  hooae  poi^ased  by  him  in  1SG6.  At  his  death  in  1893  he 
was  soeceeded  by  Bev.  Jdm  P.  Kerr.  Ber.  J.  J.  Driseofl  is  Ae 
present  i»iest  in  charge. 

St.  Johx's  P.iSEH  asd  C^THornxL 

Ae*ordiiur  to  the  Srst  pariA  register.  St  John's  PariA  was  «r- 
ganired  on  East«-  Day.  Man*  36.  1537.  On  Aat  day.  Ae  Ri^ 
Bev.  PhilaEd«-  Chase,  D.  D.,  Biihop  of  the  Dioeese  <rf  Ulinab 


546  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ciated  in  the  first  Episcopalian  services  held  in  Quincy.  Among  the 
annoimcements  given  at  that  time  was  one  to  the  effect  that  a  meet- 
ing of  the  friends  of  the  church  would  be  held  immediately  after 
service  at  the  home  of  Jesse  Avise,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a 
parochial  association.  This  was  done  in  regular  form,  the  articles  of 
association  for  "the  parish  of  St.  John's  church  in  Quincy  and  vicin- 
ity" being  signed  by  Jesse  Avise,  Isaac  Davis,  Francis  C.  Moore,  John 
L.  Avise,  Erastus  A.  Strong,  S.  C.  Sherman,  Ebenezer  Moore,  Abra- 
ham DeHaven  and  S.  Touzalia.  The  following  names  were  later 
added  to  the  foregoing  list:  D.  G.  Whiting  and  James  R.  M.  Sell- 
wood,  November  20,  1837 ;  George  Bowers,  February  10,  1838 ;  Isaac 
0.  Woodruff  and  William  H.  Taylor,  April  16,  1838. 

At  this  time,  also,  Abraham  DeHaven  was  eleeted  senior  warden, 
and  Francis  C.  Moore,  junior  warden.  The  following  were  elected 
vestrymen:  Ebenezer  Moore,  Jr.,  Seth  C.  Sherman  and  Jesse  Avise. 

As  no  clergyman  could  be  obtained  to  officiate,  Ebenezer  Moore, 
under  appointment  by  Bishop  Chase  as  lay  reader,  conducted  the 
services  during  the  ensuing  summer  of  the  year  1837,  in  various 
dwellings  of  the  parishioners. 

On  October  13,  1837,  Rev.  John  Sellwood,  B.  D.,  a  graduate  of 
the  Theological  Seminary,  at  Gambler,  Ohio,  sent  out  by  the  Mis- 
sionary Society,  conducted  worship  in  the  Congregational  Church, 
which  was  kindly  offered  for  the  occasion.  He  also  officiated  in  the 
same  place  three  times  on  the  following  Sunday,  on  which  day  he 
gave  notice  that  the  friends  and  members  of  the  newly  organized 
parish  would  meet  on  the  following  evening,  at  the  store  of  Daniel 
G.  Whitney,  for  the  transaction  of  important  business. 

At  the  meeting  held  on  that  evening,  it  was  decided  to  proceed 
immediately  with  the  erection  of  a  church  edifice.  The  contract  was 
awarded  to  John  Gwen.  The  building  was  to  be  of  frame,  weather- 
boarded,  and  was  to  be  24  feet  wide  by  35  feet  long.  A  lot  on 
North  Sixth  Street,  between  Hampshire  and  Vermont  streets,  near 
the  Women's  Christian  Temperance  Union  Building,  was  purchased 
for  $225,  and  the  building  itself  was  to  cost  $1,200. 

Immediately  after  this  parish  meeting,  the  wardens  and  vestrj' 
met  and  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  John  Sellwood  to  assume  charge 
of  the  parish.  He  accepted  and  entered  at  once  upon  his  duties,  hold- 
ing services  and  preaching  regularly  every  Sunday  in  his  own  dwelling 
house,  with  steadily  increasing  congregations  until  the  completion 
of  the  church  building.  In  less  than  three  months  the  new  church 
was  completed  and  it  was  used  for  the  purposes  of  worship  for  the 
first  time  on  Sunday,  December  31,  1837. 

The  parish  at  this  time  numbered  twelve  communicants;  by  the 
following  Easter  the  number  had  been  increased  to  seventeen.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  parish  held  on  April  16,  1838,  the  vestry  was  con- 
stituted as  follows :  Senior  warden,  Francis  C.  Moore ;  junior  warden, 
Seth  C.  Sherman;  vestrjTnen,  Daniel  G.  Whitney,  Isaac  0.  Woodruff 
and  G.  Bowers. 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  547 

The  new  church  building  was  formally  consecrated  by  Bishop 
Chase  on  June  24,  1838.  It  is  noteworthy  that  this  was  the  fourth 
parish  church  erected  in  the  diocese  of  Illinois,  the  others  being  located 
at  Chicago,  Jacksonville  and  Rush\'ille. 

On  October  1,  1838,  after  a  year  of  service,  the  Rev.  John  Sell- 
wood  severed  his  pastoral  relation  with  St.  John's  Church  and  re- 
moved to  Fairfield,  Illinois  (now  known  as  Mendon),  where  he  took 
charge  of  a  mission.  At  the  time  of  his  removal  from  the  parish,  the 
number  of  conununicants  was  twenty-four. 

The  next  rector  of  the  parish  was  the  Rev.  James  Young,  who 
entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office  on  October  14,  1838,  and  con- 
tinued in  charge  for  about  one  year  and  a  half.  The  Rev.  George  P. 
Giddings  took  charge  of  the  parish  in  April,  1841,  and  continued  as 
rector  until  Octolier  '>,  18i)6.  During  his  incumbency  of  fifteen  years 
the  parish  grew  into  a  strong  and  flourishing  body.  A  new  site  for 
the  church  was  selected  on  the  corner  of  Seventh  and  Hampshire 
streets.  After  mucli  patient  waiting  and  effort,  an  edifice  of  stone 
was  erected  and  occupied  in  1853.  The  Rev.  Jlr.  Giddings  died 
in  1861  and  his  remains  were  brought  back  to  Quiney  and  interred 
in  the  parisli  lot  in  "Woodlawn  Cemetery. 

On  June  1,  1857,  the  Rev.  William  Rudder  succeeded  to  the  rector- 
ship and  was  in  charge  nearly  a  year. 

The  Rev.  Alexander  Capron  entered  upon  his  duties  as  rector 
November  24,  1858.  He  was  succeeded  soon  after  by  the  Rev.  John 
Egar,  who  began  his  ministry  in  St.  John's  during  the  first  part  of 
the  Civil  war.  During  the  bitterness  and  excitement  of  these  stirring 
times,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Egar  was  wrongly  suspected  of  cherishing  dis- 
loyal sentiments  toward  the  Union,  and  his  position  became  so  un- 
comfortable that  after  a  few  weeks  of  labor  in  his  new  field  he  deemed 
it  expedient  to  resign.  Doctor  Egar  had  at  this  time  just  completed 
a  theological  work  which  he  expected  shortly  to  have  published  in 
England  and  America  simultaneously.  Being  an  Englishman  he  re- 
frained from  becoming  naturalized  until  after  the  publication  of 
his  hook,  lest  the  fact  of  his  naturalization  should  prove  prejudicial 
to  his  influence  as  an  author  in  the  transatlantic  country. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Noble  Strong,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  became  rector  of 
the  parish  on  March  9,  1863.  At  the  diocesan  convention  in  1863  the 
communicants  reported  numbered  160.  On  April  28,  1864,  the  rector 
suffered  the  loss  by  death  of  his  wife,  :Margaret  Sweyer  Strong. 

On  Easter  Monday,  1865,  the  Rev.  Sidney  Corbett,  D.  D.,  ac- 
cepted the  rectorship  of  the  parish.  During  the  first  year  of  his 
work  the  church  was  considerably  enlarged  by  adding  the  transepts 
and  a  new  chancel.  In  May,  1872,  a  $6,000  organ  was  installed  at 
St.  John's,  and  in  April,  1875,  after  ten  years  of  a  successful  pas- 
torate, the  Rev.  Dr.  Corbett  resigned  his  rectorship  of  St.  John's 
Parish  to  accept  that  of  St.  :Mark's  Church,  Minneapolis,  :Minne- 
sota. 

The  Rev.  "William  F^ske,  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 


548  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

was  the  uext  incumbent,  becoming  rector  on  July  1,  1876.  He  was 
followed  by  the  Rev.  Edward  A.  Larrabee,  now  dean  of  Nashotah, 
who  officiated  until  shortly  aft«r  Easter,  1879.  At  this  time  the 
chapel  and  chapter  house  were  built. 

On  October  11,  1877,  the  general  convention  authorized  and  gave 
consent  to  the  erection  of  two  new  dioceses  within  the  limits  of  the 
Diocese  of  Illinois.  One  of  the  new  dioceses,  of  which  Quincy  was  to 
be  made  the  See  City,  was  to  be  formed  out  of  that  portion  of 
Illinois  west  of  the  Illinois  River  and  south  of  the  counties  of  White- 
side and  Lee.  The  vestry  of  St.  John's  Parish  accordingly  conveyed 
the  church  property'  to  the  new  diocese  of  Quincy  as  its  cathedral. 
The  primary  convention  met  in  St.  John's  Church,  Quincy,  on  De- 
cember 11,  1877.  Thirteen  clergj'men  and  lay  delegates,  representing 
eleven  parishes,  were  present.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Smith  Harris, 
Rector  of  St.  James'  Church,  Chicago,  Illinois,  was  unanimously 
elected  bishop.  Upon  his  declination,  a  special  convention  was  held 
in  the  Cathedral  Church  of  St.  John,  Quincy,  on  February  26,  1878, 
when  the  Rev.  Alexander  Burgess,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  rector  of  Christ 
Church,  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  was  elected  bishop. 

During  the  period  of  Bishop  Burgess'  episcopate  the  following 
clergy  were  on  the  Cathedral  staff:  The  Very  Rev.  Robert  Ritchie 
(1879-1881),  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Dempster  Davidson,  D.  D.  (1881-1883), 
the  Very  Rev.  Ingram  N.  W.  Irvine  (1883-1885),  the  Rev.  Henry  C. 
Dyer  (1886),  the  Rev.  IMichael  Hicks  (1886),  the  Verj'  Rev.  C.  C. 
Lemon  (1888-1891).  the  Rev.  Edward  H.  Rudd,  D.  D.  (1891-1892), 
and  the  Very  Rev.  Walter  H.  I\Ioore,  M.  A.,  who  was  dean  for  four- 
teen years  (1892-1906).  In  1883  the  sanctuary  had  been  beautified 
by  the  gift,  from  Mrs.  Richard  Newcomb,  of  a  flue  new  altar  of  Caen 
stone,  in  memory  of  her  mother,  Elizabeth  Ritchie,  and  during  Dean 
Moore's  incumbency  the  cathedral  was  thoroughly  repaired  and  re- 
decorated, and  the  lots  east  of  the  building  were  acquired,  or  rather 
bought  back,  they  having  been  sold  in  past  j'eai's  under  financial 
stress.    Thus  a  cathedral  close,  ample  and  beautiful,  was  made  possible. 

Bishop  Burgess  died  on  October  8,  1901,  having  occupied  the  See 
for  nearlj^  twenty-three  years.  Shortly  before  his  death,  the  Rev. 
Frederick  William  Taylor,  D.  D.,  had  been  elected  coadjutor,  and 
upon  the  death  of  the  Senior  Bishop,  succeeded  him.  He  had  been 
consecrated  on  August  6,  1901.  The  period  of  his  service  in  the 
episcopal  office  was  destined  to  be  short,  however.  In  declining 
health  for  a  number  of  years,  he  died  April  26,  1903. 

The  Rt.  Rev.  Edward  Fawcett,  D.  D.,  Ph.  D.,  the  present  occu- 
pant of  the  Episcopal  See,  was  consecrated  in  St.  Bartholomew's 
Church,  Englewood,  Chicago  (of  which  he  had  been  rector),  on  Janu- 
ary 20,  1904.  His  enthronement  as  the  third  bishop  of  Quincy  took 
place  in  the  cathedral  on  February  2,  1904. 

The  Very  Rev.  Wyllys  Rede,  D.  D.,  held  the  deanship  from  Sep- 
tember, 1906,  to  January  1,  1909.  In  1907  the  Newcomb  Memorial 
Reredos  was  erected.     It  was  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Anna  M.  Newcomb, 


t^ULNCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  549 

in  mcmoiy  of  her  hiisbaiid,  Richard  Foote  Newcomb.  The  wuoil 
work  was  designed  by  Ralph  W.  Cram,  of  Boston,  the  foremost  ex- 
ponent of  Gothic  architecture  in  America,  and  the  arehitect  of  the 
new  t-athedral  of  St.  John  tlie  Divine  in  New  York  City.  The  central 
paintings  of  the  reredos — a  representation  of  "The  Final  Harvest"' 
— and  the  panels  on  either  side — the  Blessed  ^lother  and  the  Beloved 
Disciple — are  the  work  of  the  Bavarian  painter  and  priest,  Johannes 
Oertel,  well-known  all  over  the  land  as  tiie  painter  of  "The  Rock  of 
Ages,"  a  picture  of  a  young  maiden  reaching  up  out  of  the  raging 
watei-s  and  clinging  to  the  Cross  up-reared  on  the  impregnable  rock, 
a  copy  of  which  was  once  to  be  found  in  almost  every  home.  It  is 
noteworthy  that  in  the  elaborate  art  work  published  a  number  of 
years  ago  by  Macmillan  &  Co.,  entitled,  "Notable  Altars  of  England 
and  America,"  among  the  six  American  altars  there  described  and 
illustrated,  the  altar  of  St.  John's  Cathedral,  Quincy,  with  its  ex- 
quisite wood  carving  and  magnificent  paintings,  was  accorded  an 
honorable  place. 

The  Rev.  "William  A.  Gustin,  M.  A.,  as  canon  in  residence,  offi- 
ciated at  the  catliedral  from  January,  1909.  to  August,  1910.  Daring 
that  period  the  interior  of  the  cathedral  and  chapter  house  was 
greatly  improved.  The  Very  Rev.  Chapman  S.  Lewis,  M.  A.,  entered 
upon  his  duties  as  priest  in  charge  on  November  1,  1910,  and  a  few 
weeks  later  was  made  canon  residentiary  and  vicar  of  the  cathedral, 
thus  serving  until  his  advancement  to  the  deanship  November  14, 
1912.  He  resigned  Ash  Wednesday,  1914.  On  November  14,  1912, 
the  Rev.  \Villiam  0.  Cone,  by  virtue  of  his  office  as  priest  in  charge 
of  the  church  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  Quincy,  was  elected  to  a  canonry, 
and  became  dean.  May  l.j,  1914.  He  is  the  present  incumbent.  The 
St.  John's  Parish  has  now  within  its  bounds  about  275  communi- 
cants. 

Evangelical  Lutheran-  Church  of  St.  John 

The  pioneer  of  the  German  Protestant  churches  in  Quincy  origi- 
nated in  the  gathering  of  a  small  flock  of  the  faithful,  under  Rev. 
'Mr.  Hinholz,  who  held  religious  services  Sunday  afternoons  at  a  hall 
on  Fifth  Street  between  Maine  and  Jersey.  These  assemblies  oc- 
curred about  the  middle  of  the  '30s,  although  a  a  regular  congrega- 
tion, or  class,  was  not  organized  until  1837,  with  Rev.  John  Gumpel 
in  charge.  At  that  time  a  constitution  was  drafted  and  a  prodigious 
name  adopted  for  the  launching  of  the  little  society,  viz.: — "The  Ger- 
man Evangelical  Protestant  Congregation  and  the  United  Lutheran 
Reformed  Confessions."  An-hibald  Williams  and  John  Wodd  pre- 
sented the  congregation  and  confessions  with  three  lots  on  South 
Seventh  Street,  and  in  1838  they  erected  their  Hill  Church,  a  small 
frame  structure  built  on  a  high  terrace  far  above  the  level  of  the 
street.  The  contributing  members  numbered  over  100,  with  good 
German  names.    Of  the  earlier  pastors  who  did  most  to  build  up  St. 


550  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

John's,  prominent  mention  must  be  made  of  Rev.  Jacob  Seidel,  whose 
pastorate  of  ten  years,  from  1863  to  1873,  was  fruitful  of  good  works. 
The  old  Hill  Church  proved  inadequate  for  the  needs  of  the  gi'owing 
congregation,  and  in  December,  1868,  the  present  house  of  worship 
and  parsonage  displaced  the  outgrown  buildings,  being  erected  on  a 
less  abrupt  elevation.  Mr.  Seidel 's  predecessor,  Rev.  Christian  Popp, 
had  established  a  parochial  school,  which  grew  so  rapidly  that  the 
duties  of  teaching  it  were  taken  from  the  pastor  and  placed  with 
G.  A.  Weisel.  Rev.  L.  Hoelter,  Mr.  Seidel's  successor  who  served 
for  five  years,  founded  the  Young  People's  Societj',  and  in  1878 
Rev.  A.  "Willner  assumed  the  pastorate  and  continued  in  charge  until 
1892.  During  his  incumbency  the  Ladies  Aid  Society  was  organized 
and  other  extensions  of  church  activities  made.  Rev.  Louis  Zahn 
was  in  charge  for  nine  years  and  the  present  large  and  handsome 
school  was  commenced  during  the  last  of  his  pastorate,  but  he  did 
not  live  to  see  it  completed,  his  sudden  death  from  apoplexy  occurring 
in  November,  1901.  He  was  stricken  while  delivering  an  address  at 
the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  St.  Jacobi's  parochial  school.  The 
St.  John 's  School  was  completed  under  his  successor.  Rev.  "W.  Schaller, 
under  whom  not  a  few  improvements  were  made  in  the  house  of  wor- 
ship. In  1908  he  was  succeeded  by  R^v.  Theodore  "Walz  and  in  June, 
1915,  Rev.  W.  C.  A.  Martens  took  charge  of  the  congregation. 

Originally  organized  as  a  German  speaking  congregation,  St. 
John's  in  the  course  of  time  became  bilingual,  until  during  the  past 
decade  the  English  language  has  almost  wholly  supplanted  the  Ger- 
man, only  an  average  of  eight  services  monthly  being  conducted  in 
the  latter  language.  The  congregation  has  now  about  85  voting 
and  465  communicant  members,  with  a  Sunday  scliool  enrolment  of 
218  and  700  souls.  A  sinking  fund  for-  building  purposes  is  now  in 
process  of  formation,  it  being  the  intention  to  erect  church  and  school 
buildings  in  some  more  favorable  locality,  with  the  coming  of  more 
auspicious  times. 

First  Pkksbyteel\n  Church 

The  First  Presbji:erian  Church  of  Quincy  was  formally  organized 
in  the  old  courthouse,  with  twenty-two  members  and  Levi  "Wells, 
A.  M.  Hoffman  and  Phillip  Skinner  as  elders,  on  Sunday  January 
19,  1840.  Samuel  P.  Church,  William  A.  Wood  and  J.  D.  Robinson 
were  elected  trustees  in  the  following  month,  and  a  Sunday  school 
organized.  The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  called  March  4,  1840, 
in  the  person  of  Rev.  James  J.  Marks.  He  served  until  1855  and 
his  successors  have  been  as  follows:  Rev.  George  I.  King,  1855-67; 
Rev.  J.  A.  Priest,  1868-75 ;  Rev.  Newman  Smythe,  1875-82 ;  Rev.  John 
S.  Hayes,  1883-85;  Rev.  R.  V.  Atkinson,  1885-90;  Rev.  John  K. 
Black,  1891-94 ;  Rev.  John  M.  Linn,  1894-95 ;  Rev.  Henry  T.  Miller, 
1895-97 ;  Rev.  Rollin  R.  Marquis,  1897-99 ;  Rev.  William  Wylie,  1899- 
1900;  Rev.  Edwin  M.  Clingan,  1900-10;  Rev.  R.  H.  Hartley,  since 
January,  1911. 


yUl.NL'V  AND  ADA.M^S  LUL-NTV  551 

The  First  Presbyterian  L'lmrLli  building  was  located  on  the  south 
side  of  .Maine,  between  8ixtli  and  Seventh,  lu  1877  a  new  house  of 
worship  was  completed  and  was  about  to  be  dedicated  iu  Januarj', 
1878,  when  it  was  partially  destroyed  by  fire.  It  was  rebuilt  and  re- 
dedicated  in  November,  1879,  at  a  cost,  for  both  buildings,  of  $1U0,00U. 
The  membership  of  the  society  is  about  500  and  of  the  Sunday  schools, 
about  half  that  number. 

Second  Congregational  Unitarian  Churcu 

The  first  Unitarian  minister  who  ever  visited  Quincy  was  Rev. 
William  G.  Elliot,  of  St.  Louis,  who  came  early  in  April,  1839.  He 
preached  ou  Friday  evening  and  on  the  following  Sunday  morning 
and  evening  at  the  courthouse.  There  were  at  that  time  several 
Unitarians  in  the  place,  but  they  were  not  known  to  each  other  as 
such.  Through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Huntington,  of  Hillsborough,  on 
the  31st  of  May  following  Doctor  Elliot's  preaching,  an  organization 
was  formed  kno^v^l  as  the  Second  Congregational  Society  of  Quincy, 
and  the  former  soon  afterward  went  East  to  solicit  aid  from  the 
Unit-arians  in  that  part  of  the  countiy.  Mr.  Huntington  met  with 
such  success  that  in  March,  1840,  upon  his  return,  ground  was  leased 
on  Maine  Street  between  Third  ajid  Fourth  as  a  site  for  a  meeting 
house.  It  was  completed  in  August,  under  a  hundred-day  contract 
with  Robert  S.  Beimeson.  John  Wood  and  Samuel  Holmes  had 
donated  a  building  lot,  but  it  was  never  used  for  that  purpose  and 
was  subsequently  sold. 

The  first  meeting  house  was  dedicated  in  October,  1840,  and  Rev. 
George  Moore  began  his  labors  with  the  society  in  the  following 
December.  Under  his  lead  a  meeting  of  its  members  was  held  Decem- 
ber 29,  1840,  and  a  church  was  organized  by  adopting  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  Unitarian  Society  of  Louisville,  Kentucky. 

Rev.  Mordeeai  D'Lange,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Jloore,  began  his 
services  as  pastor  in  November,  1847,  and  resigned  in  Januarj-,  1850. 
As  the  lea.se  of  the  ground  occupied  as  a  church  site  was  about  to 
expire,  land  was  purchased  of  James  C.  Odiome,  of  Boston,  for  a 
building  lot,  the  deed  for  it  being  dated  in  May,  1850.  The  meeting 
house  on  the  south  side  of  Jersey  Street  above  Sixth  was  begun  in 
August  of  that  year  and  dedicated  in  November,  by  Rev.  William 
G.  Eliot,  the  pioneer  Unitarian  preacher  to  visit  Quincy,  and  Rev. 
William  A.  Fuller,  who  had  assumed  charge  of  the  church  on  the 
first  of  that  month.  Mr.  Fuller  resigned  in  April.  1854,  and  during 
his  pastorate  the  Universal ists,  who  had  been  affiliating  with  the  so- 
ciety, withdrew  and  built  a  small  church  on  Eighth.  The  latter 
maintained  an  organization  until  1858,  when  Rev.  D.  P.  Livermore, 
their  last  minister,  moved  to  Chicago. 

Rev.  Liberty  Billings  came  to  Quincy  during  the  later  part  of 
July,  1854,  and  after  preaching  temporarily  and  delivering  some  tem- 
perance lectures,  formed  a  permanent  connection  with  the  Unitarian 


552  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Church  in  January,  1855.  The  membership  and  general  activities  of 
the  church  so  expanded  that  in  1857  building  operations  were  com- 
menced on  the  R.  S.  Benneson  lot  (donated)  on  Maine  Street  be- 
tween Sixth  and  Seventh,  and  in  December  of  that  year  the  third 
meeting  house  was  dedicated  at  that  locality.  Mr.  Billings  remained 
with  the  society  until  May,  1861,  subsequently  entered  the  army  as 
lieutenant  colonel  of  a  colored  regiment,  and  after  the  war  moved  to 
Florida,  where  he  died.  Regular  preaching  was  not  resumed  until 
July,  1862,  when  Rev.  Martin  AV.  Willis  assumed  the  pastorate.  In 
October,  1865,  he  was  followed  by  Rev.  Sjdvan  S.  Huntington,  who 
became  western  secretary  of  the  American  Unitarian  Association. 
Rev.  Frederick  L.  Hosmer  served  from  1872  to  1877,  and  Rev.  J. 
Vila  Blake  for  the  six  years  ending  May,  1883,  when  he  resigned  to 
accept  a  call  from  the  Third  Unitarian  Church  of  Chicago.  The  suc- 
cessive pastors  since  have  been :  Rev.  James  D.  Callihan,  Rev. 
Francis  S.  Thatcher,  Rev.  John  Tunis,  Rev.  Charles  F.  Bradley  (died 
May  7,  1896),  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Horner,  Rev.  Samuel  L.  Elberfeld, 
Rev.  Charles  W.  Pearson,  Rev.  Charles  P.  Elliott  (1906-12),  Rev. 
Richard  F.  Tischer  and  Rev.  Lyman  M.  Greenman,  the  present  in- 
cumbent, who  commenced  his  ministry  in  December,  1913.  Under 
Mr.  Greenman 's  pastorate  the  church  has  held  its  own  and,  in  defer- 
ence to  the  manifest  wishes  of  the  society  for  a  change  of  location 
to  a  present  residence  district  of  the  city,  a  beautiful  new  church  was 
erected  in  1913-14,  on  Hampshire  and  Sixteenth  streets,  at  a  cost  of 
about  $20,000.    It  was  dedicated  in  February,  1914. 

Kentucky  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Chxjkch 

The  organization  above  named  was  known  for  more  than  seventy 
years  as  the  First  German  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  dates 
its  foundation  from  October,  1844,  when  Rev.  Phillip  Barth  came  to 
Quiney  from  St.  Louis  as  the  representative  of  Reverend  Jaeobi,  the 
presiding  elder.  Although  a  number  of  German  Methodists  were 
interested  in  the  enterprise,  the  society  was  not  organized  until  March, 
1845,  when  twenty-eight  members  came  together  for  that  purpose. 
In  July,  1846,  the  first  house  of  worship  was  erected  on  Jersey  Street 
near  Fifth,  and  six  years  later  a  new  building  was  erected  on  that 
site.  That  structure  is  now  the  natatorium.  In  1873  the  Bethel 
German  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  split  off  from  the  parent  trunk 
and  occupied  a  building  at  Twelfth  and  Jefferson.  In  1901  the 
parent  church  erected  the  present  meeting  house  at  Eighth  and  Ken- 
tucky streets,  at  a  cost  of  $20,000.  Following  is  a  list  of  the  pastors 
up  to  the  time  that  tlie  society  adopted  the  name  by  which  it  is  now 
known.  Rev.  Philip  Barth,  William  Sehreek,  William  Herminghauf, 
Sebastian  Barth,  Philip  Barth  (second  term),  Casper  Yost,  H.  F. 
Hoenecke,  Charles  Holtmann,  George  Boeshenz,  John  Walter,  David 
Huene,  Dr.  John  Schmitt,  George  L.  Mulfinger,  Henry  Ellerbeck, 
E.   C.  Margaret,  George  Beuhner,  John  Schlagenhauf,  M.   Roeder, 


QUIN'CY  AND  ADAMS  ( OINTV  55:j 

William  Wilkenuing,  C  A.  C.  Arehard,  Henry  Suliutz,  J.  F.  Froeschle, 
Frauz  Piehlcr,  George  Heidel,  II.  C.  Jacobi,  John  Lcinkau,  A.  H.  F. 
Ilertzlcr  and  D.  S.  Wahl.  The  name  was  changed  from  tlie  First 
German  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  to  the  Kentucky  Street  Metiio- 
dist  Episcopal  Church  in  December,  1916.  The  approximate  value 
of  the  church  property  as  it  stands  today  is  $23,000 ;  present  member- 
ship, 225. 

The  Salem  Evangelic.vl  Church 

This  is  one  of  the  old  and  Hourisliing  Protestant  ehnrches  which 
have  given  Quiney  such  a  high  standing  in  the  religious  community. 
The  commencement  of  the  organization  was  found  in  the  holding  of 
services  by  Rev.  Christoph  Jung,  on  Maine  Street  near  Seventii,  in 
the  month  of  April,  1848.  Soon  afterward  his  hearers  and  followers, 
under  his  pastorate,  formed  the  Salem  German  Evangelical  Congre- 
gation of  Quiney,  being  in  affiliation  with  the  German  Evangelical 
Synod  of  North  America.  At  first  they  met  in  the  old  Congrega- 
tional Church  building,  at  Fifth  and  Jersey  streets,  but  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1848  erected  their  own  house  of  worship,  a  small  brick  church, 
on  a  lot  donated  to  them  for  that  purpose  by  Governor  Wood,  on 
the  northeast  corner  of  Ninth  and  State.  It  was  dedicated  on  Thanks- 
giving day  of  1848.  The  first  officers  of  the  church  were:  Charles 
Michel,  president ;  George  Gutaphels,  secretary ;  and  John  Sehoene- 
mann,  treasurer.  A  school  building  was  erected  in  1852  and  in  June 
of  that  year  Mr.  Jung  resigned  the  pastorate,  on  account  of  sickness 
contracted  during  the  cholera  epidemic.  His  successor.  Rev.  S.  Liese, 
served  for  about  eight  years,  and  in  1860  took  with  him  all  but 
forty-seven  of  the  voting  members  of  the  congregation  to  form  St. 
Peter's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church. 

Mr.  Liese 's  successor  was  Rev.  Simon  Kuhlenhoolter  and  in  May, 
1861,  the  second  year  of  his  pastorate  was  ushered  in  by  a  formal 
affiliation  of  the  Salem  congregation  with  the  Evangelical  Synod  of 
North  America.  ^Ir.  Kulilenlioclter  faithfully  served  his  church  for 
nearly  twenty-two  years,  or  until  his  death  on  New  Year's  day,  1882. 
During  that  period  a  new  parsonage  was  l)uilt  (1862).  an  addition 
TO  the  old  church  (1863)  was  made,  Groenmount  Cemetery  (1875) 
opened  and  the  elegant  and  substantial  house  of  worship  still  occu- 
pied (1876-77)  was  completed.  Its  cost  was  about  $50,000.  Four 
months  after  "Sir.  Kuhlenhoelter's  death  Rev.  L.  Von  Raguo  became 
pastor.  The  latter  resigned  in  1893  and  Rev.  Julius  C.  Kramer  was 
called  to  the  pulpit.  Among  other  noticeable  improvements  made 
during  his  incumbency  were  the  placing  of  the  beautiful  tower  clock, 
the  frescoing  of  the  church  interior  and  the  installation  of  a  fine 
organ.  Mr.  Kramer  terminated  his  pastorate  in  1911,  and  the  eon- 
pregation  elected  as  his  successor  the  Rev.  IT.  J.  Lecmhuis  of  0 'Fallon, 
Illinois.  The  church  was  then  in  a  critical  period,  the  most  important 
problems  arising  out  of  the  fact  that  the  younger  generation  was 


554  QULXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

not  familiar  with  the  German  language  which  had  always  been  the 
ofiSeial  language  of  the  congregation.  The  new  pastor  succeeded  in 
solving  this  problem  by  introducing  and  gradually  increasing  the  use 
of  the  English  language.  The  church  will  ultimately  be  an  English- 
American  Church,  but  the  process  of  transformation  is  being  worked 
out  slowly  and  systematically,  so  that  on  the  one  hand  the  younger 
people  are  satisfied,  while  on  the  other  hand  the  rights  of  the  older 
people  are  not  endangered  by  any  revolutionary  measures. 

In  1912  a  very  large  hall  was  erected  for  the  use  of  the  flourish- 
ing societies  of  the  church.  This  hall  is  equipped  with  complete 
paraphernalia  for  dramatic  performances.  There  are  club-rooms, 
pool  tables,  a  gymnasium,  a  large  dining  room  and  a  kitchen  with 
all  modem  conveniences.  The  cost  of  this  improvement  amounted 
to  $25,000.  The  rest  of  the  church  property  was  also  repaired  and 
improved.  Especial  attention  was  paid  to  Gre^nmount  Cemetery, 
which  is  the  property  of  Salem  Church,  and  which  has  grown  to  be 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  memorial  parks  in  Southern  Illinois.  At 
present  the  value  of  the  entire  church  propert.y  is  about  $200,000. 

There  are  600  families  affiliated  with  Salem  Church.  The  Ladies' 
Aid  Society  has  400  members,  the  Men's  League  200,  the  Young 
People's  Society  200.  The  Sunday  school  is  in  a  flourishing  con- 
dition. 

The  Christian  Churches 

The  Disciples  of  Christ  at  Quincy  were  organized  under  the  name 
given  above  in  October,  1850,  there  being  twenty-eight  charter  mem- 
bers. For  thirteen  years  the  society  had  no  resident  pastor.  In 
1863  Rev.  A.  H.  Sims  assumed  charge  and  thus  continued  for  three 
3'ears.  Among  those  who  have  served  the  church  may  also  be  men- 
tioned Kevs.  Belshea,  D.  R.  Howe,  J.  H.  McCullough,  H.  D.  Clarke, 
J.  T.  Toof  (nine  years) ,  J.  B.  Mayfield,  P.  N.  Calvin,  C.  B.  Edgar, 
J.  M.  Goodwin,  J.  H.  Rudy,  L.  H.  Stine,  W.  W.  Burks,  W.  Jordan 
and  W.  D.  Endres,  the  present  incumbent. 

There  is  also  what  is  known  as  the  East  End  Christian  Church, 
of  which  Rev.  L.  C.  Mauck  is  pastor. 

St.  Jacobi  Evangelical  Lutheran  Chitrch 

In  August,  1851,  the  religious  body  known  as  St.  Jacobi  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran  Church  was  formed  in  the  old  school  building  on 
Fifth  Street  between  York  and  Kentucky,  and  a  parochial  school 
was  soon  afterward  organized.  Tbe  first  house  of  worship  was 
erected  at  Seventh  and  Jersey,  and  in  1866  the  building  of  today 
was  occupied  at  Eighth  and  "Washington  streets. 

St.  Jacobi  Church  is  noted  for  the  long  pastorates  of  those  who 
have  ministered  to  its  wants.  Rev.  August  Schmieding,  the  first 
pastor  served  from  1851  to  1875.     He  then  resigned  and  was  sue- 


QUINCY  AND  ADAILS  COU.NTY  555 

ceeded  by  Il«v.  William  Hallerberg.  lu  l'JU4  the  latter,  o\viii<j  to 
age  and  infirmity,  was  succeeded  iu  the  active  duties  of  his  charge 
by  his  sou,  Rev.  William  Hallerberg,  Jr.  The  church  is  prosperous 
and  strong,  being  now  in  charge  of  Rev.  G.  D.  Hamm. 

Congregation  K.  K.  Bnai  Sholem 

The  first  organization  among  the  Jews  of  Quincy  was  effected  in 
December,  1856,  twenty-three  members  constituting  it.  Meetings  were 
held  for  a  time  on  Ilampshire  Street  between  Fifth  and  Sixth,  and 
in  1866  a  frame  synagogue  was  built  on  Sixth  Street  between  Ver- 
mont and  Broadway. 

The  Congregation  Bnai  Sholem  was  organized  iu  October,  1864, 
with  about  twenty-one  members,  among  whom  were  Isaac  Lesem, 
-Maukeriue  Jackson,  Moses  Jacobs,  "Wolf  Joseph,  Closes  Kingsbacker, 
S.  Kingsbacker  and  JI.  Bergcr.  In  July,  1872,  the  two  Jewish  socie- 
ties united  under  the  foregoing  name. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  congregation  was  Rev.  ilr.  Rauli,  and  for 
about  three  years  services  were  held  in  Fisher's  Hall  near  the  corner 
of  Fourth  and  Ilampsliire.  In  1869  the  meeting  place  was  for  a  time 
at  the  old  First  Baptist  Church,  but  in  July  of  that  year  the  corner- 
stone of  a  synagogue  was  laid  on  Ninth  Street  between  Broadway 
and  Spring  Street,  the  Masons  conducting  the  exercises  and  Dr.  I. 
M.  Wise,  the  noted  Cincinnati  rabbi,  delivering  the  address.  The 
temple  was  dedicated  in  September,  1870,  by  Rev.  Dr.  M.  Flucgel. 
who  at  that  time  was  in  charge  of  the  congregation.  As  completed, 
the  syna^gue  is  a  Moorish  temple  of  brick  and  stone,  70  by  40  feet 
and  84  feet  in  height.  Rev.  Isaac  ^Moses  succeeded  the  first  rabl)i. 
Rev.  M.  Fluegcl,  and  his  successors  have  been  Rabbi  V.  Caro,  Rabbi 
Elias  Eppstein,  1890-1906 ;  Ral)bi  Stultz,  1906-08 ;  Rabbi  Louis  Kup- 
pin.  l!IOS-]4:  Rabbi  J.  II.  Ilaliirin.  l!)lo— .  The  eongi-egation  has 
been  without  a  rabbi  for  some  time.  The  presidents  of  the  congre- 
gation have  been  as  follows:  Wolf  Joseph,  1900-08;  M.  Kingsbaker. 
1908-11;  D.  Stem,  1911-13;  B.  G.  Vasen,  1913-16;  G.  M.  Jackson, 
1916 — .  There  are  about  150  Jews  living  in  Quincy.  including  men. 
women  and  children,  and  practically  all  of  the  adults  are  members 
of  the  congregation. 

St.  Francis  Solanus  Parish 

In  the  northwestern  section  of  Quincy  is  a  massive  and  imposing 
collection  of  buildings,  comprising  church,  convent  and  college,  which 
are  outward  representatives  of  the  great  religious  and  educational 
work  being  accomplished  within  the  St.  Francis  Solanus  Pari.sh.  The 
story  of  the  coming  of  the  Franciscans  commences  with  the  dispatch 
of  a  little  colony  of  that  order  to  the  United  States  by  the  superior 
of  the  Holy  Cross,  in  XoithiM-n  Cennany.  Tliey  landed  in  New 
York  in  September,  1858,  gradually  extending  their  missions  west- 


556  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ward.  In  the  meantime  Rev.  Herman  Schaefermever,  who  had  crossed 
the  Atlantic  with  the  first  Franciscan  Fathers  and  been  placed  in 
charge  of  St.  Boniface  Parish,  Quincy,  had  requested  assistance  from 
his  superior  at  Teutopolis,  Effingham  Coimty.  Rev.  P.  Capistrau 
was  sent  to  his  aid  and  for  about  two  months  lightened  him  of  his 
heavy  labors  and  extended  tlie  work  and  influence  of  the  church. 

The  beneficial  staj-  of  Father  Capistran  aroused  a  desire  among 
resident  Catholics  to  make  Quincy  a  great  center  of  Franciscan 
activities.  Passing  over  the  preliminaries  and  the  necessary  step.s 
taken  to  secure  the  authority  from  the  Provincial  in  Germany  for 
the  establishment  of  parish  work  and  a  college  for  the  training  of  the 
priesthood,  it  is  only  necessary  to  state  that  in  November,  1859, 
there  arrived  at  Teutopolis  from  the  constituted  ecclesiastical  authori- 
ties across  the  seas,  two  Fathers,  three  clerics  and  one  tertiary,  to 
lay  the  foundation  of  the  establishment  at  Quincy. 

The  Rev.  P.  Servatius  Altmieks,  who  had  been  appointed  superior 
and  pastor,  with  Brother  Honorius  Dopp,  arrived  upon  the  ground 
December  2,  1859,  and  were  heartily  welcomed  by  the  pastor  of  St. 
Boniface.  At  Father  Schaefermeyer's  request,  Rev.  P.  Servatius  de- 
livered a  sermon  at  St.  Boniface  Church,  two  days  afterward,  explain- 
ing his  mission  and  asking  their  support  in  its  furtherance.  Through 
the  trustees  and  a  building  committee  of  that  organization,  Joseph 
Mast's  three-story  brick  house,  corner  of  Maine  and  Eighth  streets, 
was  rented  for  a  priest's  residence  and  as  temporary  quarters  for  the 
projected  college,  and  the  movement  was  placed  under  headway  look- 
ing to  the  erection  of  a  church,  monastery  and  school  building.  In 
February,  1860,  Rev.  P.  Lector  Heribert  Hoffmans,  with  three  clerics, 
arrived,  the  latter  to  complete  their  theological  studies  for  the  priest- 
hood. Finally  the  building  site  for  the  monastery  and  church  offered 
by  Christian  Borstadt,  on  Vine  Street  between  Eighteenth  and  Twen- 
tieth streets,  was  accepted  and,  with  the  assistance  of  St.  Boniface 
Society,  purchased  outright.  William  B.  Hauworth  designed  the 
plans  for  the  new  buildings  and  superintended  their  erection,  much 
of  the  material  and  labor  involved  in  their  construction  being  con- 
tributed. In  June,  I860,  Brother  Honorius  Dopp  passed  away  in  the 
twenty-second  year  of  his  age,  his  being  the  first  death  to  occur  in 
the  Sacred  Heart  Province. 

In  September,  1860,  the  "monastery  on  the  prairie"  was  ready 
for  occupancy.  It  was  a  two-story  brick  building  and  temporarily 
served  both  as  chapel  and  high  school.  In  February  of  the  following 
year  it  was  thought  advisable  to  separate  the  college  from  the 
monastery  and  two  rooms  were  engaged  in  the  neighboring  orphan- 
age of  St.  Aloysius,  where  the  school  remained  imtil  the  completion 
of  the  college  building  in  January,  1865. 

Rev.  P.  Servatius  was  sent  to  St.  Louis  to  found  another  monas- 
tery in  the  fall  of  1862,  and  Rev.  P.  Ferdinand  Bergmeyer  suc- 
ceeded him  as  superior  and  pastor  of  St.  Francis.  In  December, 
1869,  Rev.  P.  Nazarius  Kommerscheidt  succeeded  Rev.  P.  Ferdinand 


QUINCV  AND  ADAMS  COL'XTY  557 

as  local  superior  of  the  mission,  and  in  ilarcli,  1870.  l^uiney  was 
raised  from  the  rank  of  a  residence  to  that  of  a  monastery.  Rev.  P. 
Anselni  JIueller  was  ai)pointed  its  first  vioar. 

Until  about  1878  the  following  missions  had  for  a  longer  or 
shorter  period  been  attended  by  the  Franciscans:  St.  Anthony's, 
Melrose  Township;  St.  Joseph's,  Columbus  Road;  St.  Joseph's  (now 
Sacred  Heart)  Church,  Warsaw,  Illinois;  Mount  Sterling,  Bloomfield, 
Wcstwoods,  Roodhouse  and  West  Point,  Illinois;  and  Hager's  Grove, 
St.  Maiy's,  Palmyra,  Bowling  Green  and  Clarksville,  ilissouri.  The 
Fathers,  in  particular  the  college  professors,  lent  a  helping  hand  to 
the  pastors  of  Camp  Point,  Illinois,  and  Keokuk,  West  Point  and 
Fort  Madison,  Iowa.  Since  1876  the  Franciscans  have  attended  St. 
Mary's  Ilospit^il  and  since  1877,  St.  Marj's  Academy. 

In  April,  1879,  the  new  province  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus 
was  established,  with  the  Very  Rev.  P.  Vincent  Halbfas  as  first 
provincial,  and  Rev.  P.  Anslem  Mueller  as  one  of  the  definitors. 
Soon  afterward  Father  Michael  resigned  charge  of  St.  Joseph's 
Church  for  the  colored  people.  In  1881  the  friars  of  the  college  and 
monastery  formed  themselves  into  separate  communities. 

Although  a  story  had  been  added  to  the  old  monastery,  a  new 
and  larger  building  had  become  necessarj*  and  in  April,  1885,  the  cor- 
nerstone for  the  structure  was  laid.  It  was  completed  in  October, 
1886.  It  is  a  plain,  but  commodious  building  of  brick,  145  by  71  feet 
in  dimensions. 

The  new  church,  authorized  at  the  same  time,  was  also  completed 
within  substantially  the  same  i)eriod.  It  is  an  imposing  structure, 
Gothic  in  style  of  architecture,  and  stands  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  Vine  ajul  Eighteenth  streets.  The  building  is  182  feet  long  and 
the  transcript  is  120  feet  wide.  The  plans  for  the  magnificent  edi- 
fice were  made  by  Brother  Adrlanus  Wewer,  who  also  acted  as  super- 
intendent of  its  construction,  which  facts  may  account  for  the  small 
cost  of  its  erection  $62,000.  The  church  was  formally  dedicated 
October  24,  1886. 

Since  the  founding  of  St.  Francis  Church,  the  following  have 
served  as  its  pastors:  Rev.  P.  Servatius  Altmicks,  0.  F.  M.,  18G0-62; 
Rev.  P.  Ferdinand  Bergmcjer,  1862-69 ;  Rev.  P.  Nazarius  Kom- 
mersohcid,  0.  F.  JL,  1869-83:  Rev.  P.  Andrew  Butzkueben,  1883- 
1909;  Rev.  P.  Florentius  Kurzer  and  Rev.  Didacus  Gruenholz,  since 
the  latter  j'ear.  The  interior  of  the  church  edifice  has  been  repeatedly 
improved,  as  well  as  its  surroundings;  so  that  the  St.  Francis  house 
of  worship  is  doubly  attractive. 

The  successors  of  P.  Auselm  Mueller  as  vicars  of  the  monastery 
have  lieeii  P.  Alardus  Andrescheck,  P.  Ambrose  Janssen.  P.  Michael 
Richardt,  P.  Paul  Teroerde,  P.  Nazarius,  P.  Cyprian  Banchicd,  P. 
Maximilian  Neumann,  P.  Ambrose  Janssen  (second  term),  P.  Boni- 
face Depmann,  P.  Andrew  Butzlrueben,  P.  Benignus  Sdnietz.  P. 
Arsenius  Fahle,  P.  Seraphin  Lampe,  P.  Symphorian  Forstmaiin,  P. 
Seraph  in  Lampe  and  Father  G.  Aurelius. 


558  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

.   St.  Francis  Solanus  College 

The  college  for  the  education  of  the  Franciscan  priesthood  has 
steadily  grown  into  a  great  institution  within  the  Catholic  Church. 
After  the  professors  and  students  of  the  gi'owing  school  had  been 
temporarily  accommodated  in  the  Mast  House,  the  old  monastery 
and  the  St.  Aloysius  orphanage,  it  found  its  fourth  shelter,  more 
a  permanent  home,  in  a  two-story  building  (the  parochial  school) 
which  was  dedicated  in  February,  1865.  It  was  located  near  what 
would  now  be  the  rear  of  the  refectory. 

Father  Anselm 

Anslem  Mueller,  or  Father  Anselm,  as  he  was  generally  and  affec- 
tionately called,  is  honored  as  the  founder  of  St.  Francis  Solanus 
College.  AVhen  he  came  to  Quincy  he  was  in  his  twenty-tifth  year, 
and  when  the  cornerstone  of  the  first  permanent  college  building  was 
laid  in  September,  1871,  which  event  he  had  done  so  much  to  bring 
to  pass,  he  was  in  his  thirty-third.  The  completed  structure  was 
dedicated  by  Rt.  Rev.  Peter  J.  Baltes,  second  bishop  of  Alton,  and 
both  ceremonies  were  witnessed  by  thousands  of  sympathetic  citi- 
zens of  Quincy  and  vicinity.  The  building,  70  by  90,  four  stories 
high,  was  erected  southeast  of  the  monastery  and  directly  adjoining 
it.  The  original  college  now  forms  the  southeastern  wing  of  the 
present  group  of  buildings.  St.  Francis  Solaiius  College  was  incor- 
porated in  May,  1873.  In  1881  the  faculty  became  an  independent 
community,  and  in  1886,  on  the  completion  of  the  present  monastery 
and  parochial  church,  the  college  obtained  possession  of  the  old  monas- 
tery, thus  increasing  the  domestic  capacity  of  the  institution  and 
doubling  the  area  of  the  campus — especially  after  the  removal  of 
the  old  church,  which  stood  between  the  present  central  building  and 
the  western  wing.  The  building  thus  acquired  had  been  enlarged  by 
the  addition  of  a  third  floor  and  a  two-story  wing  running  north  par- 
allel to  the  eastern  side  of  the  present  chapel  site.  This  wing  is  still 
remembered  by  the  present  generation  of  students  as  the  building 
in  which  were  located  the  chapel  and  junior  gymnasium  until  the 
autumn  of  1910,  when  it  was  demolished. 

In  1885  Father  Anselm  thankfully  participated  in  the  celebration 
marking  the  silver  jubilee  of  the  college's  foundation,  in  1887  was 
honored  with  his  own  silver  sacerdotal  jubilee,  and  in  1892,  after 
guiding  the  progress  of  the  institution  for  thirty  years,  regretfully 
left  the  scene  of  his  labors  of  duty  and  love  for  other  fields. 

Rev.  Nicholas  Leonard,  called  the  "builder,"  succeeded  Father 
Anselm,  and  was  a  worthy  follower.  First,  under  his  administration, 
the  old  parochial  school  was  moved,  the  southwest  corner  of  the  block 
was  added  to  college  property  and  a  strip  on  the  east  was  purchased 
from  the  orphanage. 

On  September  20,  1893,  the  cornerstone  of  the  northeastern  wing 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  55y 

was  laid,  the  study  hall  was  ready  fur  occupation  on  Thanksgiving 
day,  1894,  and  the  dranuitic  hall  was  opened  April  25,  IS'Jo.  Simul- 
tauwusly,  work  was  progressinj^  on  tlic  western  wiiif;,  tlie  corner- 
stone of  which  was  blessed  March  13,  1894.  It  was  finislied  and  occu- 
pied during  the  summer  of  1895,  whilst  the  older  buildings  under- 
went a  thorougli  ovcrliauling  and  remodeling.  In  1898,  during  the 
course  of  tiie  summer,  tlie  main  part  of  the  old  monastery  was  re- 
moved, and  the  present  central  building  with  the  tower  was  erected. 

Only  one  experienced  in  such  matters  can  appreciate  what  all 
this  building  and  expense  meant  to  Father  Nicholas,  who,  at  the 
same  time,  was  active  in  the  educational  work  of  the  institution;  in 
fact,  his  claim  to  merit  and  fame  rests  chiefly  on  his  labors  in  the 
latter  field.  Everything,  however,  was  prospering,  and  he  was  look- 
ing forward  with  confidence  in  his  ability  to  pay  debts  incurred  and 
to  finish  the  proposed  buildings,  wlien  a  most  unfortunate  accident 
in  alighting  from  a  street  car  in  Omaha,  Nebra.ska,  August  25,  1900, 
rendered  necessary  the  amputation  of  his  left  leg  and  brought  him 
to  death 's  door.  He  returned  to  the  college  after  a  few  months,  but 
he  was  a  broken  man.  Resigning  his  ofiSce  in  December,  1901,  he 
retired  to  St.  Louis,  where  after  suffering  an  attack  of  apoplexy,  he 
died,  March  17,  1903.  Xo  student  who  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  being 
educated  under  his  direction,  can  ever  forget  his  marvelous  ability 
to  lead  the  young  mind  .successfully  along  the  stony  road  of  knowl- 
edge, or  his  wonderful  insight  into  the  youthful  heart. 

Father  Anselm,  who  in  the  meantime  had  held  one  of  the  highest 
positions  in  the  order,  now  returned  to  his  old  post,  and  till  1909 
showed  that  the  Psalmist's  period  of  life  had  diminished  none  of  his 
youthful  vigor  and  ardor.  The  Golden  Jubilee  of  his  reception  into 
the  Franciscan  order,  celebrated  with  extraordinary  solemnity,  April 
17-19,  1906,  and  his  seventieth  birthday,  November  22,  1908,  proved 
only  that  he  was  seventj'  years  young. 

During  this  second  incumbenc.v,  whilst  paj-ing  the  remaining 
debt  which  Father  Nicholas  had  so  unfortunately  been  prevented 
from  liquidating.  Father  Anselm  was  chiefly  employed  in  maintain- 
ing the  st^indard  of  tiie  institution.  A  winter  course  was  introduced 
in  1902.  The  only  building  of  importance  erected  at  this  period  was 
the  Guest  house  in  1904,  opposite  the  southoa.stern  wing. 

On  May  11,  1895,  appeared  the  first  number  of  "The  Solanian," 
the  college  students'  magazine,  which  owes  its  existence  to  the  initia- 
tive and  persevering  efforts  of  Professor  Charles  Percy  MacTIugh, 
under  whose  efficient  and  enthusiastic  guidance  it  lias  from  the  first 
held  an  enviable  place  in  its  class,  and  is  the  pride  of  faoult.v,  students 
and  alumni. 

In  1909,  Father  Anselm  was  .superseded  by  the  Reverend  Samuel 
Macke,  who  had  previou.sly  held  the  same  positions  as  Father  Nich- 
olas, both  here  and  at  Teutopolis.  In  Father  Samuel,  remarkable 
ability  and  attainments  were  coupled  with  a  most  uiia.ssuining  dis- 
position and  a  distinct  aversion  for  honors  and  dignities.    His  career 


560  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

as  rector  covered  but  one  short  year,  when  ill-health  justified  the 
acceptance  of  his  resignation,  to  the  deep  regret  of  all  connected  with 
the  institution,  who  knew  and  apreeiated  his  sterling  qualities. 

Short  as  it  was,  his  term  of  office  will  be  ever  memorable  for  the 
reorganization  of  the  commercial  course.  Up  to  this  time,  there  had 
always  existed  such  a  course  iu  the  college,  but  in  the  opinion  of  the 
faculty  it  needed  broadening  and  deepening.  It  was  felt  that  the 
college  could  stand  not  only  for  nothing  mediocre  but  only  for  the 
very  best  in  every  department.  New  quarters  were  accordingly 
opened  and  an  up-to-date  equipment  installed. 

On  the  resignation  of  Father  Samuel  in  the  summer  of  1910, 
the  rectorship  was  conferred  on  the  Rev.  Fortunatus  Hausser,  who, 
as  professor  and  sub-i'cctor,  had  been  identified  with  the  college  since 
1888.  It  was  during  1911,  the  second  year  of  his  administration,  that 
the  beautiful  new  chapel  was  comijleted.  The  designs  for  it  were 
drawn  by  the  late  lamented  Brother  Anselm  Wolff,  0.  P.  M.,  who 
superintended  the  work  until  shortly  after  the  lajing  of  the  corner- 
stone in  March,  1911,  when  death  put  an  end  to  his  earthly  work  in  the 
prime  of  life.  The  successor  of  Father  Hausser  as  rector  of  the  col- 
lege was  Eev.  G.  Lucan,  the  present  incumbent. 

The  Colored  Churches 

The  colored  people  of  Quincy  are  generally  divided,  in  their 
religious  faith,  between  the  Methodists  and  the  Baptists.  The  mother 
of  all  such  organizations  is  the  Bethel  Methodist  society,  organized 
in  1858  under  Rev.  Henry  Brown,  and  admitted  into  the  Indiana 
A.  M.  E.  Conference  five  years  afterward.  ^Meetings  were  first  held 
in  a  small  frame  building  corner  of  Fifth  and  Jersey  streets,  and  after- 
ward a  small  wooden  church  was  erected  on  the  site  of  the  present 
structure  on  Oak  Street  between  Ninth  and  Tenth  streets.  In  1863, 
during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Henry  Brown,  an  addition  was  built, 
as  the  society  had  received  quite  a  number  of  new  members.  A  day 
school  was  carried  on  in  connection  with  the  church  work.  In  1866 
the  meeting  house  was  burned,  and  not  long  afterward  the  house  of 
worship  now  occupied  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  about  $16,000.  The 
present  pastor  of  the  church  is  Rev.  George  F.  Shaw. 

The  Eighth  and  Elm  Street  Baptist  Church  was  formed  iu  1865 
with  fifty-five  members.  Under  their  first  minister,  services  were 
first  held  in  a  building  at  Maine  and  Sixth  streets,  which  was  also 
u.sed  during  the  war  by  that  noted  women's  relief  society,  the  Needle 
Pickets.  In  1866  the  Colored  Baptists  bought  the  little  church  at 
Jersey  and  Eighth  streets,  which  not  long  afterward  was  improved 
and  in  1881  moved  to  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Elm  streets.  Rev.  S.  M. 
Duke  is  now  pastor  in  charge. 

St.  Peter's  Evan6elic.\l  Luther.4.n 

"When  Rev.  Simon  Liese  seceded  from  Salem  Evangelical  Church 
in  1860  to  form  St.  Peter's,  the  new  congregation  bought  a  little 


QUIN'CY  AM)  ADA.MS  (  (H  NTV  561 

frame  house  of  worship  at  Kli-veiitli  and  N'eniioiit  streets  and  moved 
it  to  the  corner  of  Ninth  ami  Vnrk.  In  1875  it  was  disi)lafed  by 
the  I'hiirch  which  still  stands  at  tliat  locality,  the  two-story  brick 
schoolliouso  having  been  erected  in  18GG.  The  parsonage  was  built 
in  1889.  Mr.  Liese  continued  as  pastor  for  twenty-five  years,  and  dur- 
ing that  period  St.  Peter's  grew  to  be  a  strong  society,  but  of  late 
years  its  condition  lias  been  uncertain.  The  successors  of  Mr.  Liese 
were  Rev.  George  Eisele,  W.  \V.  Schinkman  (who  terminated  his 
pastorate  in  1909,  Rev.  A.  J.  Iloltz,  who  resigned  in  1912,  and  Rev. 
Paul  Langhorst.  At  that  time  the  congregation  purchased  a  lot  on 
Thirteenth  Street  and  Payson  Avenue,  where  they  erected  a  fine  par- 
sonage, with  the  ultimate  view  of  building  a  new  church  at  the  loca- 
tion named,  which  is  more  centrally  located  than  the  old  site.  Mr. 
Langhorst  resigned  in  Januarj-,  1918,  in  order  to  take  charge  of  a 
society  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  Although  at  present  without  a  settled 
pastor,  St.  Peter's  Church  serves  about  200  families,  and  has  a  large 
Sundav-  school.  Ladies'  Society  and  Men's  League. 

St.  Mary's  Rom.vn  C.\tiiouc  Church 

The  original  St.  ]\rary's  Church  was  located  at  the  northeast  cor- 
ner of  Seventh  and  Adams  streets.  It  was  completed  in  December, 
3867,  when  Rev.  Theodore  Bruener  was  sent  by  the  bishop  of  Alton 
to  a.s.sume  the  new  charge.  At  that  time  the  interior  of  the  house  of 
worship  was  unfinished,  but  that  made  no  difference  with  the  progress 
of  the  enterprise  under  the  energetic  and  skilful  management  of 
Father  Bruener.  In  1868  he  built  the  tw'o-story  brick  schoolbouse. 
which  is  still  in  use,  and  in  the  following  years  remodeled  and  deco- 
rated the  entire  church  interior.  Several  altars  were  added  in  the 
early  '70s,  and  when  he  left  the  pastorate  in  1875  St.  Mary's  was  con- 
sidered among  the  most  beautiful  of  the  city  churches.  Rev.  G.  ilir- 
bach,  his  successor,  added  a  steeple  to  the  church,  installed  a  chime  of 
bells,  and  in  1884  completed  the  priest's  house,  which  is  still  in  use. 
On  February  3,  1891,  the  church  building  was  destroyed  by  fire,  but 
replaced  in  the  following  summer  by  a  handsome  .$40,000  edifice. 
Father  ilirbaeh  remained  as  pastor  of  St.  Marv's  until  his  death  in 
Quiiicy,  April  2,  ISO.").  His  successor  was  Rev.  .Iosp])h  Locbcr.  who 
also  remained  faithful  to  his  charge  until  his  death  December  10,  1904. 
Rev.  Joseph  Maurer  and  Rev.  A.  Zurbonsen  have  since  served  St. 
Clary's  Church.    The  parochial  school  is  still  flourishing. 

St.    ir.\RV'.«:    ACADEMV 

This  widel.v  known  academy  for  girls  and  yountr  ladies  is  con- 
ducted by  the  Sisters  of  Xoti-e  Dame.  It  was  founded  by  the  Vener- 
able Mother  M.  Boniface,  who  came  to  Quincy  in  the  early  '60s  and 
opened  a  small  school  in  a  two-story  building  at  the  corner  of  Ver- 
mont and  Eighth  .streets.    Under  her  wi.se  and  loving  hand  of  guid- 

Vol.  1—30 


562  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ance  it  developed,  year  by  year,  until  her  death  on  January  1,  1909. 
Her  successor  was  the  Venerable  Mother  Antonine  and  she  was  fol- 
lowed by  Mother  Clinc,  who  had  assisted  Mother  Boniface  from  1880 
to  1904,  and  during  the  succeeding  five  years  had  been  in  charge  of 
St.  Alphonsus  Day  and  High  School  in  St.  Louis.  In  September, 
1909,  Mother  Cline  returned  to  Quincy  as  superior  of  St.  Mary's 
Academy.  But  her  stay  at  the  old  home  was  brief,  for  she  departed 
this  life  on  November  23d  of  the  same  year.  INIother  Magdalene  suc- 
ceeded her  and  assumed  charge  of  St.  Mar.y's  Academj-  at  the  be- 
ginning of  1910.  Within  the  past  three  years  she  has  extended  the 
possessions  of  the  aeademj'  by  purchasing  the  building  at  No.  712 
Broadway,  which  has  been  remodeled  into  a  modern  commercial  de- 
partment, and  has  purchased  the  building  adjoining  the  academy 
grounds,  which  was  transformed  into  a  handsome  conservatory.  Be- 
sides the  mothers  superior,  whose  good  work  in  the  upbuilding  of  St. 
Mary's  Academy  has  been  mentioned,  great  credit  should  be  given 
to  Mother  Petra  and  Sister  Florentine  for  their  effective  early  la- 
bors.   The  latter  is  now  superior  of  Notre  Dame  College,  Baltimore. 

Bethel  German  M.  E.  Church 

The  Bethel  ]\Iissiou  Chapel  from  which  evolved  the  Bethel  German 
M.  E.  Church,  held  its  first  meeting  November  1,  1873.  The  organiza- 
tion drew  its  membership  from  the  old  First  German  M.  E.  Church. 
Its  meeting  house  stands  at  Twelfth  and  Jefferson,  and  a  number  of 
important  improvements  have  been  made  to  the  original  building  of 
1874.  The  parsonage  was  built  in  1877  and  remodeled  in  1905.  In 
1901  the  church  edifice  was  virtually  rebuilt,  and  is  now  considered 
modern  and  tasteful.  Its  successive  pastors  have  been  J.  H.  Thomas, 
Jacob  Feisel,  Charles  Thalenhorst,  William  Fiegenbaum,  John  Ritter, 
Philip  Naumann,  H.  Ross,  F.  Fisher,  George  Engeroth,  Emil  Henske, 
J.  C.  Rapp,  G.  L.  Boellner,  John  Schmidt,  F.  D.  Carwell,  L.  E.  Kittel- 
kamp,  George  H.  Woe.stemeyer,  Herman  Kasiski  and  Emil  Goetz.  The 
present  membership  of  the  society  is  about  215. 

St.  Paul's  Evangelical  Church 

In  April,  1874,  the  St.  Paul's  Evangelical  Congregation  was  organ- 
ized in  South  Quincy,  and  in  the  succeeding  September  a  small 
church,  a  sehoolhouse  and  a  parsonage  had  all  been  completed  on 
Monroe  Street.  The  congregation  elected  Rev.  P.  Munzel  as  their 
first  minister,  but  he  soon  took  a  trip  to  Germany  on  account  of  ill 
health  and  never  returned.  The  next  regular  minister  was  Rev.  L.  G. 
NoUan,  under  whom,  in  1881,  the  congregation  joined  the  Evangelical 
Synod  of  North  America.  Rev.  Mr.  Nobus  served  the  church  from 
1885  to  1901  and  Rev.  F.  W.  Schnathorst  was  pa.stor  for  a  number 
of  years  after  1902.  An  addition  to  the  parochial  school  was  built 
in  1904.     Tlie  present  pastor  of  St.  Paul's  is  Rev.  W.  Fruechte. 


CJLLXCY  A.ND  ADA-MS  COU.NTY  56:{ 

St.  John's  Roman  Catuolic  Church 

This  is  one  of  the  outlying  Catholic  churches,  the  founding  of 
whicli  has  become  necessary  by  the  city's  expansion.  It  was  estab- 
lished in  1880  b}'  Rev.  Joseph  Sill,  who  first  erected  a  brick  building 
which  was  occupied  jointly  for  church  and  school  purposes.  The 
enlarged  structure  still  stands  on  Tenth  Street  between  Cedar  and 
Spruce  and  is  in  complete  use  as  a  schoolhouse.  The  massive  and 
handsome  church,  which  now  is  the  outward  representation  of  St. 
John's,  was  dedicated  in  Fcbruarj-,  1899.  The  structure  is  170  by 
76  feet  and  cost  about  $75,000.  "While  it  was  being  erected  a  three- 
story  addition  was  made  to  the  original  building,  in  which  were  com- 
bined the  church  and  school;  this  is  now  devoted  to  educational  mat- 
ters alone  and  also  provides  a  residence  for  the  sisters  who  consti- 
tute its  teaching  force. 

United  Brethren  Church 

The  First  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  of  Quincy 
was  organized  in  October,  1888.  At  first  they  held  their  meetings  in 
a  little  chapel  in  the  east  part  of  town,  but  in  1895  completed  the 
house  of  worship,  which  is  still  their  home,  at  Sixth  and  Cedar. 
Rev.  H.  "W.  Trueblood,  who  is  now  in  his  twelfth  year  of  service,  has 
charge  of  an  active  society  of  185.  His  predecessors,  commencing 
with  Rev.  J.  AY.  Wilstoad,  the  first  pastor,  have  been  Revs.  J.  B. 
King,  J.  Skinner,  Miss  Nettie  :Moorc,  W.  E.  Rose,  II.  F.  Kline,  D.  E. 
Baer,  L.  I.  Morey,  F.  Merrithew,  J.  W.  Hunter  and  C.  E.  Vleander. 

First  Church  of  Christ  Scientist 

The  first  society  of  Christian  Scientists  of  Quincy  organized  in 
June,  1889,  and  for  nearly  two  years  held  weekly  meetings  at  dilTcr- 
ent  residences  of  the  members.  In  September,  1891,  an  incorporation 
was  effected  under  the  name  of  the  Quincy  Clun-ch  of  Christ  Scientist. 
Martha  I.  Lambert,  Georgia  Bugbee  and  John  "Wood,  Jr.,  were  elected 
trustees,  and  eighteen  persons  signed  their  names  as  charter  members. 
By  general  vote,  on  January  4,  1806.  the  name  was  changed  to  First 
Church  of  Christ  Scientist  of  Quincy.  In  March.  1900,  the  church 
opened  to  the  public  a  tj-pieal  reading  room,  where  all  are  welcomed. 
From  1891  to  1895  :\Irs.  :\Iary  B.  Hinckley  and  ^Mrs.  :Martha  I.  Lam- 
bert served  as  pastors  of  the  church,  since  which  time,  according  to 
the  rules  of  the  society,  its  services  have  been  conducted  by  first  and 
second  readers.  Mrs.  Lambert  was  the  first  incniiibent  of  the  former 
office.  Since  October,  1904,  the  First  Church  of  Christ  Scientist  has 
worshipped  in  the  Hebrew  Temple  on  Ninth  Street.  Cicero  Hopkins, 
who  has  long  been  identified  with  the  church,  is  serving  as  its  first 
reader. 


564  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Luther  Memorial  Church 

The  organization  above  named  came  into  existence  in  response  to 
a  desire  expressed  by  an  influential  body  of  Lutherans  to  establish  a 
church,  the  services  of  which  were  to  be  conducted  in  English.  Within 
two  years  the  congregation  purchased  the  lot,  at  Twelfth  and  Jersey, 
and  began  the  erection  of  the  elegant  stone  church  still  occupied.  It 
was  completed  in  1895  at  a  cost  of  about  $28,000.  During  the  twenty- 
seven  years  of  its  history,  the  Luther  ilemorial  Church  has  had  but 
four  pastors,  which  fact  has  a  weighty  bearing  on  the  continuous 
growth  of  the  soeietj^,  which  now  numbers  660  members.  Those  who 
have  had  its  affairs  in  charge  are  as  follows:  Rev.  D.  A.  Shettler, 
1891-96 ;  Rev.  H.  A.  Ott,  1896-1900 ;  Rev.  Edward  P.  Schueler,  1905- 
13;  Rev.  L  "W.  Bingaman,  since  July  of  the  latter  year.  Under  Mr. 
Bingaman  much  progress  has  been  made.  A  large  Sunday  school 
room  was  completed  in  March,  1917,  and  during  the  same  year  the 
society  purchased  a  parsonage. 

St.  Rose  op  Lima  Church 

In  1892  a  Roman  Catholic  organization  was  formed,  under  the 
foregoing  name,  to  meet  the  desires  of  the  members  of  the  faith  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  city.  It  was  a  split  from  old  St.  Peter's  Church, 
and  Rev.  John  P.  Brennan,  for  several  years  previous  to  that  year, 
assistant  pastor  at  the  mother  church,  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
new  societ}'.  During  the  year  of  its  formation  a  substantial  building 
was  completed  at  Eighth  and  Cherry  streets,  which  has  since  served 
the  united  purpose  of  a  church  and  school.  In  1897  Father  Brennan 
also  erected  a  priest's  house  north  of  the  church,  which  much  added 
to  the  attractiveness  of  the  property.  He  is  still  at  the  head  of  all 
of  the  St.  Rose  activities,  which  have  done  so  much  for  North  Quincj-. 

Grace  M.  E.  Church 

This  is  a  branch  of  the  Vermont  Street  M.  E.  Church  and  meets 
on  the  northwest  corner  of  Fourth  and  Lind  streets  in  the  building 
formerly  known  as  Merrick  Hall.  It  was  formally  opened  in  1905. 
Rev.  M.  D.  Tremaine  was  the  first  pastor.  The  present  incumbent  is 
Rev.  G.  P.  Losh. 

The  Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd 

The  history  of  the  Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd  begins  with  the 
organization  by  members  of  St.  John's  parish  (now  St.  John's  Cathed- 
ral) of  a  mission  Sunday  school  at  Seventh  and  York  streets,  shortly 
before  the  year  1870.  The  purpose  of  this  mission  was  especially  to 
minister  to  a  number  of  families  in  that  vicinit.y  who  had  been  im- 
poverished by  Civil  war  conditions.    Among  the  women  who  had  been 


yriXCV   AM)  ADA-MS  I  UlNTY  565 

engaged  during  that  period  of  suffering  in  that  work  of  relief,  and  who 
were  the  organizers  of  the  mission  Suiuhiy  school  were  ^Irs.  Bushnell 
and  daughter,  Mrs.  Nellie  Parker,  Mrs.  J.  R.  Gilpin,  Mrs.  George  A. 
Jliller  and  daughter,  with  others.  In  tliis  they  had  the  aetive  a.ssist- 
anee  of  Messrs.  N'eheiniah  Bushnell,  Gilpin  and  Miller,  while  Dr.  P.  II. 
Bailaehe  and  Messrs.  J.  Smith  Cruttenden  and  E.  J.  Parker  oflSciated 
as  lay  readers.  This  work  was  fully  organized  early  in  1870  and  the 
response  to  it  suggested  very  soon  the  need  of  a  new  parish  in  the  city. 
Under  date  of  December  20,  1871,  this  need  was  set  forth  to  the  Rt. 
Rev.  Henrj'  J.  Whitehouse,  bishop  of  Illinois,  and  to  the  Rev.  Sidney 
Corbett,  rural  dean  in  the  diooese  and  rector  of  St.  John 's.  Both  the 
bishop  and  the  dean  gave  their  consent  and  blessing  to  the  proposed 
organization.  On  January  23,  1871,  the  new  parish  was  organized, 
the  first  wardens  and  vestrj'  being  Peter  Grant,  senior  warden  ;  Henry 
Allen,  junior  warden ;  vestrj-men,  N.  Bushnell,  J.  B.  Gilpin,  A.  S. 
Coburn,  Joseph  Lopas,  J.  S.  Cruttenden,  George  A.  Miller,  Henry 
Head  and  P.  H.  Bailaehe,  the  last  named  l>eing  clerk  of  the  vestry. 

The  first  priest  to  officiate  at  any  service  of  the  new  parish  was  the 
Rev.  "William  Bestor  Corbyn,  February  13,  1871,  who  shortly  after- 
ward became  its  first  rector.  In  July  building  plans  for  a  church  and 
rectory  were  well  under  way,  John  A.  Moore  having  donated  the  site 
on  North  Twelfth  Street  between  Maine  and  Hampshire.  The  corner- 
.stone  was  formally  laid  on  August  2,  1871.  and  until  its  consecration 
on  April  16th  of  the  following  year  services  were  held  in  the  Female 
Seminary  and  Westminster  Church  buildings  and  in  the  parish  school- 
house  on  Twelfth  Street.  Bishop  Whitehouse  officiated  at  the  conse- 
cration, being  a.ssisted  by  Bishop  Robertson  of  ^Mi.ssouri.  and  fifteen 
other  priests.  This  was  the  occasion  of  the  first  appearance  of  a  sur- 
pliced  boy  choir  in  this  section  of  the  countn-. 

Doctor  Corbj-n  served  the  parish  and  the  community  with  ability 
and  loving  care.  He  was  scholarly,  wise  and  sympathetic  and  not  only 
served  his  people  as  a  spiritual  adviser  and  guide  for  thirty-one  years, 
but  was  at  one  time  principal  of  the  Quincy  schools.  He  died  on  Good 
Friday,  March  28,  1902,  the  day  of  his  passing  being  the  fulfillment 
of  a  wish  he  had  often  expressed.  During  his  rectoratc,  on  account 
of  his  advancing  years.  Doctor  Corb\-n  was  assisted  by  Rev.  George  H. 
Yarnall,  1887-89;  Rev.  J.  M.  D.  Davidson,  D.  D..  now  general  mis- 
sionarv-  of  the  diocese,  officiated  1889-90;  Rev.  Wm.  Francis  Mayo, 
now  of  the  Order  of  the  Holy  Cross,  1891-95;  Rev.  Frederick  S.  Pen- 
fold,  now  chaplain  of  a  Wisconsin  regiment  in  France,  1902-06. 

Next  to  the  influence  of  the  first  rector,  the  deepest  priestly  in- 
fluences were  left  on  the  life  of  the  parish  by  Father  Mayo  and  Father 
Penfold.  Other  priests  who  have  been  in  charge  of  the  parish  are 
Rev.  William  A.  Gustin,  Very  Rev.  W.  0.  Cone,  now  dean  of  St.  John's 
Cathedral,  and  Rev.  W.  M.  Gamble,  at  present  in  charge. 


566  QUIx\CY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Church  Federation 

Several  unions  of  Protestant  eliurehes  have  been  attempted  within 
the  past  score  of  years  in  Quincy,  but  their  permanent  value  as  a  con- 
ciliatory, a  binding  and  a  cooperative  force  in  the  movement  either 
of  religion  or  moral  reform  lias  been  questionable.  The  Men  and  Re- 
ligion Forward  Movement  was  one  of  them,  and  out  of  it  came  in  May, 
1912,  the  so-called  Federation  of  Churches,  which  is,  even  now,  far 
from  representative.  Of  the  latter  organization  the  following  are 
(May,  1918)  serving  as  officers:  Kev.  I.  W.  Bingaman,  president; 
Rev.  W.  0.  Shank,  first  vice  president ;  Rev.  George  A.  Buttrick,  second 
vice  president ;  F.  W.  Lyf ord,  treasurer ;  George  B.  Cawthome,  secre- 
tary. 

Social,  Industrial,  Secret  and  Benevolent  Societies 

The  number  of  social,  industrial,  and  secret  and  benevolent  societies 
which  have  prospered  in  Quincy  is  proof  positive  of  a  very  general 
faith  in  the  efficacy  of  cooperation  in  the  practical  affairs  of  life.  Both 
the  old  and  standard  orders,  as  well  as  those  of  more  modern  origin 
which  have  made  remarkable  progress,  have  found  a  solid  footing  in 
the  various  sections  of  the  city.  The  Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  Maccabees, 
Woodmen,  Eagles,  Knights  of  Pythias,  EZnights  of  Columbus,  Royal 
Arcanum,  two-score  unions  of  workmen  with  a  central  Trades  and 
Labor  Assembly,  and  other  organizations  common  to  other  cities  of 
the  size  and  progi'essive  spirit  of  Quincy,  are  in  constant  action  and 
expansion  and  cannot  be  exploited  in  detail.  In  the  first  place  it 
would  be  impossible  to  give  them  space,  and,  secondly,  many  of  them 
have  not  responded  to  requests  for  information.  So  whatever  imper- 
fections or  incompleteness  may  be  found  in  this  section  of  the  chapter 
should  be  attributed  to  either  or  both  of  these  causes. 

The  Masons  of  Quincy 

As  is  usually  the  case,  the  records  of  the  different  Masonic  bodies 
in  Quincy  are,  on  the  whole,  more  complete  than  those  of  any  other 
order.  Their  headquarters  are  in  the  magnificent  temple  at  Fourth 
and  Jersey  streets,  which  was  dedicated  in  October,  1911.  Altogether, 
the  order  is  represented  in  Quincy  by  four  lodges.  Council,  Chapter 
and  Commandery. 

The  history  of  Masonry  in  Quincy  commences  with  the  formation 
of  Bodley  Lodge  No.  1,  and  as  such  the  earlier  years  of  its  record  are 
worthy  of  being  recalled.  On  the  sixth  of  December,  1834,  a  meeting 
was  held  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Joseph  N.  Ralston,  on  Maine  Street,  "to 
consider  the  propriety  of  establishing  a  Masonic  lodge  in  Quincy." 
At  that  meeting  a  petition  for  a  charter  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Ken- 
tucky was  drawn  up  and  signed  by  Daniel  Harrison,  Daniel  Whipple, 
Henry  King,  Samuel  W.  Rogers,  J.  N.  Ralston,  Joshua  Streeter,  John 


yULXCY  AND  ADAMS  LULNTY  567 

Wood,  Hiram  Rogers,  II.  S.  Montandon,  A.  Miller,  Henry  Asbury, 
J.  T.  Holmes,  Nathaniel  Pease,  Michael  Mast,  Salmon  t'oxwell,  Richard 
M.  Young  and  Samuel  Alexander. 

The  petition  recommended  Daniel  Harrison  for  \V.  M.  and  Daniel 
Whipple  and  Henry  King  for  wardens.  The  charter  was  granted 
August  31,  1835,  and  oflBcers  were  installed  October  19,  1835,  by  H.  H. 
Snow,  as  follows:  Daniel  Harrison,  W.  M. ;  Daniel  Whipple,  S.  W.; 
Hcniy  King,  J.  W. ;  J.  T.  Holmes,  treasurer;  Hiram  Rogers,  secretary, 
J.  X.  Ralston,  S.  D. ;  Michael  Mast,  J.  D. ;  Henry  Asbury,  tyler. 

In  October,  1840,  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Illinois  was  organized  at 
Jacksonville,  and  a  new  charter  was  given  the  lodge  and  the  title 
Bodiey  Lodge  No.  1.  This  charter  was  accepted  by  the  lodge  November 
2,  1840.  The  fii-st  officers  under  the  new  charter  were:  Harrison 
Dills,  W.  M. ;  Hiram  Rogers,  S.  W. ;  Thaddeus  ilonroe,  J.  W. ;  II.  F. 
Thompson,  treasurer;  J.  H.  Luce,  secretary;  John  Crocket,  S.  D. ; 
J.  Hedges,  J.  D. ;  Michael  JIast,  tyler. 

Old  Bodiey  Lodge  No.  1  is  still  flourishing  with  (May,  1918)  Fred- 
erick W.  Brinkoetter  as  master ;  Charles  W.  Johnson,  senior  warden ; 
J.  Hendriekson,  junior  warden;  Frederick  'M.  Pendleton,  treasurer; 
Erde  W.  Bcatty,  secretary;  and  Samuel  A.  Lee,  chaplain. 

Herman  Lodge  No.  39  was  chartered  October  8,  1846.  Charles 
Steinagle  was  its  first  master  and  served  until  1848,  and  among  his 
successors  who  have  held  the  chair  for  unusually  long  terms  of  service 
were  Isador  Benjamin,  1861,  1865,  1866,  1868,  1869  and  1871 ;  George 
0.  S.  B<>rt,  1874,  1875.  1879,  1881,  1882,  1887,  1889,  1892 ;  and  Henry 
Oehlschlager,  1878,  1898,  1899,  1900,  1901  and  1902.  The  lodge  has 
a  present  membership  of  over  170,  with  the  following  chief  elective 
officers:  Charles  Stoinagel,  worthy  master;  Damon  Hauser,  .senior 
warden ;  Christian  F.  Ruoff,  junior  warden ;  Ferdinand  Flachs,  treas- 
urer ;  Daniel  Stahl,  secretary. 

There  are  two  other  lodges  in  Quincy,  Lambert  Lodge  No.  659  and 
QuiiK-y  Lodge  No.  296.  and  two  chapters  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star,  Alpha  and  Grace  Whipple. 

Quincy  Chapter  No.  5,  Rot.vl  Arch  M.vsons 

It  was  organized  under  dispensation  issued  by  General  Grand  R.  A. 
Chapter  of  the  United  States,  April  1,  1846 ;  first  charter  granted  by 
that  body,  September  16,  1847.  Second  charter  issued  by  the  Grand 
Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  Illinois,  October  14,  1850.  Among  the  charter 
members  of  that  date  were  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  Onias  C.  Skinner, 
Abraham  Jonas,  James  M.  Pitman,  Casper  Ruff  and  A.  W.  Blakesley. 

First  hitrh  pi-iost.  Abraham  Jonas:  fii-st  seorotary,  Charles  Stein- 
agel.  Present  high  priest,  Frank  F.  Brinkoetter;  present  secretary. 
Charles  H.  Gaushell. 

There  is  not  one  of  the  dispensation  members  of  April  1.  1846.  the 
charter  members  of  September  16,  1847,  or  charter  inenibors  of  October 
14, 1850,  now  living. 


568  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Quiney  Chapter  No.  5  has  been  honored  by  the  election  of  four  of 
her  members  to  the  position  of  M.  E.  high  priest  of  the  M.  E.  Grand 
Chapter  of  Illinois,  viz. :  Companion  John  H.  Holton  in  1850,  Com- 
panion Louis  Watson  in  1854,  Companion  Asa  W.  Blakesley  in  1872. 
and  Companion  A.  A.  Whipple  in  1902. 

QuiNCY  Council  No.  15,  Royal  and  Select  Masters 

Organized  under  dispensation  from  Oslin  H.  Miner,  grand  puissant 
of  the  Grand  Council  of  Royal  and  Select  blasters  of  the  State  of 
Illinois,  December  25,  1863.  Chartered  by  the  Grand  Council  of  Illi- 
nois, October  7,  1864. 

First  thrice  illustrious  master,  William  E.  Oven;  first  recorder, 
A.  W.  Blakesley.  Present  thrice  illustrious  ma.ster,  George  H.  Har- 
tung;  present  recorder,  Charles  H.  Gaushell. 

QuiNCY  Commandery  No.  77,  Knights  Templar 

It  was  chartered  October  24,  1911,  by  the  Grand  Commandery  of 
Knights  Templar  of  Illinois.  This  commandery  is  a  consolidation  of 
Beauseaut  Commandery  No.  11  and  El  Aksa  Commandery  No.  55, 
both  of  Quiney.  First  Commander,  George  Milton  Reeves;  first  re- 
corder, Thomas  Jefferson  Maeoy;  present  commander,  John  Henry 
Breitstadt ;  present  recorder,  Charles  Harper  Gaushell. 

Quiney  Commandery  has  on  its  membei-ship  roster  two  past  grand 
commanders  of  the  Grand  Commanderj-  of  Knights  Templar  of  Illi- 
nois: Eminent  Sirs  Edward  Star  ]\Iulliner  and  Alfred  Augustus 
Whipple. 

QuiNCY  Lodge  No.  296,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons 

Quiney  lodge  was  organized  under  dispensation  September  24, 
1858 ;  chartered  October  5,  1859 ;  constituted  November  4,  1859.  First 
worshipful  master,  Charles  W.  Mead ;  first  secretary,  David  Shields ; 
present  worshipful  master,  Hugh  E.  King ;  present  secretary,  Arthur 
C.  Garrett. 

Quiney  lodge  numbers  among  its  members  many  men  who  have 
become  eminent  in  the  fraternity.  The  late  Dr.  Joseph  Robbing  was 
most  worshipful  master  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Illinois  and  as  chairman 
of  the  committee  on  correspondence  for  a  long  term  of  years  wan 
known  throughout  the  Masonic  world  as  an  authority  on  ]\Iasonry. 
Edward  Starr  MuUiner  served  for  thirty  years  as  chairman  of  im- 
portant committees  in  the  Illinois  Grand  Lodge,  including  the  com- 
mittee on  credentials  and  mileage  and  perdiem.  He  was  right  eminent 
grand  commander  of  the  Illinois  Grand  commandery  in  1887.  Dr. 
Alfred  Augustus  Whipple  served  as  grand  commander  in  1905  and 
has  also  held  the  ofBce  of  most  excellent  high  priest  of  the  Illinois 
Grand  Chapter. 


570  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Scottish  Rite  Masonry  in  Quincy 

The  development  of  Scottish  Eite  Masonry  iu  Quincy,  through 
the  establishment  and  growth  of  the  Quincy  Lodge  of  Perfection,  the 
Council  of  Princes  of  Jerusalem,  the  Quincy  Chapter  of  Rose  Croix 
and  Quincy  Consistory,  covers  a  period  of  more  than  fifty  j'ears.  The 
bodies  named  were  chartered  at  Waukegan,  Illinois,  iu  1866,  and 
moved  to  Quincy  iu  January,  1870. 

These  bodies,  upon  their  removal  to  Quincy  in  1870,  occupied 
ample  and  commodious  quarters  with  the  other  Masouic  fraternities 
on  the  fourth,  or  upper,  floor  of  the  brick  block  now  called  the  New- 
comb  buUding,  northwest  corner  Fourth  and  ]\Iaine  streets,  which  were 
creditablj'  fitted  up  with  the  exception  of  stage  and  scenerj'.  Here 
considerable  work  was  done  in  the  various  bodies  of  the  Rite  during 
a  period  of  nearly  nine  years. 

From  the  records  of  the  first  Consistory  meeting  held  in.  Quincy, 
Illinois,  we  find  that  the  very  first  initiates  received  in  "Waukegan 
Consistory,  Quincy,  on  January  5,  1870,  were  Samuel  E.  Seger,  Thad- 
deus  S.  Owens,  James  H.  Richardson,  Jacob  R.  Harris,  David  G.  Wil- 
liams, John  "W.  Brown,  Benjamin  F.  Hoar,  Maitland  Boon,  Louis 
IMiller,  Wm.  B.  Larkworthy,  Albert  Demaree,  Granville  M.  Evatt, 
H.  N.  E.  Cottiers,  John  Viberts,  Wendelin  Weber  and  Leonard 
Grieser — all  pioneers  of  this  community.  Not  a  single  one  of  this 
number  is  now  living,  all  having  passed  away  many  years  ago.  It 
would  be  surprising  if  more  than  a  half  dozen  brethren  in  this  audience 
remember  them.  Most  of  them  lived  out  their  allotted  time  of  ' '  three 
score  years  and  ten." 

It  is  recalled  that  the  ceremonials  were,  in  those  days,  usually 
read  and  explained  (it  would  be  impossible  to  say  they  were  illus- 
trated) from  the  Ritual,  which  was  kept  very  convenient  to  the  in- 
terpreter. 

Illustrious  Brethren  James  Lowe,  circuit  clerk;  Jacob  M.  Smith, 
mayor;  Archibald  A.  Glenn,  lieut.  governor,  with  Wm.  M.  Avise, 
John  Washington  Brown,  Granville  Evatt,  James  H.  Richardson, 
Samuel  E.  Seger,  Asa  W.  Blakesley  and  E.  S.  Mulliner,  all  of  whom 
may  be  remembered  by  the  older  Masons  here,  were  at  the  head  of 
affairs  and  active  in  conferring  degrees.  None  of  these  are  now  living 
except  Mr.  Mulliner. 

Illustrious  Samuel  E.  Seger  was  the  first  from  the  consistory  to 
be  elected  by  the  supreme  council  to  receive  the  honorary  33d  degi'ee, 
to  which  he  was  elected  in  Boston,  Mass.,  November  14,  1871.  He 
received  the  degree  at  a  special  session  of  the  supreme  council,  held  in 
the  City  of  Chicago,  Illinois,  on  Friday,  the  28th  day  of  June,  1872. 
He  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  Quincy 's  wholesale  merchants 
and  died  on  March  21,  1882. 

These  Masonic  quarters  were  destroyed  by  a  disa.strous  fire  on 
September  6,  1879,  originating  in  the  so-called  Academy  of  Music,  an 
immense  frame  structure  a  few  doors  west,  used  as  a  theatre,  which 


QUIXCY  AND  AUAMS  COUNTY  571 

caught  fire  early  in  the  evening.  Tliere  was  apparently  no  inunediate 
danger  of  the  fire  reaching  Masonic  Ilall  and  therefore  ell'orts  were 
delayed  in  removing  books  and  lodge  property.  Getting  beyond  con- 
trol, however,  it  swept  through  the  upper  story.  Little  time  was  left 
to  remove  records  aud  valuable  papers.  The  records  of  the  lodges  and 
York  Rite  were  nearly-  all  destroyed,  as  also  were  furniture  and  car- 
pets, the  loss  on  which  was  nearly  covered  by  insurance.  The  records 
of  the  Scottish  Rite  bodies  were  saved.     Their  chai-tcrs  were  burned. 

Finding  no  other  suitable  apartments  at  the  time,  these  bodies 
practically  discoutiuucd  work  for  some  three  years,  holding  business 
meetings  onl^-  at  the  private  residences  of  the  members  and  the  com- 
mander-in-chief. 

From  1882  to  1885  they  occupied  by  sufferance  the  ilasonic  Hall ; 
rooms  which  since  the  fire  had  been  handsomely  fitted  up  by  the  York 
Rite  at  526-528  Maine  Street  in  the  third  story.  In  May  of  the  latter 
year  the  Scottish  Rite  bodies  secured  their  own  quarters  in  the  second 
aud  third  stories  of  the  Seaman  building,  on  the  east  side  of  Wasiiing- 
ton  Park.  In  January,  1900,  they  leased,  for  a  term  of  years,  the 
room  at  5261/2  Elaine  Street,  immediately  below  Masonic  Hall,  and 
fitted  it  up  exclusively  for  Scottish  Rite  work.  These  apartments 
were  occupied  until  November  1,  1911. 

Building  of  the  Temple 

Since  the  disa.strous  fire  of  1879  repeated  attempts  had  been  made 
to  unite  all  the  Masonic  bodies  in  Quincy  in  a  movement  to  erect  a 
Temple  in  which  all  might  be  accommodated.  A  charter  to  form  such 
an  a.ssociation  had  been  obtained,  but  was  returned  with  the  failure  to 
raise  sufiBcicnt  subscriptions  to  guarantee  the  erection  of  a  suitable 
building.  But  in  1906,  with  the  accession  to  the  fraternitj-  of  such 
business  men  as  Charles  Oehlmann,  Emmett  Howard,  George  D.  Levi, 
Joel  Henton  anil  Hciny  L.  Michaclinann,  the  project  took  substantial 
shape.  In  September  of  that  year  representatives  from  Bodlej',  Her- 
man and  Qiiincy  lodges  and  fi-oni  tlie  Conunandery  and  Consistory, 
applied  for  a  new  charter  to  form  the  Quincy  Masonic  Temple  Asso- 
ciation. It  was  granted  February  2,  1907,  and  the  first  officers  of  the 
association  were  Emmett  Howard,  president;  George  D.  Levi,  secre- 
tary; and  Charles  Oehlmann,  treasurer.  In  March,  1908,  Quincy 
Chapter  No.  5  and  in  ^lay  of  that  year  Lambert  Lodge  No.  659,  were 
admitted  into  the  association.  El-Aska  Commandery  No.  55,  which 
remained  outside,  was  aftenvard  merged  into  Beauseant  and  Quincy 
commanderies. 

Finally  the  cornerstone  of  the  temple  was  laid,  under  the  auspices 
of  Occasional  Grand  Lodge,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  on 
July  20,  1910,  and  was  dedicated  October  27,  1911.  The  Scottisii 
Rite  a])artments  on  the  fourth  floor  were  dedicated  on  November  lltli. 
The  cost  of  the  building  and  fixtures  was  $74,000;  of  the  site,  $7,000; 
cement  walks,  furniture,  etc.,  $.3,000.    Total  $84,000. 


572  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Besides  the  Consistory  and  its  co-ordinate  bodies  mentioned,  thei'e 
are  in  Quiney  the  following:  Quincy  Chapter  No.  5,  Royal  Arch 
Masons,  Quincy  Council,  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  and  Quincy  Com- 
mandery  No.  77,  Knights  Templar. 

The  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 

The  Odd  Fellows  of  Quincy  have  been  organized  for  over  seventy 
years,  and  number  tive  lodges  and  an  encampment,  including  two 
societies  of  Daughters  of  Rebekah.  The  oldest  of  the  existing  bodies 
are  Quincy  Lodge  No.  12,  formed  March  24,  1845;  Allen  Encamp- 
ment No.  4,  established  in  October,  1857 ;  Adams  No.  365,  instituted 
October  13,  1858,  and  Golden  Rule  No.  27  (Rebekahs),  chartered  in 
October,  1870. 

The  Knights  of  Pythl\s 

Red  Cross  Lodge  No.  44,  Knights  of  Pythias,  was  instituted  in 
February,  1874,  with  fourteen  charter  members :  J.  M.  Schaefer,  C.  C. ; 
Dexter  Sampson,  V.  C. ;  William  A.  Schmidt,  prelate ;  H.  G.  Burman, 
K.  of  R.  and  S. ;  Henry  R.  Corley,  N.  of  F. ;  Fred  Wollett,  M.  of  E. ; 
F.  G.  Arrowsmith,  M.  at  A.  The  present  officers  arev  August  J. 
Neimej'er,  C.  C. ;  George  E.  Lincoln,  V.  C. ;  Carl  E.  Epler,  prelate ; 
Alex.  C.  Swartwout,  K.  of  R.  and  S.  S. ;  W.  Louis  Sehrag,  M.  of  F. 

Preux  Chevalier  Lodge  No.  18  of  the  same  order  was  chartered 
on  January  18,  1872,  with  the  following  persons  as  charter  members : 
Asa  W.  Blakesley,  Dr.  Joseph  Robbins,  "William  M.  Avise,  Phillip  W. 
Capron,  Louis  Miller,  Milton  W.  Newton,  John  Tiberts,  Albert  Dcm- 
aree,  David  G.  Williams,  H.  N.  E.  Cottinas,  Jacob  R.  Harris,  T.  S. 
Owens,  W.  B.  Larworthy,  John  W.  Brown,  Samuel  E.  Seeger,  Gran- 
ville M.  Evatt,  Joseph  Shepherd  and  Edward  S.  Mulliner,  the  last 
of  whom  is  the  only  one  living  at  this  writing.  The  lodge  was  insti- 
tuted on  April  10,  1872,  by  the  grand  officers  of  the  State  of  Illinois. 
For  years  the  lodge  met  on  the  third  floor  of  the  old  building  occupied 
by  the  Sterns  Clothing  Company  at  Fifth  and  Hampshire,  and  later 
moved  to  the  Rogers  Building  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Sixth  and 
Vermont  streets,  and  remained  there  until  1909  when  it  moved  to  its 
present  building  at  Nos.  514-516  Jersey  Street.  Its  present  officers 
are  Dr.  H.  L.  Green,  G.  C. ;  Chas.  Zimmerman,  V.  C  ;  A.  R.  Bush,  P. ; 
William  L.  Drescher,  M.  of  W. ;  R.  E.  Weeks,  K.  of  R.  and  S. ;  D.  A. 
Wheeler,  M.  of  F. ;  Lyman  McCarl,  M.  of  E. ;  Albert  Fultz,  M.  at  A. ; 
W.  R.  McCormick,  L  G. ;  and  Joel  Smith,  0.  G. 

In  September,  1909,  Red  Cross  Lodge  and  Preux  Chevalier  Lodge 
purchased  the  building  which  was  the  old  Methodist  Church,  at  514- 
516  Jersey  Street,  and  converted  it  into  a  beautiful  Castle  Hall,  which 
has  been  the  home  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  of  Quincy  ever  since. 
The  building  is  controlled  by  a  board  of  control  consisting  of  five  mem- 
bers, two  appointed  by  each  lodge  and  one  selected  by  the  four  that 


(iUINCY  AND  AUAMS  COLNTV  57:J 

arc  appoiiitfd.  The  incniln'is  of  tlu'  first  board  of  control  were  W.  R. 
JleC'oriniik,  K.  E.  Weeks,  George  E.  Long,  A.  J.  Xeinieyer  and  J.  W. 
Schulte.  The  members  of  the  present  body  are  A.  J.  Xeimeyer,  Judge 
Carl  Epler,  A.  R.  Bush  and  Judge  Lyman  MoCarl. 

The  Ror.vL  Arcanum  Council 

Quiucy  Council  Xo.  195,  Royal  Arcanum,  was  organized  in  Xovem- 
lier,  1897,  with  thirty-four  charter  mend)ers.  Its  first  officers  (.-oin- 
prised :  Fry  W.  Thompson,  regent ;  Edwin  A.  Clark,  vice  regent ; 
Daniel  D.  Merriam,  past  regent;  John  A.  Allen,  orator;  AVilliam  D. 
Simi)son.  secretary;  Henry  C.  Miller,  collector.  Charles  C.  Gruese  is 
serving  as  present  regent;  Sidney  T.  Malem,  vice  regent;  John  F.  W. 
Kipp,  orator;  Alex.  C.  Swartwout,  secretary;  John  T.  Tofall,  col- 
lector. 

Knights  op  Columbus 

The  Knights  of  Columbus  organized  Quincy  Council  Xo.  583  in 
June,  1901,  and  have  now  a  local  membership  of  500.  The  charter 
Mieinbcrs  numbered  thirty-six.  Tliomas  A.  Scherer  was  its  first  grand 
knight;  James  H.  O'Xeill,  deputy'  grand  knight;  John  Bernhrock, 
financial  secretary ;  Thomas  T.  Brady,  recording  secretary ;  Harry  J. 
JIulligan,  chancellor;  and  Herman  Heintz,  treasurer.  The  successive 
grand  knights  of  the  council  have  been  Thomas  A.  Scherer,  Joseph 
N.  Tibesar,  Joseph  J.  Freiburg,  John  A.  Connery,  L.  J.  Jochem, 
John  W.  Kerkering,  John  B.  Carroll,  Theodore  F.  Ehrhart  and  John 
Blomer.  James  A.  Schepers  is  serving  as  deputy  grand  knight ;  John 
A.  Connery,  financial  secretary;  Richard  T.  L.vons,  recording  secre- 
tary; Rome  Wiskirchen,  chancellor;  Will  J.  Heintz,  treasurer.  The 
Knights  of  Columbus  have  their  own  building  at  JIainp  and  Eigiith 
streets,  which  was  dedicated  by  Father  A.  Zurl)onsen,  chaplain,  on 
September  12,  1912.  It  was  built  on  the  industrial  and  cooperative 
plan.  The  Columbus  Home  Association  was  graut^xl  a  charter  liy  the 
state  to  erect  and  conduct  a  club  house,  ilartin  J.  Geise  was  the 
architect.  The  total  cost  of  building  and  grounds  was  $35,000  and  the 
members  of  the  association  own  all  outstanding  bonds  of  indebteil- 
ness.  Its  president  is  Joseph  J.  Freiburg  and  secretary  is  Lawrence 
J.  Jochem. 

Woodmen  of  the  "World 

Phil  Miller  Camp  Xo.  5,  Woodmen  of  the  World,  was  organized 
December  3,  1903,  and  a  charter  issued  to  the  following:  Henry  Stein- 
inctz,  Dell  Carr.  I).  S.  llniisakcr.  Albert  H.xiiikcr,  Geo.  X.  Schiiiitt, 
Wm.  Scheid,  Wm.  Hild,  Jos.  A.  Roy,  Fred  Banner,  A.  H.  Byers, 
A.  C.  Hoffman,  Clyde  Cobb.  F.  W.  Brinkocttcr.  J.  A.  Thompson, 
W.  J.  F.  ReifTcrt.  11.  W.  Scott.  H.  O.  Shunk.  W.  J.  Briiciiing,  R.  E. 
Byers,  Eugene  Bro\viie,  Chas.  F.  Hardyman. 


574  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  home  office  of  the  W.  0.  W.  is  located  at  Omaha,  Nebraska, 
having  been  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Nebraska 
in  June,  1890.  The  local  camp  was  organized  with  twenty-nine  mem- 
bers, which  have  increased  until  at  the  present  time  there  are  244 
members  in  good  standing.  The  first  member  of  the  local  camp  to  die 
was  Joseph  A.  Roy,  whose  death  occurred  November  3,  1906,  since 
which  time  twenty-seven  members  have  passed  to  the  beyond.  The 
twenty-eight  members  who  have  died  were  insured  for  the  total  sum 
of  $31,000.  Among  the  distinctive  features  of  the  Woodmen  of  the 
World  is  their  erection,  at  the  gi-ave  of  eveiy  deceased  member,  of  a 
monument  at  a  cost  of  not  to  exceed  $100,  which  cost  is  paid  by  the 
order  in  addition  to  the  amount  of  insurance  carried  by  the  member. 
Another  distinctive  feature  is  the  reserve  fund  of  the  order.  The 
assessment  rate  being  based  upon  the  American  Experience  Table 
of  Mortality,  is  fully  adequate  to  mature  each  policy,  and  provide  an 
expense  and  reserve  fund.  The  hy-laws  providing  that  each  month  a 
certain  per  cent  of  all  monies  collected  to  be  set  aside  as  a  reserve 
fund,  which  is  invested  only  in  government  and  municipal  bonds.  The 
present  officers  of  the  local  camp  are  as  follows :  Past  consul  com- 
manders, Ralph  L.  George  and  Chas.  F.  Hardyman;  adviser  lieuten- 
ant. Prank  J.  Gate ;  banker,  Geo.  J.  Hild ;  clerk,  F.  W.  Munroe ;  escort, 
John  Houdyshell ;  watchman,  John  B.  Scobee ;  sentry,  Jos.  J.  Franke ; 
physicians.  Dr.  G.  W.  Bnrch  and  Dr.  H.  F.  Litchfield;  managers, 
W.  C.  Dingerson,  John  W.  Wensing  and  Wm.  J.  Smith. 

Tribe  of  Ben  Hur 

Quiney  Court  No.  20,  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur,  was  orgauized  April  25, 
1896,  by  Supreme  Deputy  B.  H.  Siepker,  with  the  following  officers: 
Past  chief,  Samuel  Johnson;  chief  temple,  H.  Dunn;  judge,  India 
Bonesteel;  teacher,  E.  K.  Johnson;  .scribe,  R.  W.  Daniels;  keeper  of 
tribute,  J.  W.  Stainer.  The  court  has  been  well  officered  and  man- 
aged since  that  time,  and  regular  meetings  have  been  held.  The 
change  to  basis  of  fraternal  congress  rates  in  1908  resulted  in  the  loss 
of  a  number  of  members,  but  there  has  been  some  growth  in  member- 
ship upon  the  better  basis  for  new  members.  A  new  feature  of  the 
organization  is  a  monthly  income  and  disability  certificate  which 
provides  funeral  benefits  and  a  monthly  income  to  the  beneficiary; 
also  an  old  age  disability  benefit  to  the  member,  as  well  as  other  total 
or  partial  disability  benefits.  The  present  membership  of  Quiney 
Court  is  nearly  100  and  its  officers  are :  Past  chief,  R.  B.  Siepker ; 
chief,  H.  D.  Condron ;  .iudge,  H.  J.  Thies ;  teacher,  Mrs.  Clara  Welch ; 
scribe,  N.  J.  Hinton ;  keeper  of  tribute,  ilrs.  Lois  Hinton ;  captain, 
E.  A.  Welch ;  guide,  B.  H.  Siepker. 

The  Eagles  in  Quinct 

The  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  Aerie  No.  535,  has  also  been  waxing 
strong  for  a  number  of  years  past,  and  in  the  spring  of  1918  completed 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY  575 

a  massive  buililiiig  botli  for  a  home  ami  as  a  business  investment,  on 
North  Sixth  Street.  It  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $75,000.  The  aerie 
was  organized  November  15,  1903,  and  its  charter  is.sucd  January  1, 
1904.  Its  first  oflBcers  were :  P.  \\.  president,  G.  W.  Vanden  lioom ; 
W.  president,  Joseph  A.  Ro.v;  W.  vice  president,  C.  W.  Harbin; 
AV.  chap.,  Emmet  Head;  secretary,  Fred  Terwische;  treasurer,  Wra. 
F.  Bader:  physician.  Dr.  George  Rosenthal.  The  present  officers  are: 
P.  W.  president,  P.  W.  Reardon ;  W.  president,  Charles  E.  Ross ;  W. 
vice  president,  B.  J.  Knuf;  W.  chap.,  R.  S.  Benedict;  \V.  cond., 
George  Eberle;  secretary,  Charles  W.  Zang;  treasurer,  AVm.  F.  Bader; 
physician.  Dr.  E.  F.  Stannus. 

Other  Societies 

Among  the  organizations  which  also  show  vitality  and  growth  may 
be  mentioned  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  Miiniawanna  Tribe 
No.  159;  Knights  of  Maccabees,  Globe  Tent  No.  97  and  Quiney  Tent 
No.  161 ;  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  Gem  City  Camp  No.  219 ; 
Royal  Neighbors  of  America,  Oak  Camp  No.  543  and  Queen  of  the 
"West  Caini)  No.  51 ;  and  Brotiierhood  Protective  Order  of  Moose.  Gem 
City  Lodge  No.  986. 

Quiney 's  prominence  as  an  industrial  center  is  emphasized  by  the 
organization  of  the  Trades  and  Labor  Assembly,  which  is  the  central 
body  of  thirty  or  forty  local  unions.  Its  president  is  Theodore  Bisser 
and  its  secretary,  Bernhart  Deters. 

The  Western  Catholic  Union 

The  Western  Catholic  Union  was  organized  by  J.  J.  Becher  in 
Quiney,  on  October  6,  1877.  A  charter  from  the  State  of  Illinois  was 
issued  on  December  21,  1877,  and  was  signed  by  Anton  Henry  Heine, 
Henry  Steinkamp,  Jacob  Julius  Becher.  August  Bernard  IlcUliake, 
Anton  Binkert,  George  Terdenge,  Joseph  Jacohy.  Louis  Stern,  John 
Heine  and  Jlichael  Lllmen.  The  first  supreme  president  was  Anton 
Henry  Heine  who  served  from  1877  to  1880.  followed  by  Alois  Gatz, 
from  1880  to  1882 ;  Anton  Henry  Heine  again  in  1883 ;  John  J.  Metzger, 
1884,  1885.  1886.  1887.  1888  and  1889;  Henry  Ording,  1890;  Anton 
HenrA'  Heine  again  in  1891,  1892  and  1893:  John  II.  Wavering.  1894; 
Ben  Heckle,  1895;  Thos  J.  Manning,  1896,  1897,  1898,  1899,  1900  aJid 
1901:  Herman  F.  Jochem,  1902,  1903,  1904;  F.  Wm.  Heckcnkamp, 
1905.  1906,  1907,  1908,  1909,  1910,  1911,  1912,  1913,  1914,  1915, 
1916,  1917  and  1918. 

From  the  date  of  its  organization  until  1895  each  member  was 
required  to  pay  $1  at  every  death  as  a  mortuary  a-^vse-s-smcnt  and  the 
beneficiary  received  $1  for  every  member  in  good  standing  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  until  July,  1890,  when  the  membership  reached  2.000. 
This  was  then  made  the  limit  that  beneficiaries  could  draw  on  the  death 
of  a  member.  In  1905  a  level  rate  was  adopted  and  after  that  there  were 


576  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

two  foi-ms  of  certificates  issued — one  for  $1,000  and  one  for  $2,000. 
The  members  were  grouped  as  follows :  From  18  to  25  years  of  age, 
70  cents  per  month  per  thousand ;  from  25  to  30,  80  cents ;  30  to  35, 
90  cents;  35  to  40,  $1;  from  40  to  45,  which  was  the  age  limit,  $1.20 
per  $1,000  per  month.  In  1904  a  new  schedule  of  rates  was  adopted, 
based  almost  entirely  upon  the  fraternal  congress  rates  of  a.ssessment. 
These  rates  were  collected  from  all  members  who  joined  after  January 
1, 1905.  All  the  members  joining  prior  to  the  above  date  were  assessed 
an  additional  10  cents  per  month  per  $1,000.  The  age  limit  was 
extended  from  45  years  to  50  years  and  a  $500  certificate  was  added, 
making  three  forms  of  certificates  for  the  union — namely  $500,  $1,000 
and  $2,000.  In  1906  the  rates  adopted  in  1905  were  applied  to  all 
members  who  joined  prior  to  January  1,  1905,  as  of  their  age  of  entry 
with  the  exception  of  those  who  joined  prior  to  1890.  These  were 
assessed  at  the  age  they  were  in  1890,  with  the  exception  of  tliose 
fifty  years  or  older,  who  were  assessed  as  of  the  age  fifty.  Several 
years  later  a  $250  certificate  was  added.  Beginning  with  January  1, 
1913,  women  were  admitted  on  a  schedule  of  rates  based  on  a  table 
somewhat  higher  than  the  fraternal  congress  rates  which  were  pro- 
nounced sufficient  from  an  actuarial  standpoint.  In  1916  a  schedule 
of  rates  for  men  was  adopted  based  vxpon  the  fraternal  congress  rates 
to  be  collected  at  the  wish  of  the  member  cither  annually  or  monthly, 
and  all  members  were  placed  thereon.  Those,  however,  wno  joined 
prior  to  January  1,  1905,  were  given  the  option  to  join  a  division  that 
was  created  and  called  the  "term  division,"  under  which  they  could 
continue  to  pay  their  old  rates  thej'  had  been  paying  but  with  their 
term  of  insurance  limited.  This  placed  the  "Western  Catholic  Union 
upon  an  actuarily  solvent  basis.  Thus  the  Western  Catholic  Union  is 
one  of  the  first  societies  in  the  United  States  that  has  placed  itself  and 
all  its  mcmbei's  on  what  is  known  as  an  adequate  rate  footing. 

In  1918  a  juvenile  section  was  added  to  the  Western  Catholic 
Union  under  which  children  and  immediate  relatives  of  members  can 
insure  their  children  on  standard  rates  prepared  by  the  actuary  of  the 
Western  Catholic  Union,  Abb  Landis  of  Nashville,  Tennessee.  On 
December  21st,  the  Western  Catholic  Union  celebrated  its  fortieth 
anniversary.  At  this  time  the  200  subordinate  branches  in  the  Union 
had  a  total  insurance  membership  of  approximately  11,500,  of  which 
number  approximately  1,600  are  women.  The  amount  of  money  in 
the  mortuary  fund  at  interest  is  approximately  $445,000.  Of  the 
signers  of  the  original  charter  there  are  still  living  Anton  Binkert, 
Jos.  Jacoby,  A.  B.  Hellhake  and  Henry  Steinkamp.  Of  the  former  su- 
preme presidents  three  have  died,  namely,  Anton  Henry  Heine,  A.  Gatz 
and  Jno.  Metzger.  The  union  has  paid  out  to  the  beneficiaries  of  1,900 
deceased  members  the  amount  of  .$3,000,000.  Up  to  1903  the  supreme 
headquarters  was  in  the  home  of  the  .supreme  secretary,  then  John 
Schauf.  He  held  this  office  for  twenty-five  j'ears  and  was  succeeded  by 
F.  G.  Hildenbrand  for  three  years,  who  was  then  followed  by  William 
K.  Ott,  formerlv  of  Chicago.  The  first  offices  rented  were  in  the  Binkert 


t^UlXCY  AND  ADA.MS  LULNTV  577 

liiiiUlin^,  and.  afti-r  ten  years,  tlie  i-nlarfioil  (iiiartei's  now  oceupied 
were  secured  iu  the  Illinois  State  Hank  Hiiilding,  where  an  up-to-date 
vault,  with  all  uecessary  features  to  successfully  couduct  the  mauage- 
nient  has  been  installed. 

The  matter  of  rates  of  a.sscssnients  in  the  Western  Catholic  Uuion 
are  eutirely  i»  the  hands  of  an  experienced  actuary  and  everything 
pertaining  to  the  rates  is  pa.ssed  upon  liy  him.    The  Western  Catholii- 
Uuion  is  one  of  the  four  oldest  strictly  fraternal  societies  in  the  United 
States  and  its  financial  standing  is  of  such  a  character  that  its  future 
is  perpetuated.    The  total  collections,  all  of  which  go  through  Quincy 
banks,  amount  to  an  average  of  almost  $700  per  day.     The  Western 
Catholic  Union  meets  biennially  and  does  business  in  the  states  of 
Illinois,  Mi.s.souri,  Iowa  and  Kansas  and  preparations  are  heing  made 
to  enter  the  states  of  Wisconsin  and  Indiana.     Its  present  system  of 
rates  makes  it  eligible  to  practically  every  state  in  the  Union.    It  has 
its  own  official  organ  since  1905,  namely,  the  Catholic  Record,  which 
is  sent   to  each   member  in    the   order   every   mouth,     ilost   of   its 
branches  conduct  a  sick  benefit  fund  for  the  relief  of  members  during 
sicknes.s.     It  is  estimated  that  .toOO.dOO  has  been  distributed  to  mem- 
bers to  aid  them  in  sickness  and  distress  by  local   branches.     The 
Westeru  Catholic  Uuion  differs  from  most  other  fraternals,  first,  that 
only  practical  Catholics  can  be  admitted  and  retained;  secondly,  that 
it  is  on  a  solvent  legal   basis,  and,  thirdly,  that  it   has  no  secret 
ritualistic  work.    The  executive  offices  are  entrusted  to  the  supreme  of- 
ficers, namely,  the  supreme  president,  the  supreme  vice  president,  su- 
preme secretary,  supreme  treasurer  antl  a  board  of  seven  trustees.  The 
officers  are  elected  biennially  and  the  trustees  have  a  term  of  four  years. 
Its  meml)ership  in  (Quincy  is  a]i])roximately  1,300  divided  into  nine 
men's  branches  and  three  ladies'  branches.   The  first  and  oldest  branch 
in  the  union  is  St.  Nicholas  No.  1,  in  St.  Boniface  Pari.sh;  St.  Pat- 
rick No.  3.  in  St.  Peter's  Parish;  St.  Michael  No.  4,  in  St.  Francis 
Parish;  St.  Antonius  No.  11.  St.  John's  Parish:  St.  Peter  No.  16.  in 
St.  Boniface  Parish;  St.  Anthony  No.  30,  St.  Mary's  Parish;  St.  Ro.se 
No.  52,  St.  Rose  of  Lima   Parish;  St.   Andrew  No.  54.   St.   Francis 
Parish;  St.  Agnes  No.  192,  St.  Boniface  Parish;  St.  Barbara  No.  203, 
St.    Francis   Parish;   St.   Rita   No.    li)7.   St.   John's   Parish;   and  St. 
Antonius  No.  51,  St.  Anthony's  Parish,  in  the  country.     The  present 
.supreme  officers  are:   F.  Wm.  Ileckenkamp,  supreme  iiresident;  J.  A. 
Wilbelmi.  supreme  vice  president;  Wm.  K.  Ott,  .supreme  secretary; 
Jos.  J.  Freiburg,  supreme  trea.surer;  Dr.  M.  J.  Klein,  supreme  med- 
ical   examiner;    Walter    J.    Rueditrer,    chairman    supreme    trustees; 
Frank    Darius,   secretary;    and    August   Marx,   John    Koos.    Andrew 
Zittel,  Peter  Lofy  and  Herman  Ottens,  trustees. 

QUINCT   TlTRN   VeREIN 

The  Quincy  Turn  Verein.  one  of  the  old  and  substantial  societies 
of  the  city,  occupies  a  large  building  on  Hampshire  street  between 

Vol  1— 37 


578  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Ninth  and  Tenth  streets,  which  was  completed  in  1885.  As  is  well 
known  by  residents,  the  verein  combines  musical,  social  and  physioal 
advantages,  and  has  always  been  supported  by  the  German-American 
element  of  Quincy. 

The  Quincy  Country  Club 

As  early  as  1897  there  was  an  interest  in  golf  in  Quincy.  A  rude 
course  was  constructed  in  Lawndale  and  a  solitary  player  could  be 
seen  occasionally  hunting  his  ball  in  the  high  grass  and  clover. 

In  1898  Dr.  S.  H.  Dana,  interested  a  large  number  of  prominent 
Quiney  men  who  met  and  formed  the  Quinej'  Country  Club  and 
selected  the  following  men  as  directors:  President,  Charles  H.  Wil- 
liamson; vice  president,  Jos.  W.  Emery;  secretary,  Fred  Wilms; 
treasurer,  Edward  J.  Parker;  C.  H.  Bull,  J.  W.  Cassid}-,  J.  A.  Still- 
well,  W.  P.  Upham,  and  S.  B.  Montgomery. 

The  club  was  properly  incorporated  and  began  a  successful  exist- 
ence at  Twenty-fourth  and  Harrison  streets.  The  course  consisted 
of  nine  holes,  namely,  Devil's  Ditch,  .322  yards;  Fair  View,  337 
yards;  Bridge  of  Sighs,  135  yards;  Westward  Ho,  439  yards;  Isle 
of  Woe,  453  yards;  Just  Over,  367  yards;  High  Ball,  259  yards; 
Punch  Bowl,  581  yards;  Out  of  Sight,  198  yards.  Total,  3,091  yards. 
A  professional  course  man  and  club  maker  was  secured.  Quincy 
players  quickly  assumed  a  prominent  place  as  golfers  and  have  con- 
tinued until  the  present  time  to  develop  some  of  the  best  young  golf 
players  in  the  state. 

A  comfortable  club  house  with  locker  rooms,  dance  hall,  kitchen 
and  porches  was  erected  by  the  Quincy  Countrj-  Club  House  Com- 
pany and  the  club  still  resides  in  this  house  although  it  is  rapidly 
becoming  too  small  for  the  membership.  The  club  has  a  member- 
ship of  150  and  a  waiting  list  of  twenty.  At  the  present  time  it  is 
a  member  of  the  Western  Golf  Association  and  the  Central  Illinois 
Country  Club  Association,  which  gives  the  Quiney  members  the 
privilege  of  all  other  clubs  which  are  likewise  members  of  these  same 
associations.  The  yearly  meeting  of  the  latter  association  is  par- 
ticularly enjoyable  as  the  tourneys  rotate  from  year  to  .rear,  thus 
allowing  the  members  of  the  different  clubs  to  play  on  the  courses 
and  courts  of  all  the  other  cities  and  meet  their  membei'ships.  Quincy 
has  been  unusually  fortunate  in  the  large  percentage  of  champion- 
ships she  has  won  both  in  team  play  and  individual  play  covering 
golf  and  tennis. 

In  1918  the  club  leased  the  property  at  Twenty-fourth  and  State 
streets  extending  along  the  State  Road  to  Thirtieth.  New  grounds 
will  be  developed  here  and  a  fine  club  house  will  no  doubt  be  erected 
after  the  close  of  the  war.  The  1918  ofBcers  and  directorate  include : 
President,  Will  A.  Pfeiffer;  vice  president.  Dr.  Henry  Whipple;  .sec- 
retary, T.  E.  Musselman ;  treasurer,  Thomas  Burrows. 


(JIIAPTHH   XV 

INDUSTRIAL  AND  FINANCIAL 

Oldest     Existing     Ixdistries — Cuvssificatiox     of     Today— The 

QriXCY    CllAMBKR   OP    CoM  MERCi:— TlIE    QUINCY    FREIGHT    BuREAU 

— The  Banks  of  (^iincy — liRAxcn  of  the  State  Bank— Flago 
&  Savage  Oi'en  a  Bank — Severai,  Failires — Old  Bank  of 
QiiNCY— QrrNCY   Savings   Bank — John   Wood   and   H.    F.   J. 

RiCKER— L.    &    C.     II.     Bl-LL     ESTKR    THE    BANKING     FlELD E.    J. 

Parker's  Bank — Order  of  Seniority — Consolidation  of  the 
Bull  and  Parker  Interests — State  Savings,  Loan  and  Trist 
Company— Robert  W.  Gardner  and  Edward  J.  Parker— Death 
op  Lorenz<i  Bru. — The  Ricker  National  Bank  and  its 
Founder — <iuiNCY  National  Bank — Illinois  State  Bank — 
Other  Banks. 

The  geofn'aphical  position  of  Quiiicy,  as  well  as  the  enei-fretic  and 
able  character  of  it.s  early  niorchants.  manufacturers  and  hankers, 
was  an  assurance  that  the  city  wa.s  destined  to  earn  and  to  hold  a 
commanding  commercial  and  industrial  position  in  the  .Mi.s-sissippi 
Valley.  Its  standing  at  first  seemed  to  l)e  solidly  hased  on  the 
industries  and  commerce  identified  with  agricultural  nuitters,  and  at 
quite  an  early  day  it  became  a  leading  grain  shipping  point  and  a 
live  -stock  center.  In  the  manufacture  of  flour.  Quincy  was  at  one 
time  a  leader  and  the  magnitude  of  the  pork-jiacking  industry  and 
trade  wa.s  noticeable.  In  the  later  '50s  local  mills  were  turning  out 
over  100,000  l)arrels  of  flour.  But  as  the  West  extended  l)eyond  the 
Jli.ssissippi  ^'alley  and  the  grain  fields  covered  the  rich  jirairies  of 
the  Dakotas,  Nebraska,  Iowa  and  the  further  West,  such  industries 
and  commerce  were  drawn  to  Jlinneapolis.  Omaha  and  Kansas  City. 
Local  ambitions  to  found  successful  woolen  factories  were  smothered. 
New  branches,  however,  shot  out  from  Quincy,  and  those  which  at 
first  were  hardly  considered  as  of  any  promise  mounted  to  first  place. 

Oldest  Existing  Industries 

As  an  illustration  of  this  feature  in  the  industrial  history  of  the 
place,  it  is  noteworthy  that  the  oldest  manufactory  of  prominence 
now  existing  in  Quincy  is  operated  under  the  name  of  the  Oardner 
Governor  Company.  In  1852  the  late  lamented  Robert  W.  Gardner, 
then  a  young  man  of  twenty,  became  an  apprentice   in   the  little 

579 


580 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


machine  shop  conducted  by  Edward  G.  Turner.  Two  years  after- 
ward, with  Henry  Mitchell,  he  purchased  the  plant.  In  1860  he 
secured  his  first  patent  improving  the  governor  of  the  steam  engine, 
and  upon  that  specialty  he  built  a  fortune,  a  fine  name  and  his 
life  work.  J.  W.  Gardner,  the  son,  is  jjresident  of  the  great  plant 
at  South  Front  and  the  city  limits  now  conducted  b,y  the  Gardner 
Governor  Company. 

The  Collins  Plow  Works  is  another  rei^resentative  of  the  few 
older  industries  which  have  endured.  The  factory  is  located  on 
Hampshire  Street  and  Eleventh.     The  original  business  was  founded 


Collins  Plow  Company  Works 

by  the  late  William  H.  Collins  in  1866.     George  W.  Govert  is  now 
president. 


Cl.vssification  (jf  Today 

As  Quincy  has  now  more  than  14:0  manufactories,  covering  the 
range,  in  some  way,  of  modern  industrial  lines,  it  would  be  mani- 
festly impossible  to  make  even  individual  mention  of  them  all.  Gen- 
erally speaking,  however,  eleven  factories  are  devoted  to  the  manu- 
facture of  stoves,  furnaces  and  heaters;  there  are  four  flour  mills; 
five  manufactories  of  clothing,  overalls,  petticoats,  etc. ;  four  lime 
and  cement  plants;  four  establishments  which  turn  out  live  stock 
foods  and  remedies ;  five  works  for  the  fabrication  of  metal  special- 
ties; five  manufacturers  of  confectioneries;  three  plants  which  manu- 
facture incubators ;  three  shops  which  make  metal  wheels ;  three 
manufactories  of  mineral  water  apparatus;  three  pattern  makers, 
and  three  concerns  which  produce  show  cases  and  office  fixtures  and 
furniture. 

The  number  of  the  varioi;s  classified  manufactories,  however, 
conveys  no  definite  idea  of  their  comparative  importance.     This  mat- 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  581 

ter  has  beeu  gauged  liy  tlu-  liest  autliority  mi  tlie  subjwt,  Lewis  11. 
Boswell,  eoiumissioiier  of  the  Freight  liureau,  sulistantiaily  as  fol- 
lows: (1)  Stoves,  iji  which  class  are  the  Chauuoii-Eiuery,  Comstoek- 
Castle,  Excelsior  aiid  Gem  City;  (2)  show  cases  ami  lixtwres,  includ- 
ing the  l^uincy  and  Knittcl  show  caso  companies  and  the  Warren 
-Manufacturing  Company;  (3)  wheels  and  tractoi-s  and  (4)  steam 
pumps  and  compressors,  in  both  of  which  the  Dayton-Dick  Company 
is  represented;  (5)  the  Gardner  Governor  Company,  in  a  class  by 
itself;  (6)  elevators,  Otis  and  Ilollister-Whitney  companies;  (7)  egg 
cases  anil  tillei-s,  North  .Star  Egg  Case  Company;  (8)  agricultural 
implement.s,  hay  presses,  etc.,  represented  by  the  Collins  Plow  Com- 
pany as  manufaeturei-s  and  the  International  Harvester  Comjjany, 
as  distributors;  (9)  dyes,  the  field  occupied  by  the  ilonroe  Drug 
Company,  manufacturers  of  the  Putman  dyes  and  cleaners,  oils  and 
other  chemicals;  (10)  saddles,  harnesses,  hoi-se  collars,  etc..  Wolf 
^lanufacturing  Company  and  Schott  Saddlery  Company;  (11) 
cereals.  United  Cereal  ^lills,  operating  two  plants;  (12)  steel,  Michel- 
mann  Steel  Construction  Comiiany  and  Modern  Iron  Works;  (13) 
.shoes,  Gordon,  Morris  Brothei-s  and  Jliller-llclhake  slux'  companies; 
(14)  American  Straw  Board  Company;  (15)  hog  remedies,  Jloor- 
mann  Manufacturing  Company. 

The  Quincy  Cii.\mber  op  Commerce 

The  first  attempt  made  in  Quincy  to  organize  a  board  of  trade 
or  a  chamber  of  commerce  was  in  May,  1857,  when  a  body  under  the 
former  name  was  formed,  with  C.  AI.  Pimieroy  as  president.  Its  life 
wa.s  but  of  a  few  years  duration.  Twenty  years  or  more  afterward 
was  organized  the  Young  Men's  Business  Association  of  Quincy,  which 
was  incorporated  April  30.  1887,  and  from  that  organization  de- 
velopetl  the  Cliaml)er  of  Commerce  of  Quincy.  The  name  under  which 
it  is  known  was  adopted  on  August  9,  1897. 

Since  its  organization  the  Quincy  Chamber  of  Comincri-e  has  ex- 
j)anded  in  vigor  and  broad  usefulness.  Its  managements  have  not 
been  content  to  confine  their  labors  to  the  improvement  of  industrial 
and  commercial  conditions.  l)ut  have  given  hearty  sup])ort  to  social, 
moral  and  reformat<ir\-  movements,  especially  those  directly  vital  to 
the  well  being  of  Quincy.  The  chamber  has  been  a  strontr  and  elevat- 
ing civic  force.  Of  late  it  has  given  specially  valuable  aid  to  the  Red 
Cross  and  all  other  war  activities  at  home  and  has  been  in  close  co- 
operation with  the  useful  and  practical  work  accomplished  among  the 
farmers  and  rural  communities  of  Adams  Counf\',  throneb  the  Adams 
County  Farm  Improvement  -Association  and  its  auxiliary,  the  Home 
rmprf)vement  As.sociation.  Since  the  completion  of  its  fine  modern 
building  on  South  Fiftli  Street  in  July.  1!)15,  its  facilities  for  exten- 
sions of  its  work  and  influence  have  been  greatly  increased.  The 
present  membership  of  the  chamlier  is  230  and  it  is  composed  of  the 
best  citizenship  of  Quincy. 


582 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


During  the  last  dozen  years,  which  have  been  as  important  as  any 
in  the  history  of  the  chamber,  Frank  W.  Osborn,  H.  G.  Riggs,  J.  H. 
Bastert,  W.  Emery  Lancaster  and  George  D.  Levi  have  served  as 
president.  J)iiring  all  that  period,  until  his  death  in  1917,  C.  F.  Perry 
was  its  untiring  and  efficient  secretary.  Truman  T.  Pierson,  present 
incumbent,  filled  out  his  unexpired  term. 

The  Quincy  Freight  Bureau 

There  is  probably  no  other  institution  in  Quincy  of  a  private 
character  which  is  so  constantly  patronized  and  so  generally  appre- 
ciated as  the  Quincy  Freight  Bureau,  the  commissioner,  or  executive 
officer  of  which  has  been  Lewis  B.  Boswell  for  a  period  of  twenty-one 
years,  or  virtually  since  its  establishment.  It  was  incorporated  by 
the  shippers  of  the  city  in  'Slay,  1897,  with  Chauncey  H.  Castle  as  its 


Home  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 


president.  The  prime  functions  of  the  Inireau  are  to  keep  its  members 
informed  as  to  classification  of  freight,  changes  in  tariffs  and  the  regu- 
lations and  charges  enforced  by  the  different  transportation  com- 
panies tending  to  effect  the  business  of  local  manufacturers  and  mer- 
chants. Besides  this  information,  which  the  commissioner  is  legiti- 
mately bound  to  furnish  to  the  members  of  the  bureau,  in  his  zeal 
to  be  of  general  service  ilr.  Boswell  is  continuallj-  exceeding  his  duties 
and  collecting  a  mass  of  data  calculated  to  set  forth  the  progress  and 
logical  future  of  Quincy,  by  which  capital  is  drawn  thither  and  the 
city's  good  points  generally  exploited.  He  has  also  proved  a  prac- 
tical agent  in  the  improvement  of  various  transportation  facilities  of 
the  locality. 

The  Banks  of  Quincy 

The  banks  of  Quincy,  the  history  of  which  spans  more  than  four- 
score years,  have  endured  through  much  stress  and  not  a  little  storm, 


QUIXL'V  AND  ADAMS  L'OLNTV  583 

by  reason  of  the  foresight  ami  conservatism  of  those  who  foiiiideii  and 
developed  them  and  because  of  their  substantial  backing  in  the  local 
community.  The  Bulls,  the  Rickers,  the  Parkers,  the  Gardners  and 
other  strong  guiding  hands  gave  them  an  ini|)etus  in  the  upward  anil 
right  direction.  Their  life  was  trembling  in  the  balance  until  such 
men  as  these  came  to  their  a.ssistance  some  sixty  years  ago. 

Bhancii  (IF  TiiK  State  Ba.nk 

The  earliest  banking  institution  of  Quincy  was  a  branch  of  the 
State  Bank  of  Illinois,  established  in  1836  with  J.  T.  Holmes  as  presi- 
dent, E.  J.  Phillips  cashier,  and  successively  (up  to  1878),  John  M. 
Holmes,  C.  B.  Church  and  J.  K.  Webster.  This  bank  was  at  the 
southwest  comer  of  Maine  and  Fourth  streets  in  a  large,  square  two- 
story  frame  building,  long  since  removed.  It  susjiended  specie  pay- 
ments in  May,  1837.  but  continued  to  do  business  until  1842,  and  with 
the  failure  of  the  parent  bank  in  that  year,  it  went  into  liquidation 
in  1843. 

Fl.\gg  &  Savage  Open  a  Bank 

From  that  time  for  .several  years  no  banking  facilities  existed,  nor 
indeed,  so  dull  were  the  times,  did  any  appear  to  be  necessary  until 
1850.  N.  Flagg  and  C.  A.  Savage  opened  a  banking  house  under  the 
name  of  Flagg  &  Savage.  Jlr.  Flagg,  who  had  been  a  bookkeeper  for 
some  years,  as  also  Lorenzo  Bull,  then  engaged  in  the  crockery  and 
hardware  business,  through  arrangements  witli  brokers  elsewhere,  had 
for  some  months  previous  been  selling  exchange;  but  the  house  of 
Flagg  &  Savage  was  the  first  private  bank  of  deposit  and  exchange. 
It  was  located  about  four  doors  wvst  of  F'ifth  Street  on  the  south  side 
of  the  public  square  and  sul>se(|uently  was  moved  to  the  corner  of 
Maine  and  Fifth,  later  occupied  by  the  Messrs.  Bull.  About  the  same 
time,  or  shortly  after,  Flagg  &  Savage  commenced  l)usiness,  .Jonathan 
II.  Smith  opened  a  banking  house  on  .Maine  Street  in  the  third  store 
from  Fourth  Street,  which  had  i)ut  a  brief  existence. 

Sevekai.  Faili'res 

About  1852  Ebenezcr  Moore, .).  H.  Ilollowbush  and  E.  F.  Hoffman, 
under  the  style  of  Moore,  Hollowbush  &  Co.,  started  a  banking  in- 
stitution on  the  north  side  of  the  public  square  where  now  stands 
Rickcr's  Bank.  These  two  houses  (Flagg  &  Savage  and  Moore,  Hol- 
lowbush &  Co.)  were  crippled  in  1857  by  the  failure  of  S.  &  W.  B. 
Thayer,  to  whom  they  hatl  made  large  advances,  and  were  compelled 
to  suspend.  The  former  firm  resumed  about  eight  months  later,  but  in 
1860  was  forced  to  close  pennanently.  The  firm  of  Moore,  Hollow- 
bush  &  Co.,  after  a  somewhat  longer  suspension,  was  ])artially  revived 
under  the  name  of  Moore  &  Sherman,  but  discontinued  finally  about 
the  .same  time  with  Flagg  &  Savage. 


584  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Old  Bank  of  Quikcy 

The  Bank  of  Quiney,  owned  by  :\Iessrs.  Mattison  &  Boon,  com- 
menced operations  in  1856  in  the  northwest  corner  building  under  the 
Quiney  House.  During  the  suspension  of  the  two  houses  named  above 
their  business  was  large,  being  the  only  house  of  the  kind  in  the  city. 
In  1860  or  1861  this  bank  closed. 

QuiNCY  Savings  Bank 

In  1857  the  Quiney  Savings  and  Insurance  Company,  afterward 
the  Quiney  Savings  Bank  and  now  the  First  National,  was  opened 
at  the  northwest  corner  of  Hampshire  and  Fifth  streets,  i-emoving  in 
1856  to  the  present  location  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Hamp- 
shire. In  1864  this  institution  was  organized  as  the  First  National 
Bank. 

John  Wood  and  H.  P.  J.  Ricker 

Flacks;  Jansen  &  Co.,  afterward  Flacks  &  Company,  began  busi- 
ness as  bankers  in  1859  at  the  southea.st  corner  of  Maine  and  Fourth 
streets,  and  in  the  following  year  (1860)  transferred  their  business 
to  John  Wood  &  Son,  who  again  sold,  in  1865,  to  H.  F.  J.  Ricker. 
Since  1860  Mr.  Ricker  had  been  doing  business  a.s  a  banker  on  Hamp- 
.shire  Street  between  Sixth  and  Seventh,  and  soon  after  purchasing 
of  Wood  &  Son  moved  to  Hampshire  between  Fifth  and  Sixth,  south 
side,  where  he  remained  until  the  occupation  of  his  present  place  in 
1876,  on  the  north  side  of  the  sciuare,  intermediate  between  Fourth  and 
Fifth. 

L.  &  C.  H.  Bull  Enter  Banking  Field 

In  1862  L.  &  C.  H.  Bull  connnenced  business  in  the  building  for- 
merly occupied  by  Flagg  &  Savage,  corner  of  I'ifth  and  Maine.  Their 
institution  was  organized  in  1864  as  the  Merchants  &  Farmers  Na- 
tional Bank.  In  1874  the  National  Bank  was  discontinued,  the  par- 
ties continuing  business  under  the  above  name. 

Thomas  T.  Woodruff  operated  a  banking  house  from  1860  to  1870 
on  the  west  side  of  the  square  about  the  middle  of  the  block. 

The  Union  Bank,  later  at  the  corner  of  Hampshire  and  Fifth, 
opened  in  1869,  in  Geise's  Building,  north,  adjoining  the  old  court- 
house, and  in  1875  removed  to  the  former  site. 

E.  J.  Parker's  Bank 

E.  J.  Parker's  Bank,  opei'ating  on  Fifth  Street,  west  side,  ad- 
joining that  of  the  Messrs.  Bull,  was  opened  in  1874. 

The  German-American  Bank  of  Gustav  Levi  &  Co.,  opened  in 


QuiNCY  Looking  Southeast  from  the  Courthouse 


M.MNb  .StKEKT   E.\Xl-   KKOM    KolUTII.   (JlINCY 


586  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

3875  on  Fourth  Street,  a  few  doors  nortli  of  Hampshire,  and  discon- 
tinued in  1877. 

H.  A.  Geise  &  Son  commenced  in  1876  in  the  building  formerly 
used  by  the  Union  Bank. 

Consolidation  op  the  Bull  and  Parker  Interests 

Under  date  of  April  30,  1879,  announcement  was  made  of  the  con- 
.solidation  of  L.  &  C.  H.  Bull's  Savings  Bank  and  E.  J.  Parker  &  Co. 's 
Commercial  Bank  under  the  name  of  L.  &  C.  H.  Bull,  with  Joseph 
W.  Emery  as  cashier.  E.  J.  Parker  &  Co.  moved  their  office  to  that 
of  L.  &  C.  H.  Bull.  The  business  of  the  two  banks  under  the  new 
name  was  continued  under  the  personal  management  of  the  active 
members  of  both  firms. 

State  Savings,  Loan  and  Trust  Company 

In  November,  1890,  the  old  firm  was  authorized  to  reorganize 
under  the  state  law  as  the  State  Savings,  Loan  and  Trust  Company, 
with  a  paid-up  capital  of  $300,000  and  a  term  of  ninetj--nine  years. 
Lorenzo  Bull  was  president ;  Charles  H.  Bull,  vice  president,  and 
Edward  J.  Parker  cashier.  Business  was  formally  commenced  Janu- 
ary 1,  1891. 

In  January,  1893,  the  bank  occupied  a  massive  new  building  on 
the  south  side  of  Maine  Street  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets. 
Its  main  front  was  of  rich  Missouri  granite,  and  the  interior  was 
elegant  and  modern  for  twenty-five  years  ago.  Its  trust  department 
was  opened  in  August,  1898,  and  the  institution  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  the  state  in  that  regard.  In  the  following  December  the 
First  National  Bank  went  into  voluntary  liquidation  and  was  ab- 
sorbed by  the  State  Savings  Loan  and  Trust  Company.  Lorenzo 
Bull  had  resigned  as  president  of  the  old  organization  in  the  previous 
July.  W.  S.  Warfield  became  president  of  the  consolidated  bank, 
with  E.  J.  Parker  as  cashier  and  C.  H.  Bull  and  Judge  S.  B.  Mont- 
gomery as  vice  presidents. 

Robert  W.  Gardner  and  Edward  J.  Parker 

Mr.  Warfield  served  as  president  until  the  end  of  1905,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  Robert  W.  Gardner,  head  of  the  great  Governor 
plant,  and  the  foremost  industrial  leader  in  Quincy ;  a  leader  also  in 
brotherhood  and  philanthropy,  perhaps  the  best  and  most  generally 
beloved  of  all  its  citizens.  He  headed  the  affairs  of  the  bank  with 
characteristic  zeal  and  ability  initil  a  few  months  liefore  his  death, 
December  28,  1907.  He  had  suffered  a  stroke  of  paralysis  in  the 
preceding  September,  so  that  his  death  was  not  unexpected.  Mr. 
Gardner  was  in  his  seventy-sixth  year,  and  left  generous  bequests  to 
several  churches.  Blessing  Hospital,  Woodland  Home  and  the  Ffee 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  L'OL'NTV  587 

Putilic  Library.     As  to  his  family,  he  left  a  widow,  a  daughter  and 
two  sons. 

Kdward  J.  I'arker,  who  had  been  cashier  of  the  bank  since  1863, 
succeeded  to  the  presidency,  and  continued  tlnis  until  his  deeca.se 
March  1.  1912.  At  that  time  lie  had  enjoyed  tiie  longest  identitica- 
tion  with  one  bank  of  anybody  in  his  profession  in  the  State  of  Illi- 
nois. Mr.  Parker's  first  wife  was  a  niece  of  Loren/.o  Hull  and  his 
second  wife,  a  daughter.  After  Lorenzo  Hull's  death  in  November, 
1!H)5,  Mr.  Parker  moved  to  the  old  Hull  homestead  on  Maine  Street 
between  Fifteenth  and  Sixteenth  streets,  and  there  he  passed  his 
la.st  years.  The  strong  characteristics  of  Mr.  I'arker 's  character  were 
patience,  persistency  and  absolute  devotion  to  any  cause  or  institu- 
tion to  which  he  had  pledged  his  faith  and  work.  The  strength  of 
his  active  life  wa-s  chictly  devoted  to  the  heautitication  of  Quincy,  the 
building  up  of  the  State  Savings  Loan  and  Trust  Company  and  the 
con-servation  of  an  ideal  home.  lie  left  his  fortune  to  his  wife,  with- 
out reserve:  which  was  quite  characteristic  of  him  and  the  absolute 
faith  which  he  had  in  his  life  companion  and  co-worker.  Mr.  Parker 
was  identified  with  ninnerous  charities,  and  his  widow  has  assumed 
the  labors  in  these  connections  which  ilropped  from  him  with  his 
passing. 

De.\tii  of  Lorenzo  Hii.i, 

The  death  of  Lorenzo  Hull  occurred  November  2,  1905,  his  wife 
having  preceded  him  from  their  earthly  home  two  years  before.  The 
decea.sed  was  in  his  eighty-seventh  year,  and  left  the  following  son 
and  daughters:  William  H..  then  of  New  York  City:  Mrs.  Elizahetli 
G.  Parker,  wife  of  E.  J.  Parker;  Mrs.  Margaret  H.  Prudden.  wife 
of  Doctor  Prudden,  of  West  Newton.  Ma-ssachusetts:  and  Mrs.  Anna 
L.  Benedict,  of  Boston.  The  original  Hull  homestead  was  in  North 
Quincy  near  Fifth;  later,  the  .site  of  General  Morgan's  home  and 
now  a  part  of  the  Cheerful  Home.  During  the  last  fifty  years  of  his 
life  he  resided  in  the  large  hou.se  at  Maine  and  Sixteenth  streets. 
Besides  the  work  which  he  accomi)li.shed  as  a  pioneer  banker,  he 
served  as  seeretar>'  of  the  old  public  library  for  many  years,  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Cheerful  Home  and,  with  his  .son.  operated  the 
Water  Works  until  they  were  fairly  established. 

Mr.  Parker  was  succeeded  in  the  presidency  of  the  State  Savings, 
Loan  and  Tru.st  Company,  by  Judge  S.  H.  Mongomery,  who  had 
sen-ed  a.s  \'iee  president  since  1896,  and  is  still  in  office.  Charles 
H.  Bull,  the  brother  of  Lorenzo,  died  November  27,  1908,  while  .still 
holding  the  vice  presidency,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Parker. 
In  January.  1908,  when  Mr.  Parker  graduate*!  from  the  cashiership 
of  the  institution  to  the  presidency.  F.  W.  Crane  succeeded  to  the 
former  office,  which  he  still  holds. 

In  1906,  the  west  half  of  the  large  and  fine  building  occupied 
by  the  State  Savings  Loan  and  Trust  Company  was  completed,  nuiking 


588  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

its  accommodations  as  commodious  and  elegant  as  could  be  desired 
and  placing  them  on  a  par  with  the  best  in  the  state.  The  growth 
of  the  business  made  it  necessary  to  double  the  capital  stock,  in  1912, 
increasing  the  amount  from  $500,000  to  $1,000,000. 

The  Bicker  National  Bank  and  Its  Founder 

Mention  has  been  made  of  the  purchase  of  the  John  Wood  Bank 
in  1864  by  Henry  F.  J.  Ricker.  He  was  a  native  of  Germany  and  in 
his  youth  came  with  his  parents  to  Quincy.  As  a  young  man  he  was 
emplo^-ed  by  John  Wood,  Charles  Holmes,  Albert  Daneke  and  other 
early  merchants  of  the  city,  finally  formed  a  mercantile  partnership 
with  Leopold  Arntzen,  and  gathered  some  capital  and  much  solid 
reputation.  About  1859-60,  when  immigration  to  the  western  country 
was  at  its  height  Mr.  Ricker  began  selling  steamship  passage  tickets, 
involving  domestic  and  foreign  exchange.  The  funds  entrusted  to 
him  were  carried  in  a  market  basket  to  and  from  his  office  and  resi- 
dence, the  former  being  near  Seventh  and  Hampshire  streets.  The 
business  so  prospered  that  he  moved  to  a  better  building  at  No.  508 
Hampshire  Street,  the  lower  story  of  which  he  remodeled  for  busi- 
ness purposes.  In  1864,  when  he  bought  the  bank  of  his  old  em- 
ployer, Mr.  Wood,  he  established  at  that  number  the  combined  enter- 
prises, which  was  the  foundation  of  the  Ricker  National  Bank. 

In  1875  the  business  had  so  increased  that  Mr.  Ricker  bought  the 
site  of  the  present  bank  building  on  Hampshire  Street  between  Fourth 
and  Fifth,  and  erected  thereon,  in  the  following  year,  the  modern 
structure  still  in  use.  In  1908-09,  however,  it  was  not  only  com- 
pletely remodeled,  l)ut  what  is  the  east  half  of  the  building  was  added 
to  the  original  structure ;  the  addition  had  a  frontage  of  fifty  feet. 

The  institution  was  a  private  bank  until  1881,  but  on  the  fourth 
of  April,  that  year,  it  was  chartered  as  the  Ricker  National  Bank  of 
Quincy.  The  founder  of  the  bank  died  March  4,  1904,  and  there  has 
been  no  change  in  the  official  management,  viz. :  Edward  Sohm,  presi- 
dent; George  Fischer  and  J.  R.  Pearce,  vice  presidents;  H.  F.  J. 
Ricker,  cashier.  The  capital  stock  of  the  bank  has  been  increased 
from  time  to  time  until  it  has  reached  $700,000.  It  has  total  assets 
of  nearly  $6,500,000;  surplus  and  undivided  profits,  about  $360,000, 
and  deposits  nearly  .$5,000,000. 

Quincy  National  Bank 

In  1887  J.  H.  Dueker  (the  furniture  dealer),  Julius  Kespohl, 
Louis  Wolf  and  G.  G.  Arends,  founded  the  Quincy  National  Bank, 
at  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Hampshire  streets.  The  bank  was  in- 
corporated the  same  year.  The  institution  is  managed  by  the  follow- 
ing :  W.  T.  Duker,  president ;  G.  G.  Arends,  vice  president ;  J.  M. 
Winters,  cashier.  Its  capital  is  $100,000;  surplus  and  profits  earned, 
.$85,000;  average  deposits,  $1,130,000;  resources,  $1,415,000. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  589 

Mercantile  Tkist  and  Savings  Bank 

This  institution  \va.s  or^aiiized  as  a  ehartered  bank  April  10,  1!I06, 
with  the  following  ot!ieers :  Fred  Wilines,  pnsidcnt ;  C.  II.  Castle,  vice 
jiresidcnt :  Harvey  G.  Kiggs,  cashier.  Mr.  Wilms  .scrvetl  as  i)rcsideiit 
until  l!ir2,  when  he  sold  his  interest  in  the  hank  and  retired,  being 
succeedeil  by  John  L.  Soebbing.  ilr.  Castle  died  in  May,  l'JO!(.  and 
the  vice  presidency  was  assumed  by  J.  J.  Jlichael.  .Mr.  Riggs  has 
been  the  cashier  and  active  manager  from  the  tirst.  The  bank  has  a 
capital  of  $20(),0(K):  surplus  and  undivided  profits  of  if!!M),Ol)0,  and 
average  deposits  of  .$1,750,000. 

Illinois  State  Bank 

The  Illinois  State  Bank  of  (juincy  was  organized  Jiily  1,  1009,  and 
its  large  and  finely  appointed  building  at  Hampshire  and  Si.\th  streets 
was  occupied  in  August,  1916.  There  has  been  no  change  in  the  man- 
agement, as  follows:  John  H.  Best,  president;  W.  J.  Singleton,  vice 
president;  William  Rupp,  Jr.,  cashier.  The  capital  of  the  bank  has 
been  incrca.sed  from  .$12r>,000,  the  first  year,  to  .$300,000  in  1914. 
The  surplus  and  undivided  profits  amount  to  about  .$40,000  and  the 
average  deposits  more  than  .$2,000,000. 

Other  Banks 

The  financial  institutions  mentioned  are  all  located  in  the  central 
business  District  of  Quincy.  With  the  expansion  of  the  city  several 
minor  banks  have  been  established  in  outlying  territory.  Of  these 
are  the  Broadway  Bank,  with  a  branch,  of  which  W.  H.  Middendorf 
is  president;  the  State  Street  Bank,  a  private  institution  at  the  corner 
of  that  thoroughfare  and  Eighth  Street,  in  which  W.  H.  Covert,  H. 
C.  Sprick  and  Walter  A.  and  Hariy  J.  Hcidbreder  have  long  been 
interested :  and  the  South  Side  Branch  Bank,  on  South  Eighth  Street, 
of  which  John  A.  Berlin  is  manager. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

CAMP  POINT 

Early  Settlements  in  Township — Peter  B.  Garrett  and  Thomas 
Bailey — Pioneer  Churches — Rise  of  Garrett's  Mill — Camp 
Point  Platted — Influence  op  Thomas  Bailey — Bailey  Park 
and  the  Opera  House^ — The  Maplewood  High  School — Other 
Residence  Essentials — The  Camp  Point  Journal — The  Two 
Banks — The  Churches — Fraternity  Temple  and  Societies — 
The  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  Lodges — Women's 
Organizations. 

The  pleasant,  progressive  village  of  1,200  people,  known  as  Camp 
Point,  northeast  of  the  central  part  of  the  county  on  the  Chicago, 
Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad,  is  at  the  headwaters  of  the  south 
branch  of  Bear  Creek,  and  its  site  and  vicinity  still  bear  proofs  of  the 
natural  charms  of  the  early  times  which  made  the  neighborhood  such 
a  favorite  camping  ground  for  Indian  and  white  alike.  The  point  of 
timber  which  originally  extended  into  the  prairie  has  been  virtually 
obliterated  by  cultivated  farms  and  the  expanded  village,  but,  even 
from  the  landscape  of  today,  it  is  not  difficult  to  reconstruct  the 
Indian  Camp  Point  of  the  '20s  and  '30s.  When  a  petition  was 
circulated  to  secure  a  postoffice  at  Garrett's  Mills,  it  was  thought  that 
the  name  mentioned  was  too  long  and  the  "Indian"  was  omitted. 

Early  Settlements  in  Township 

The  earliest  settlements  in  the  township  were  made  at  and  near 
the  village  of  today.  Daniel  Smith  and  James  La.sley,  brothers-in- 
law,  came  to  the  locality  in  1828  and  established  homesteads  on  sec- 
tions 28  and  29,  two  or  three  miles  west  of  the  present  site.  In  the  fall 
of  1829  ]Mr.  Lasley  sold  his  improvements  to  Jezreel  Shoemaker,  who 
continued  to  reside  there  for  several  j-ears.  Messrs.  Calley  and  Rand, 
the  latter  Galley's  son-in-law,  located  on  the  northeast  quarter  of 
section  27,  in  what  was  to  be  the  edge  of  Garrett's  Mills,  or  Camp 
Point.  Jonathan  Brown,  who  established  his  homestead  in  section  3, 
was  the  first  resident  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township.  In  1831 
a  Mr.  Lock,  who  had  settled  the  year  before  on  the  northeast  quarter 
of  section  22,  transferred  his  land  and  improvements  to  William 
Wilkes,  whose  descendants  still  own  the  place.     Samuel  McAuulty, 

590 


QriNCV  AM)  ADA.MS  CorXTV 


r>9i 


Williiiiii    McAimlty    ami    Lewis    .MiFiirliuni    settled    in   the    extreme 
iiortluTU  portiou  of  the  township   (section  3)   in  1832. 

Peter  B.  Garrett  and  Thomas  Bailey 

Peter  B.  Garrett  located  in  section  26,  during  the  fall  of  1835, 
and  immediately  commeiKN-d  to  form  tlu-  nucleus  of  the  little  settle- 
ment, which,  for  some  years  afterward,  retained  his  name.  The  first 
schoolhouse  in  the  township  or  on  the  site  of  the  village  was  built  on 
his  land  in  1836.  and  a  man  named  Brewster  was  the  first  teacher. 
The  second  was  built  on  section  2!(.  about  three  miles  west,  in  thi' 
spring  of  1840,  and  Thomas  Bailey,  afterward  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  vilJajre  taught  the  first  class  in  it.  As  several  families  had  now 
settled  ill   the  northeastern  portion  of  the  township,  a  third  .school- 


Re-^idence!*  at  Camp  Point 


house  was  erected  on  thi-  southwest  quarter  of  section  12.  and  I'.  \V. 
Lcet  was  employed  as  its  teacher. 

Other  Distinguished  Citizens 

Among  the  citizens  of  Camp  Point  who  have  attained  some  dis- 
tinction James  E.  Downing,  Thomas  J.  Bates,  Jacob  Groves  and  Dr. 
Samuel  .Mileham  serve<l  in  the  State  Legislature.  Richard  Seat(ui, 
John  \V.  Roth  and  Edward  P.  Smith  served  a.s  sherifT.  Thomas 
Bailey,  a  pioneer  who  grew  wealthy  with  the  progress  of  the  com- 
munity pave  the  Bailey  Opera  House  to  trustees  for  the  benefit  of  the 
worthy  poor  and  he  purchased  the  former  Adams  County  Fair 
Grounds  and  gave  them  to  the  village  for  a  park  which  is  officially 
known  as  "Bailey  Park."  George  W.  Cyrus  and  Ilezekiah  0.  Henry 
served  on  the  state  board  of  eijualization.  William  L.  Honnold,  a 
mining  engineer  who  spent  many  years  in  the  gold  mines  of  South 


592  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Africa,  became  the  assistant  of  Herbert  Hoover  in  administering 
relief  to  the  sufferers  in  Belgium  and  later  came  to  New  York  where 
he  became  head  of  the  American  Board  of  Relief.  Silas  Lasley 
became  a  district  judge  in  Kansas.  Richard  Kimber  became  a  super- 
intendent on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy  Railroad.  Albert 
Crawford  became  assistant  general  passenger  agent  on  the  same  rail- 
road. Robert  A.  Beckett  and  Thornton  L.  Welsh  served  in  the  Kansas 
Legislature. 

Early  Schools  and  Former  Pupils 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  the  village  was  built  in  1855  on  the  lot 
where  Charles  S.  Huber's  residence  now  stands.  The  first  teacher  was 
a  Mr.  Clifton.  Another  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1861  on  lot  num- 
bered seven  in  block  twenty-two  in  Benjamin  Booth's  addition.  The 
two  districts  were  consolidated  in  1866,  forming  the  present  district 
No.  104  and  the  result  was  the  erection  of  the  building  which  became 
famous  as  "Maplewood. "  The  third  schoolhouse  was  destroyed  by 
fire  in  1855  and  a  new  building  was  erected  on  the  comer  of  the 
southeast  quarter  of  section  15  and  is  now  known  as  district  No.  103. 

The  first  school  in  district  No.  101  was  held  in  a  log  building  on 
the  northeast  corner  of  section  2.  A  frame  building  was  erected 
on  the  same  corner  in  1856  but  some  j-ears  later  was  moved  to  its 
present  location  near  the  southwest  corner  of  section  2. 

A  schoolhouse  was  erected  in  184-4  on  the  northwest  corner  of  sec- 
tion 4  which  was  burned  during  the  winter  of  1854.  The  territory 
was  then  divided  and  the  building  known  as  "Primrose"  was  erected 
in  1855  and  is  now  known  as  district  No.  102.  Another  building  was 
erected  near  the  northeast  corner  of  section  5  and  is  now  district  No. 
106  and  known  as  the  "Coffield."  District  No.  105  is  the  successor 
of  the  second  schoolhouse  built  in  the  township.  The  schoolhouse 
is  located  near  the  center  of  section  29.  District  No.  107  is  the  suc- 
cessor of  the  first  schoolhou.se  and  the  building  now  stands  on  the 
center  of  the  west  line  of  section  25.  The  schoolhouse  in  district 
No.  108  is  situated  on  the  southeast  corner  of  section  17  and  is  locally 
known  as  "Highland"  school. 

Among  the  number  of  prominent  citizens  who  attended  Camp 
Point  schools  may  be  named  Judges  Albert  Akers  and  Lyman  Mc- 
Carl ;  Attorney  Samuel  Woods ;  William  L.  Honnold,  mining  engineer 
in  South  Africa;  James  E.  Craver,  superintendent  of  the  western 
division  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad ;  Robert  A.  Backett  and 
Thornton  L.  Welsh,  memliers  of  the  Kansas  Legislature ;  Isaac  Cutter, 
Grand  Secretary'  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  ]Masons;  J.  Baxter  Bates, 
for  many  years  editor  of  the  Bloomington  Pautagraph ;  Supreme 
Justice  Fletcher  Sharp,  of  Oklahoma ;  and  'Sim.  Kate  Sumney,  of 
Omaha,  noted  as  a  suffrage  orator. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  593 

Pioneer  Culbcues 

The  first  church  building  in  the  towiisliip  was  also  erected  iu  its 
northeastern  section  (12).  The  Methodists  were  the  builders  and 
i-alled  tiie  church  IIcl>roii,  the  swicty  by  that  name  still  being  main- 
tained l>y  the  denomination  mentioned.  The  second  house  of  woiTship 
was  erected  by  the  Cumljerlaud  Presbyterians,  a  short  distance  west 
of  Camp  Point,  but  the  building  has  been  razed  and  the  society 
dispei-sed. 

Whiskey  Raid 

It  is  said  that  the  firet  mercantile  enterprise  put  on  foot  by  Thomas 
G.  Stevens,  in  1850,  came  to  a  sudden  end — pronounced  by  some  un- 
timely, by  others,  most  timely.  At  tii-st,  when  he  sold  only  groceries, 
his  project  met  with  general  favor,  but  when  he  added  whiskey  to 
his  stock  a  strong  contingent  of  "drys"  objected.  They  held  a 
meeting,  raised  a  fund  to  buy  out  his  stock  of  liquor,  and,  although 
the  owner  protested  that  he  desired  to  sell  at  retail  as  a  more 
profitable  plan,  his  business  views  were  ignored,  the  purchase  mom-y 
was  tendered,  the  barrel  of  whiskey  rolled  outside  the  store  and  its 
contents  poured  on  the  ground. 

First  Township  Officers 

The  population  of  the  township  increased  slowly  for  several  years 
and  the  township  was  politically  organized  in  1849.  The  first  otiiccrs 
elected  were  Thomas  Bailey,  supervisor;  John  Adams,  clerk;  John 
Downing.  a.s.se.ssor;  Vixen  P.  Gay,  collector;  Peter  H.  Garrett,  Ebon 
C.  Downing  and  Samuel  McAnulty,  highway  commissionei-s;  Lewis 
ilcFarland  and  James  Robertson,  justices  of  the  peace.  The  office 
of  supervisor  has  been  filled  by  the  election  of  the  following  citizens: 
Thomas  Bailey,  James  E.  Downing,  Vixen  P.  Gay,  Silas  Bailey, 
Thomas  J.  Bates,  Richard  A.  Wallace,  George  W.  Cyrus,  Charles 
V.  Gay,  Fred  A.  Morley.  Matthew  W.  Callahan,  James  R.  Guthrie, 
Levi  Cate.  and  Alexander  Thoinp.son.  The  present  officers  arc  Alexan- 
der Thompson,  supervisor;  John  0.  Ward,  clerk;  George  W.  Omer,  as- 
ses.sor:  IlenrA-  C.  Welsh,  highway  commissioner;  George  W.  Cyrus 
and  George  W.  Francis,  justices  of  the  peace;  George  Gniny,  con- 
stable. 

Rise  of  G.vrrett'.s  Mu-l 

Industrial  life  first  sprouted  in  the  northern  portir)n  of  the  town- 
ship in  1838,  when  John  Xewland  cret^'ted  a  hoi-sc  mill  for  the  grind- 
ing of  com  on  the  north  half  of  section  5.  Rut  nothing  like  a  manu- 
facturing center  appeared  until  1S44,  when  Peter  H.  (Jarretf  erected 
a  carding  machine  on  tli.-  pr.  ^.-nt  -jt."  ..t'  Camp  Point  and  during  the 

Vol  1— » 


594  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

following  year  added  a  grist,  mill.  The  power  for  both  was  furnished 
by  a  tread  wheel  worked  by  oxen.  Later  steam  power  was  added  and 
the  plant  developed  into  the  modern  mill  owned  and  operated  bj'  W. 
A.  Berrian  &  Company.  Casco  Mill  was  built  in  1866  by  Thomas 
Bailey,  Silas  Bailej^,  William  L.  Oliver  and  Oriuond  Noble.  It  has 
been  long  since  dismantled. 

Lewis  McFarland  established  the  first  tannery  in  the  '30s  and  he 
served  as  the  first  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  township.  Benjamin 
Booth  opened  the  first  blacksmith  shop  at  an  early  day,  and  in  1846 
James  H.  Langdon  opened  a  second,  at  Ctarrett's  Mill.  Granderson 
M.  Hess  opened  the  first  general  store  at  that  place  in  1854. 

Camp  Point  Platted 

Camp  Point,  as  a  village,  dated  from  1855,  when  it  was  platted 
and  made  a  station  of  the  Northern  Cross  Railroad.  Cars  commenced 
running  in  February.  At  that  time  the  owners  of  the  town  site  were 
Thomas  Bailey,  Peter  B.  Garrett,  Benjamin  Booth  and  William 
Farlow. 

The  township  had  been  created  in  1850  and  Thomas  Bailey  was 
elected  as  its  first  supervisor.  Among  his  early  successors  were 
James  E.  Downing,  Vixen  P.  Gay,  Silas  Bailey,  Thomas  J.  Bates, 
Richard  A.  Wallace  and  George  W.  Cyrixs.  The  last  named,  one  of 
the  advisory  editors  of  this  history,  is  still  alert  physically  and 
mentally  and  is  one  of  the  best  informed  men  in  the  county. 

Influence  of  Thomas  Bailey 

The  influence  of  Thomas  Bailey  wa.s  felt  longer  and  stronger 
than  that  of  anyone  who  has  been  identified  with  the  growth  of 
Camp  Point.  He  was  of  an  old  ilaine  family  and  the  year  following 
his  departure,  as  a  young  man,  reached  Adams  County  and  first  en- 
gaged in  teaching  near  Garrett's  Mill.  But  he  soon  was  investing 
his  savings  in  farm  lands,  early  improved  a  quarter  section  and 
erected  a  residence  thereon.  A  portion  of  Camp  Point  was  laid  out 
on  it,  when  it  was  platted  in  1855,  and  he  made  several  additions 
to  the  original  tract.  Finally  he  became  one  of  the  large  and  pros- 
perous land  owners  of  that  section  of  the  county,  and  for  a  number 
of  years  also  engaged  in  merchandizing  and  milling  at  Camp  Point. 
In  1867  he  founded  the  Bailey  Bank,  a  private  institution,  which  he 
conducted  successfully  for  thirteen  years.  In  1873,  with  George 
W.  Cyrus,  he  established  the  Camp  Point  Journal,  and  the  association 
continued  for  tliree  years,  when  Mr.  Cyrus  became  the  sole  pro- 
prietor. 

Mr.  Bailey  served  as  township  supervisor  during  two  terms  in 
the  '50s,  and  in  1875  was  chairman  of  the  board.  He  was  a  justice 
of  the  peace  of  Camp  Point  Township  for  more  than  forty  years, 
and  after  the  birth  of  the  republican  party  .served  repeatedly  as  a 


QUINCY  A\l)  ADAMS  COINTV  595 

delegate  to  its  eouuty,  state  and  national  conventions.     lie  was  also 
one  of  the  old  and  jironiincnt  .Masons  and  Odd  Fellows  of  the  county. 

Bailey  Park  am>  the  Oi'era  House 

Perhaps  more  permanent  and  noteworthy  nionunients  to  his  mem- 
ory are  the  gifts  of  the  20-acre  tra<-t  of  land  known  as  Bailey  Park 
and  the  Opera  House  Block,  in  litOM.  The  former,  whicii  adjoins  the 
corporation  limits  on  the  north,  at  the  time  of  his  di-ath.  iiad  been 
oecupied  for  more  tiian  twenty  years  by  the  Adams  County  Agri- 
cultural Society  as  a  fair  ground.  The  grove  of  tine  trees  embraced 
in  the  tract  formed  the  basis  for  tlie  park  improvement,  whicii  has  de- 
veloped into  an  excusable  village  pride.  It  is  famous  as  a  resort  and  is 
utilized  by  the  ("hautaufiua  Asso<'iation  as  a  jilace  of  meeting. 

Railroad  Park  is  a  striji  of  land  through  the  center  of  the  village 
owned  by  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  Railroad  Company  and  turned  over  to  the 
village  for  park  purposes.  It  is  shaded  by  large  trees  wlii<h,  with 
grass,  forms  a  pleasant  feature  of  the  town. 

The  Opera  House  Block,  on  the  main  business  street  of  the  village, 
was  deeded  by  Mr.  Bailey  to  (ieorge  W.  Cyrus.  E.  K.  B.  Sawyer, 
William  T.  Kay,  Frank  \V.  Blood  and  James  R.  (Juthrie,  as  trustees, 
the  income  from  the  property  to  be  used  for  the  relief  of  the  worthy 
|)oor.  After  the  death  of  Min.  Bailey,  his  late  residence  and  spacir)us 
grounds  will  j>a.ss  into  the  hands  of  the  trustees  named  to  be  u.sed 
for  the  same  purpose.  Three  of  the  original  trustees  have  passed 
away,  ami  their  successors  were  chosen  V)y  the  annual  town  meetings. 

Other  Residence  Essentials 

Cam|)  Point  has  also  a  Free  Public  Library,  which  is  rightly  classed 
as  an  educational  agency,  working,  as  it  does,  in  close  co-operation 
with  the  village  school.  With  electric  light  supplied  by  the  Illinois 
Public  Service  Company,  protection  from  tire  afforded  by  a  good 
gas  engine  and  an  alert  volunteer  department,  and  an  abiuidancc  of 
pure  water  drawn  from  numerous  deep  cisterns,  the  village  is  pro- 
vided with  the  essentials  for  cheerful,  safe  and  sanitary  residi-nce. 
When  to  these  advantages  are  added  churches,  societies,  a  well  con- 
ducted newspaper,  two  substantial  banks,  an  elevator,  feed  mill  and 
a  sufficient  number  of  business  houses  to  fully  supply  the  wants  of 
citizens  and  their  families — what  more  could  be  asked  for  comfort 
and  happiness? 

The  Maplewood  High  School 

Camp  Point  has  been  noted  for  more  than  half  a  century  for  the 
excellence  of  its  schools.  In  the  summer  of  1866,  a  site  was  pureha.sed 
for  the  erection  of  a  gi-aded  school  building,  which  was  completed 
in  the  following  year.     It  was  built  in  a  large  block  of  ground  whi«h 


596 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


was  ijlaiited  to  maple  trees,  and  the  school  was  therefore  christened 
Maplewood.  As  such,  it  became  prominent  as  an  educational  center 
throughout  tlie  county.  The  building  was  three  stories  in  height  and 
completed  at  a  cost  of  $25,000.  Its  first  principal,  Prof.  Samuel  F. 
Hall,  came  from  I'rinceton,  Illinois,  and  during  the  eighteen  years 
of  his  superintendeney  brought  Maplewood  School  into  much  prom- 
inence. Pupils  came  to  the  high  school  not  only  from  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Camp  Point,  but  from  far  di.stant  parts  of  the  county,  and 
during  the  earlier  period  of  its  work  it  is  said  that  fully  one-half 
of  the  teaching  force  in  Adams  County  comprised  graduates  of  Maple- 
wood  High  School.  Improvements  in  the  building  and  pedagogical 
methods  have  been  continuous,  so  that  as  an  educational  institution 
it  is  still  up-to-date  and  a  source  of  village  pride.  It  has  long  been 
one  of  the  leading  accredited  high  schools  of  the  county.    The  Maple- 


The  Maplewood  High  School 

wood  School  of  today  is  in  charge  of  Prof.  J.  D.  Knight,  who  has 
some  350  pupils  under  his  .superintendence. 

The  Camp  Point  Journal 


The  newspaper  historj-  of  Camp  Point  covers  more  than  fiftj' 
years.  W.  R.  Carr  established  the  first  local  paper  in  April,  1866, 
under  the  name  of  the  Camp  Point  Enterprise.  It  was  printed  in 
Augusta,  where  the  proprietor  also  issued  the  Banner.  In  1867  the 
Enterjirise  was  .sold  to  E.  E.  B.  Sawyer,  who  moved  the  plant  to 
Camp  Point  and  in  1870  sold  it  to  J.  M.  &  J.  E.  Kirkpatrick.  The 
Kirkpatricks  conducted  it  for  two  years  when  the  Enterprise  was 
suspended. 

In  January,  1873.  the  material  of  the  defunct  newspaper  was 
purchased  by  George  W.  Cyras  and  Thomas  Bailey,  who  began  the 
publication  of  the  Camp  Point  Journal.  In  1877  ^Ir.  Bailey  dis- 
posed of  his  interest  to  his  partner,  and  Mr.  Cyrus  conducted  the 


yi'lNCV   AND  ADAMS  CorXTV  5U7 

paper  until  1910.  Jii  the  year  named  Elmer  T.  Selby  purchased  the 
Journal  of  ilr.  Cyrus  and  in  Marcii,  l!'].^,  Mr.  Selby  sold  it  to  Frank 
Groves,  tiie  ])resent  proprietor. 

The  B.\nks  and  Hc»mi;.steai)  Assdciatkin 

There  are  two  prosperous  hanks  in  the  viilagre.  The  Camp  Point 
Hank  wa.s  estal)lished  by  Thomas  Hailey  in  lb68.  It  was  suliscquiMitiy 
owned  by  Bailey  and  Seaton  (Richard  Seaton)  then  the  (inn  became 
Seaton  &  Wallace  (Richard  A.  Wallace),  tiien  R.  A.  Wallace  & 
Brother  (John  8.  Wallace).  The  bank  wa.s  sold  in  1892  to  Charles 
V.  and  Albert  T.  Gay  and  the  title  became  the  Camp  Point  Bank. 
The  People's  Bank  was  orfranizcd  in  ]8!):j  by  JI.  W.  Callahan.  Hez. 
G.  Henry,  Samuel  Farlow  antl  Christopher  S.  Booth.  Mr.  Booth 
later  disposed  of  his  interesfr  and  .Mr.  Karlow  gave  his  interest  to  his 
daufrhti-r.  now  Mrs.  II.  G.  Henry. 

The  Camp  Point  Homestead  Association,  a  building  and  loan 
association,  was  organized  in  1889,  with  Frederick  Boger  as  president 
and  Georfre  W.  Cyrus  as  secretary.  It  has  a.ssisted  a  ?reat  many 
peo])le  in  securing  homes.  Mr.  Cyrus  remains  secretary  at  the  pres- 
ent time. 

The  live  stock  and  prain  Trade  have  always  tn-en  important  fac- 
tors in  the  prosperity  of  the  business  men  of  the  village  and  the  farm- 
ers of  the  adjacent  territory.  In  the  poultry  and  egg  trade  an 
e.xtensive  busine.ss  has  been  developed. 

The  Churche-s 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Camp  Point  was  organized 
in  18')')  by  Rev.  Curtis  Powell.  A  brick  V>uilding  was  erected  a  few 
years  later.  During  1892  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  James  R.  Ivins 
the  present  handsome  structure  was  erected.  The  following  have 
ser\'ed  as  pa-stors  of  the  church:  Reverends  Atkinson.  .Montgomery, 
B.  F.  Newman,  Lester  Janes,  M.  Miller.  Aver>-,  Henry  Wilson.  C.  Y. 
Hecox,  A.  JI.  Pilcher,  John  C.  Sargent,  Thoma.s  J.  Bryant.  William 
A.  Crawford.  Reuben  Gregg.  Lewis  F.  Waldcn,  J.  H.  Dobbs,  A.  L. 
Jlorse,  Thonuis  W.  Greer,  W.  .Malay  Reed,  James  R.  Ivins,  A.  -N. 
Simmons,  Thomas  M.  Dillon,  R.  S.  Mc.Vabb,  C.  N.  Cain.  A.  S.  Chap- 
man, E.  A.  Hedges.  E.  II.  Fuller,  Leo  Howard,  R.  W.  Ennis,  J.  S. 
Smith,  Charles  E.  Taylor,  and  A.  R.  Grummon.  The  present  mem- 
bership of  the  church  is  330. 

The  Presbyterian  Chnrch  was  or.L'ani/cd  September  1.  18.")o,  with 
nine  members.  Rev.  II.  C.  Abernathy  was  the  active  spirit  of  the 
little  group  served  as  acting  pastor  while  regidarly  employed  at 
Columbus.  Rev.  W.  T.  Hartle  was  the  first  stated  pastor.  The  first 
meetings  were  held  in  a  school  hou.se.  then  in  a  hall  above  E.  B.  Cur- 
tis' store,  now  owned  by  Edward  C.  Farlow.  Thomas  Bailey  donated 
a  lot  and  a  small  church  building  was  erected  in  1867.  Afterward 
the  building  wa.s  reconstructed  ajid  increased  in  size. 


598  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  sociefi^  of  the  Christian  Churc-h  was  organized  at  the  school 
house  east  of  the  town  Jul3'  20,  1865,  with  thirty-four  members, 
none  of  whom  now  survive.  Robei't  H.  Routh,  John  W.  Miller  and 
Dr.  Smith  G.  Moore  were  selected  as  the  firet  elders.  A  church  build- 
ing was  erected  the  next  year  on  a  lot  where  the  Fraternal  Temple 
now  stands.  This  building  served  the  needs  of  the  society  until 
1893  when  the  building  was  reconstructed  and  an  addition  erected. 
This  building  was  destroyed  by  tire  in  1912.  The  present  beautiful 
edifice  was  dedicated  in  February,  1913.  The  pastors  were  as  fol- 
lows: Josepli  Lowe,  Jerome  H.  Smai-t,  J.  II.  Garrison,  A.  J.  John- 
sou,  Winters,  W.  T.  West,  W.  T.  Maupin,  James  R.  Ross,  Eugene 
J.  Lampton,  D.  W.  Wilson,  Robert  A.  Omer,  Orren  Dilley,  Charles 
Laycock,  J.  T.  Webb,  W.  H.  Applegate,  H.  J.  Reynolds,  Geo.  W. 
Wise  and  C.  C.  Wisher.  The  church  has  (June,  1918)  about  30U 
active  members. 

The  Odd  Fellows 

('amp  Point  Lodge,  No.  215,  was  instituted  October  17,  185G,  with 
John  Williamson,  John  Watson,  John  F.  Alberti,  John  T.  Hagerty 
and  John  Nowland  as  charter  members.  The  lodge  has  grown  and 
prospered  having  now  about  150  members.  It  owns  the  stately  three- 
story  building  which  was  erected  in  1897.  The  building  was  dedi- 
cated by  George  C.  Rankin,  grand  master  of  the  state  in  the  presence 
of  a  large  audience,  November  9,  1897.  The  Odd  Fellows  also  have 
a  substantial  encampment. 

The  M.vsons 

Benjamin  Lodge,  No.  297,  was  instituted  August  11,  1858,  by 
Harrison  Dills,  grand  master  of  the  state,  with  John  R.  Warren, 
,Iohn  A.  Roth,  Isaac  Covert,  William  L.  Oliver,  Ormond  Noble,  Ansel 
Warren,  Jesse  L.  Reed  and  Josei)h  Keenan  as  charter  members.  The 
lodge  did  not  receive  a  charter  in  1858  and  the  dispensation  under 
which  it  acted  was  continued  until  October,  1859,  when  a  charter  was 
issued.  The  lodge  met  in  various  halls  until  1892,  when  the  second 
f*tory  of  a  brick  building  on  Jefferson  Street  was  purchased  and 
fitted  for  lodge  purposes.  This  hall  was  occupied  until  October,  1915, 
when  the  building  was  destroyed  by  fire.  In  conjunction  with  the 
order  of  Knights  of  Pythias  the  present  Fraternity  Temple  was  erected 
and  dedicated  June  6, 1917,  by  Ralph  II.  Wheeler,  grand  master.  This 
striking  edifice  was  erected  at  a  cost,  including  furniture,  of  ^18,000. 
The  lodge  membership  is  125  and  includes  Isaac  Cutter,  grand  sec- 
retary of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  state. 

Fraternity  Temple  is  handsomely  finished  and  furnished.  It  is 
approached  by  broad  stairways  from  the  ground  surface,  while  the 
first  story  contains  kitchen,  dining  room,  club  rooms,  billiard  hall 
and  other  modem  accessories  to  complete  lodge  pleasures  and  com- 
forts. 


t^riXlV  ANU  ADAMS  C(JLNTV 


599 


Tin'  follow  iiijr  pfrsoiiN  have  si-rvt'd  tlic  lodfjc  as  worshipt'iil  niastt-rs: 
John  It.  Warren,  \V.  T.  IJartlc,  1".  M.  Iloni(ioii,  John  A.  Koth.  M.  l\ 
Stewart,  Samuel  Miiehani,  Solomon  Aispaiigh.  George  W.  Cyrus, 
Thomas  Bailey.  John  H.  Francis,  I{ichanl  Si-at()n,  Joseph  I*.  Lasley, 
Ormoml  Nolile,  James  K.  1'.  Little,  John  \V.  C'reekmur,  l{ankin  W. 
Castle,  Isaae  Cutter,  Fred  A.  Morley,  George  Gruuy,  Benjamin  T. 
Earl,  Charh's  W.  Blood,  Rol.ert  F.  llumlilc,  Danii-I  \V.  Cri|.p.'n,  Wil- 
liam W.  .Mcllatton,  He/i'kiah  G.  lienry,  Jonathan  Ensminger,  Hugh 
S.  Nations,  J.   Harry   Pittman,  Edson  B.  0.  Dean,  Harry  S.  Blood, 


Fraternity  Temple 

Aubrey  D.  Spenee,  Charles  N,  Fletcher,  Janus  H.  Downing,  Harry 

C.  Gannon  and  Orves  Hudson. 

C.vMi'  Point  Ciiaiter 

Camp  Point  Chajiter,  No.  170,  Royal  An-h  Masons,  was  instituted 
April  29,  1875,  with  George  W.  Cyrus,  ilartin  L.  Stewart,  Richard 
Scaton,  John  H.  Francis,  Andrew  Hughes,  Thomas  A.  Lyon,  James 
W.  Caldwell.  Thomas  Bailey  and  Samuel  Curless  as  charter  members. 
The  several  high  priests  of  the  chapter  have  been  George  W.  Cyrus, 
Richard  Seaton,  John  W.  Creckmur,  James  K.  P.  Little,  George  W. 
Francis.  Isaac  Cutter.  William  E.  Gilliland,  Louis  Olberg,  Ben.jamin 
T.  Earl.  Robert  F.  Humble.  Joshua  1).  Rainier.  George  Gniny,  Henry 
J.  Lewis,  James  E.  McCarty,  William  H.  Callahan,  Edson  B.  O.  Dean. 
J.  Harry  I'ittman,  Edgar  W.  Greenhalgh,  Harry  S.  lilc.od  and  Aubrey 

D.  Speuce. 

Knigiit.s  of  Pythia-s 

Excalibnr  Lodge  No.  297,  Knights  of  P,vthias.  was  organized  in 
July.  189L     It  is  in  a  flourishing  condition. 


600  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Women's  Organizations 

The  women  of  Camp  Point  have  been  active  in  literary  and  reform- 
atory matters.  They  have  taken  an  especially  prominent  lead  in  tem- 
perance matters,  through  the  Adams  County  Woman 's  Christian  Tem- 
perance Union.  That  bod.y  wa.s  organized  at  Camp  Point  on  March 
28,  1888,  and  the  following  officers  were  elected:  President,  ]\Iiss 
Irene  Smith ;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  S.  Woods.  Unions  were  organ- 
ized at  Camp  Point  and  Clayton  and  these,  with  Quincy,  constituted 
the  first  county  union.  A  young  people's  society  was  also  organized 
at  each  place.  In  a  few  years  organizations  were  formed  at  Loraine, 
Liberty,  Coatsburg,  Fowler,  Payson,  Plainville,  Burton  and  Adams. 

Mrs.  Vincent  Francis,  Miss  Nellie  Scott,  ilrs.  Agnes  Wagner, 
Mrs.  Xeff  Wells,  Mrs.  A.  E.  Sigsbee,  Mrs.  Margaret  Grubb,  Mrs.  M.  L. 
Dines,  Mrs.  Rebecca  Viekers,  Mrs.  Maiy  Edwards,  and  ilrs.  Josie 
Lummis  have  served  as  presidents.  Mrs.  !Mary  Edwards  is  at  present 
the  county  president.  Others  prominent  in  the  work  in  Adams  Coun- 
ty have  been  Mrs.  Ella  Honnold  Collier,  Miss  Ida  McClure,  Mrs.  Geo. 
W.  Cyrus  and  Mrs.  Anna  Smith  of  Camp  Point;  Mrs.  Benson,  Miss 
Mary  Bray  and  Miss  Mary  Poling  of  Mendon ;  Mrs.  Emma  Randies 
Cdeeeased)  of  Loraine:  Mrs.  F.  Fred  and  Mrs.  S.  Lawless  of  Liberty; 
Mrs.  R.  Stahl  (deceased)  of  Fowler  and  many  others.  The  work  of 
the  county  organization  is  largely,  as  Frances  Willard  said,  "to  edu- 
cate, agitate  and  legislate." 

Specifically,  local  organizations  are  also  the  Civic  Improvement 
Society  and  the  Woman's  Literary  Club,  of  Camp  Point.  The  latter 
was  organized  in  February,  1907,  with  Miss  Bessie  Allen  as  its  presi- 
dent. The  membership  of  the  club  is  limited.  Miss  Harriet  Hunsaker 
is  now  its  president. 


CIIAI'TKH  XVII 

CLAYTON  AND  GOLDKN 

Early  Settlers  of  Clayton  Township — The  I^IcCoys  Found  tiik 
Village — .Moving  the  Old  Town  to  the  Cointky — The  Village 
or  Today — Banks — Chirches  and  Societies — Northeast  Town- 
ship— Folnding  of  Keokik  Junction — The  Junction  Platted 
— The  Golden  of  Today  —  School  and  Newspaper  —  The 
Churches  of  Golden. 

Claytou  Township,  in  the  nortIiea.stern  part  of  the  county,  is  iuter- 
seeted  almost  diagonally  from  southwest  to  northeast  by  Little  Mis- 
souri Creek,  which  drains  and  waters  its  area  and  makes  of  it  one 
of  the  best  agricultural  regions  of  this  section  of  the  state.  The  soil  is 
usually  of  a  dark  vegetable  loam  and  there  are  few  tracts  which  are 
not  readily  tillable,  those  being  virtually  confined  to  a  narrow  bluff 
along  the  Little  Missouri.  The  first  settlers  of  the  township  located  in 
the  valley  of  that  stream. 

Early  Settlers  of  Clayton  Township 

Obediah  Hicks  is  credited  with  l)cintr  the  pioneer  of  the  township, 
and  he  settled  with  his  family,  in  1829,  on  the  northwest  corner  of 
.section  23.  In  April  of  the  following  year  came  David  yi.  Campbell, 
who  located  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  21,  and  there  his 
son  and  other  descendants  continued  to  reside  for  many  years.  Jlr. 
Campbell  was  the  first  teacher  in  the  to«7iship,  but  it  is  said  that  he 
had  but  "one  session  a  week,  and  that  on  Sunday  at  the  houses  of  the 
pioneers." 

In  the  fall  of  1830  Rev.  John  E.  Curl  settled  on  section  31,  where 
William  Curry  afterward  lived,  and  there  gave  one  of  his  daughters 
in  marriage  to  Josiah  Gantz.  This  was  the  first  marriage  to  be 
celebrated  in  Clayton  Town.ship  and  Rev.  David  Wolf  performed 
the  ceremony.  About  this  time  Jacob  I'ile  located  on  section  23,  and 
soon  afterward  Daniel  Pile  settled  on  section  24.  The  latter  was 
elected  the  first  justice  of  the  peace.  The  first  death  recorded  in  the 
town.ship  was  Sarah  J.,  the  infant  dnugrhter  of  David  M.  Campbell 
and  wife,  in  Augu.st,  1832. 

The  McCoys  Found  the  Village 

All  of  the.se  events  were  happenings  previous  to  the  foundinp  of 
the  Village  of  Clayton,  in  the  summer  of  1834,  by  the  three  McCoy 

601 


602  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

brothers,  Charles,  Rev.  Reuben  K.  and  John.  The  original  town  was 
located  on  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  34,  and  Charles  McCoy, 
being  an  ardent  admirer  of  Henry  Clay,  named  it  in  honor  of  the 
great  statesman.  Rev.  R.  K.  JlcCoy,  a  Presbyterian  minister,  erected 
the  first  residence  in  the  new  town.  Two  years  after^vard  a  church 
of  his  denomination  was  organized  at  Clayton,  and  he  presided  over 
it  there  until  his  death  in  187-1. 

MovmG  THE  Old  Town  to  the  Country 

Charles  ilcCoy  built  and  opened  the  first  store,  but  sold  to  Sidney 
Parker,  of  Quincy,  a  few  months  afterward.  Ja.son  Wallace  opened  a 
general  store  in  1836,  and  also  served  as  postmaster,  while  David 
M.  Campbell  erected  the  first  hotel  of  the  place  in  the  summer  of 
1835.  After  keeping  the  inn  for  about  five  years  he  disposed  of  it  to 
C.  McMurry.  In  the  meantime  Mr.  Campbell  had  built  a  larger  two- 
story  structure  on  the  same  lot,  which  he  moved  to  his  farm,  a  mile 
and  a  half  northwest  of  town.  At  the  time,  a  deep  snow  covered  the 
country,  and  Mr.  Campbell,  fastening  long  timbers  under  the  house 
to  serve  as  runners,  collected  a  battery  of  nineteen  yoke  of  oxen  and 
gave  the  word  to  start  the  building  on  its  journe.v.  It  was  an  occa- 
sion of  great  excitement  and  the  whole  neighborhood  turned  out  to 
witness  the  remarkable  feat  of  engineering.  It  was  accomplished 
without  accident,  to  the  accompaniment  of  the  shouts  of  the  chief  and 
amid  the  excited  acclaims  of  the  spectators.  The  building  stood  for 
many  years  and  was  long  the  residence  of  Samuel  Newhouse. 

The  transportation  of  the  Campbell  Building  fell  in  that  early 
period  of  Clayton's  history  when  its  future  was  not  at  all  bright, 
and  it  was  not  the  only  structure  which  wa.s  moved  from  the  village 
to  near-liy  farms,  although  it  was  probably  the  most  ''sizable." 
For  several  years  the  town  site  was  almost  aljandoned,  and  there  was 
really  no  revival  of  substantial  life  until  the  railroad  came  in  1856. 
Since  then  a  number  of  additions  have  been  made  to  the  original 
town,  so  that  the  village  covers  portions  of  sections  27,  34  and  35. 

The  Village  of  Today 

The  present  Village  of  Clayton  is  situated  on  the  Keokuk  branch 
of  the  Wabash  system,  and  is  the  center  of  a  large  district  rich  in  the 
products  of  the  farm.  It  has  well  paved  or  graded  streets  and  pleas- 
ant residence  thoroughfares  and,  aside  from  its  retail  business  houses, 
a  number  of  establishments  of  a  more  extensive  nature.  Its  flour 
mill,  of  which  H.  J.  Laurie  is  proprietor;  the  feed  mill  and  coal 
yard  of  Smith  Brothers ;  the  stock  yards  and  elevator,  owned  and 
operated  by  F.  W.  Burgesser;  the  fine  nui-sery  of  the  Missing  Link 
Apple  Company,  of  which  the  veteran  Daniel  Shank  is  proprietor; 
the  green  house  of  Charles  E.  Shank;  the  cigar  factory  and  two  large 
egg  and  poultry  houses,  are  among  the  local  and  neighborhood  illus- 


I 


QI'IXCV  AXI)  ADA.MS  COIXTY 


60;{ 


tratious  of  this  high-grade  class  of  activities.  The  soiitiieast  corner 
of  Clayton  is  also  the  site  of  the  Kxperinient  Station  of  the  Illinois 
I'nivei-sity.     It  covers  twenty  acres  and  is  in  charge  of  .1.  II.  Smith. 

Clayton  is  an  incorporated  vilUige  and  its  attractive  town  hall 
was  erected  in  1887.  The  village  has  no  regular  sy.stem  of  water 
works,  hut  Irns  a  i)uhlic  well  for  tire  emergencies.  Its  electric  light- 
ing is  furnished  by  the  Central  Illinois  Public  Service  Company. 
The  local  public  .school  is  well  conducted  and  patronized  and  is  under 
the  nianageuient  of  Professor  IJrewstcr.  The  first  building  was 
erected  as  early  as  1836,  but  many  years  passed  liefore  any  structure 
was  built  which  was  worthy  of  the  pui-poses  to  which  it  was  dedicated. 
The  (ii-st  brick  public  school,  two  stories  in  height,  was  erected  in 
1877. 

The  Clayton  Enterprise  was  founded  in  187!l  by  Kcv.  1'.  L.  Turner 


Business  Stkeet  in  Ci.avton 

&  Son.  Within  the  following  si.\  years,  F.  K.  &  H.  L.  Strothcr,  F.  J. 
Ayers  and  othci"s  held  tiie  helm  with  more  or  less  steadiness,  and  in 
1885  J.  L.  Staker,  who  still  edits  and  |>ublishes  it,  assumed  charge  of 
the  enterprise. 


B.VNKS 

As  stated,  Clayton  and  the  rich  surrounding  country  support  two 
banks.  The  Bartlett  &  Wallace  State  Bank  was  founded  in  1887. 
with  Henry  Baiib-tt  as  ]iresidcnt  and  John  H.  Wallace  as  vice  jiresi- 
dent.  They  served  a.s  such  until  1916,  and  Mr.  Wallace  has  been 
l)rcsident  since.  James  R.  MoflTett  has  been  cashier  siin'C  11113.  The 
bank  has  a  capital  of  $;>0.()()();  surplus  and  undivided  ])rotits,  .$5,0110: 
average  deposits,  $375,000. 

The  Clayton  R.xchange  Bank  was  established  in  19(tr>.  with  (J.  W. 
.Montgomery  as  j)resiilcnt,  W.  T.   Craig,   vice  i)rcsident.  and  W.   II. 


604  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Craig,  cashier,  ilr.  Montgomery  died  in  1913  and  was  succeeded  by 
W.  T.  Craig  as  head  of  the  bank.  There  has  been  no  change  in  the 
cashiership.  Mrs.  G.  W.  Montgomery  has  served  as  vice  president 
since  her  husband's  death.  The  present  capital  of  the  bank  is  $20,000 ; 
surplus  and  undivided  profits,  $1,500;  average  deposits,  $200,000. 

Churches  and  Societies 

The  active  churches  of  Clayton  are  the  Christian,  Methodist  and 
Baptist.  The  Church  of  God  and  the  Christian  Scientists  have  also 
societies.  The  pioneer  church,  of  coui-se,  was  the  Presbyterian,  a 
society  of  that  denomination  being  formally  organized  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Schuyler  in  April,  1836,  at  the  residence  of  Rev.  Reuben 
K.  McKoy,  who,  with  his  brothers,  had  founded  Clayton  two  years 
before.  He  had  been  licensed  to  i^reach  only  thi'ee  years  previously, 
and  continued  to  labor  in  its  upbuilding  for  thirty-eight  years,  or 
the  balance  of  his  life.  His  longest  absence  from  the  Clayton  chui-ch 
occurred  in  1863,  when,  for  six  months,  he  was  chaplain  of  the  Third 
Regiment  of  Missouri  Cavalry,  the  colonel  of  which  was  Dr.  T.  G. 
Black,  also  a  citizen  of  the  place.  John  McCoy  and  other  members 
of  the  family  were  also  pillars  of  the  church  in  its  early  years. 

The  Methodists  of  Clayton  also  organized  in  1836,  their  .services 
being  held  in  schoolhouses  and  residences  until  1850,  when  their  first 
house  of  woi-ship  was  erected.  The  brick  edifice  was  built  in  1875. 
Rev.  H.  R.  Kasiske  is  now  in  charge. 

The  Disciples  of  Christ  Church  was  organized  in  1855,  with  a 
membership  of  fifteen.  Its  first  elders  were  Dr.  T.  G.  Black  and 
George  Racklin.  A  small  frame  meeting  house  was  built  in  that  year, 
which  served  its  purpose  until  1906,  when  it  was  moved  to  the  rear 
of  the  church  lot  and  a  large  addition  made.  The  structure  was 
again  remodeled  in  1912.  The  society  has  a  present  membership 
of  nearly  360  and  is  in  charge  of  B.  S.  M.  Edwards,  wdio  (fall  of 
1918)  is  also  mayor  of  the  village.  He  is  in  the  ninth  year  of  his 
pastorate  over  the  Disciples  of  Christ  Church  at  Clayton. 

The  secret  and  benevolent  societies  of  Clayton  represent  the 
ila-sons,  lodge,  chapter,  commandery  and  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star ; 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Modem 
Woodmen  of  America  and  Modern  Woodmen  of  the  World. 

The  oldest  of  the  local  bodies  is  the  lodge  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  which  was  organized  October  15,  1852,  with 
Dr.  L.  G.  Black,  George  Scaggan,  William  Parker,  A.  G.  Short  and 
F.  J.  Guthridge,  trustees.  Doctor  Black  was  its  first  Noble  Grand. 
For  the  period  covering  the  succeeding  twenty  years  the  records  have 
been  partly  destroyed  or  lost.  E.  0.  Yeldell  is  the  present  Noble 
Grand,  and  the  lodge  has  a  membership  of  105. 

Mistletoe  Lodge  No.  391,  Knights  of  Pythias,  was  organized  in 
1892,  C.  A.  Wever  being  its  first  chancellor  commander.  J.  H.  Green 
now  holds  the  chair.  The  lodge  (fall  of  1918)  has  a  membership 
of  about  sevent3\ 


C^IIXCY  AXU  ADAM.S  COUNT V  605 

Northeast  Townsuip 

Tlie  name  of  this  Hourisliiiig  township  is  well  nami-cl  ironi  its 
geographical  location  in  Adams  County.  In  182!)  Alexander  Uliver 
settled  ou  section  2,  iu  the  uortheuiiteni  part  of  the  township,  bring- 
ing with  him  a  wife  and  tin  children,  eqnally  divided  as  to  sex.  So 
that  the  innnediate  accession  to  tlie  population  of  the  township  was 
considerable.  Two  of  the  sons  afterward  entered  the  Jlethodist 
ministry.  Notwithstanding  the  scare  occasioned  by  the  Black  Ilawk 
war,  the  unusual  privations  caused  by  the  "winter  of  the  deep  snow," 
and  other  drawbacks,  discouragements  and  privations,  the  Oliver 
family  planted  thcm.selves  pennancntly  and  proved  worthy  pioneers 
of  the  western  country.  The  Marlows  were  of  the  second  installment 
of  early  settlers,  and  Hanson  JIarlow,  born  in  1831,  wa-s  the  first 
native  white  of  the  township.  In  1833  the  first  marriage  ceremony 
wa.s  performed  by  "Squire  Christopher  C.  Yates,  tlie  pioneer  justice 
of  the  peace.  In  the  same  year  the  settlers  built  their  fir.st  school- 
house  on  .section  4,  in  the  extreme  northern  jiart  of  what  is  now 
Northea.st  Township,  and  Hev.  W.  II.  Kalstin  preached  the  tii-st 
sermon  at  the  log  cabin  of  John  Hiber,  a  preacher  of  the  ilethodist 
Church.  Not  long  afterward  the  Presbyterians  built  a  house  of 
woi-sliip  on  .section  36,  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  present  town- 
ship. Kev.  William  ('rain  was  the  minister  and  was  actively  en- 
gaged in  his  good  work  for  many  years  thereafter. 

The  Township  of  Northeast  was  organized  in  1850,  by  the  election 
of  the  following:  Benjamin  Gould,  supervisor;  William  Burke, 
clerk;  William  Ketchum.  a.sses.sor;  J.  J.  Graham,  collector;  H.  N. 
Galliher,  overseer  of  the  poor;  Mitchell  Alexander  and  James  J, 
Graham,  justices  of  the  peace;  Robert  B.  Comte  and  William  F. 
Crain,  constables;  E.  B.  Hough,  Elliott  Combs  and  Clements  Rob- 
bins,  commissioners  of  highways. 

Founding  of  Keokik  Junction 

The  Village  of  Golden,  on  the  southwestern  township  line  in  sec- 
tion 31,  was  first  known  as  Keokuk  Junction.  In  1S62  the  Wabasii 
Railway  located  its  branch  line  from  Clayton  to  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and 
J.  H.  Wendell  occupied  a  shack  on  the  east  side  of  the  tracks  near 
their  junction  with  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  (^uincy  Railroad. 
Some  rods  south  of  the  Junction  and  between  the  tracks  of  the  two 
railroads  he  put  up  a  small  building  and  opened  a  .saloon  tiierein. 
It  was  also  his  residence  for  nearly  ten  years,  and  during  that 
period  he  erected  a  numljcr  of  other  structures  of  a  more  permanent 
nature.  But  the  first  really  solid  citizen  to  arrive  was  L,  U,  Albers, 
who  opened  a  .small  store.  During  the  .same  year  he  was  joined  by 
G,  II.  Bus,s,  who  started  a  larger  store  on  the  east  side  of  the  "ii"  rail- 
way a  few  rods  south  of  the  present  crossing  of  Smitii  Street.  Th  • 
two  also  established  a  grain  house,  which  gave  the  place  quite  an  air 


606 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


of  business.  There  was  no  side-track  yet ;  so  the  empty  cars  were 
left  on  the  main  track,  coming  up  by  the  construction  train  and  being 
taken  back  loaded  in  the  evening. 

The  Albers-Buss  partnership  did  not  long  endure.  After  a  few 
months  ilr.  Albers  sold  his  interest  to  Mr.  Buss,  who  moved  the  stock 
to  his  new  store  on  Smith  Street.  Although  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  at  first 
refused  to  recognize  the  Junction  as  a  station  and  goods  bound  for 
that  point  had  to  be  shipped  to  La  Prairie,  that  matter  changed  for 
the  better  when  the  po.stoffice  of  Keokuk  Junction  was  established  in 


L.  U.  Albers,  First  Business  Man 


the  fall  of  1863  and  Mr.  Albers  appointed  postmaster.  In  April 
of  the  following  year  he  also  succeeded  John  P.  Harlow  as  station 
agent.  Mr.  Albers  then  transferred  the  postofifice  to  the  depot,  where 
it  remained  until  1868,  when  he  relinquished  the  duties  of  both 
positions. 

The  next  building  was  a  two-story  hotel  erected  by  J.  H.  Dendell 
on  the  southwest  corner  of  West  Front  and  Park  streets,  where  the 
King  Block  now  stands. 

On  lot  2,  block  8,  south  of  West  Front  Street,  Jurgen  Ehmen 
erected  a  dwelling  in  1863.  He  had  been  in  charge  of  a  water 
13umping  plant  on  Bear  Creek  south  of  town,  but  after  the  new  well 


QUIN'CV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  607 

was  finished  in  Golden  he  beeaiue  manager  of  it  and  the  old  plant 
was  abandoned. 

In  1804  Thomas  Cain  built  a  residence  on  West  Front  Street,  l>iit 
soon  afterward  sold  it  to  a  Mr.  Spencer,  who  started  the  tii-st  shoe 
.shop  in  Keokuk  Junction. 

The  Junctiun  Pl.\tted 

The  town  was  laid  out  in  ISGG  on  tln'  west  half  of  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  31.  The  site  wa-s  platted  into  seventeen  blocks,  d'.dy 
tli\nded  by  streets  and  alleys,  and  ten  acres  were  given  to  the  Wabash 
Kailroad  for  depot  grounds.  The  fii-st  sale  of  lots,  which  was  held 
September  9,  1866,  brought  about  !i;3,500.  The  original  town  site 
was  part  of  the  estate  of  Robert  E.  Scott,  deeeaseil,  of  Virginia,  of 
which  Nehemiaii  Bushndl,  of  (juincy,  was  administrator;  but  the 
Civil  war  had  brought  such  complications  to  the  estate  that  the  titles 
to  the  lots  could  only  run  fnnn  those  in  po.ssession — "squatters," 
pure  and  simple. 

The  Legislature  of  1867  grajited  the  act  of  incorporation  to  Keokuk 
Junction,  and  on  the  fii'st  of  April,  of  that  year,  the  foUtJwin^  officials 
were  elected:  John  Lyle,  justice  of  the  peace;  John  11.  Wendell, 
constable;  L.  U.  Albers,  George  W.  Myers,  Andreas  M.  Fruhling  and 
William  Planna,  board  of  trustees.  In  March,  1873,  the  townsmen 
voted  to  incorporate  under  the  general  law  of  the  state  which  had 
been  but  recently  passed  under  the  name  of  "Village  Organization 
Laws."  Not  long  aftenvard  the  name  of  the  Village  of  Keokuk 
Junction  was  changed  to  Golden. 

The  Golden  oP  Today 

The  Village  of  Golden,  as  it  is  today,  is  the  center  of  a  thriving 
trade  and  a  large  number  of  progressive  people.  The  riches  of  the 
surrounding  country  are  inidcated  by  the  nature  of  the  industries 
and  business  which  have  built  up  the  village.  The  milling  of  wheat, 
com  and  other  grains  has  always  l)een  a  leading  industry,  and  the 
Emminga  family  is  more  closely  and  prominently  identified  with  it 
than  any  other.  Henry  R.  Emminga  brought  his  family  from  Ger- 
many to  Clayton  Township  in  1S50.  Four  years  later  he  erected 
the  Custom  Mill,  just  east  of  Keokuk  Junction.  Its  two  run  of  stone 
were  propelled  by  wind  power,  and  it  became  very  poiMilar  with 
the  early  settlers  of  the  countiy  for  miles  around.  In  1.'563  Mr. 
Emminga  returned  to  Gcnnany,  where  he  remained  for  nine  years. 
In  the  meantime  his  son.  Harm  II.  Emminga,  had  thoroughly  mas- 
tered the  business  and  industry,  and  in  1)S73,  with  the  father,  he 
erected  the  Prairie  Mills,  likewise  propelled  by  wintl,  immediately 
.south  of  what  soon  afterward  became  Golden.  The  ])rcsent  steam 
establishment  manufactures  com  meal,  buckwheat  and  ^M-aham  flour. 
There  is  a  grist  m\\\  operated  by  F.  B.  Franzen  about  a  mile  from 
town. 


60B 


QUIXCY  AXD  ADA3IS  COUNTY 


The  Golden  Elevator  and  ^lill  Company  also  operates  an  elevator 
of  about  100.000  bushels  capacity,  and  deals  extensively  in  live  stock, 
especially  hogs. 

In  1891  H.  H.  Emminga  established  the  People's  Exchange  Bank 
at  Golden.  A  new  building  for  its  accommodation  was  completed  in 
1905.  John  J.  Emminga.  the  son  of  the  founder,  is  now  president 
of  the  bank.    The  latter  is  also  proprietor  of  a  creamery  at  Golden. 

Among  the  other  institutions  in  which  Golden  takes  pride  are 
the  manufactory  of  the  Lightning  Seed  Sower,  H.  H.  Franzen.  nro- 


prietor,  and  the  plant,  or  the  service  station,  of  the  Illinois  (Standard) 
Oil  Company. 

School  axd  Newspaper 


As  early  as  possible  the  children  of  those  who  had  settled  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  township  were  provided  with  educational  priv- 
ileges. The  Ci^-il  war  had  retarded  all  such  endeavors,  but  in  1865, 
when  its  end  was  in  sight,  the  citizens  of  Keokuk  Junction  and  neigh- 
borhood raised  sufficient  funds  to  erect  a  little  schoolhouse  on  the 
southwest  comer  of  the  old  Ostermann  Farm,  about  a  mile  north  of 
town.  They  engaged  H.  E.  Selby  to  teach  it  at  $35  per  month  (soon 
raised  to  $50).  The  school  was  conducted  in  that  building  for  a 
number  of  years.  But  the  Town  of  Ke^jkuk  Junction  reached  such 
proportions  that  in  1869  the  \-illage  was  formed  into  a  separate  school 


QUINCY  AND  ADAilS  COl'NTY  609 

district  and  a  $3,000  house  erected  to  meet  the  requirements.  Within 
a  few  years  lui  addition  to  it  was  required  and  again,  within  a  com- 
paratively recent  period,  a  modem  two-story  brick  structure  has 
replaced  the  other  outgrown  schoolhouses.  An  addition  was  made  to 
it  in  1917.  H.  Mitchell  is  now  in  charge  of  the  village  school,  grad- 
uates from  which  are  credited  to  the  state  colleges  and  universities 
without  re-examination. 

The  home  newspaper,  Golden  Xew  Era,  is  one  of  the  live  institu- 
tions of  the  village.  It  was  founded  October  15.  1891,  by  H.  H. 
Emminga,  with  Frank  P.  Hillyer  as  printer  and  editor.  At  first  it 
was  a  five-column  sheet,  but  was  soon  enlarged  to  a  six-column  quarto, 
its  present  size.  In  1S92  Messrs.  C.  W.  Stinson  and  E.  T.  Selby 
took  charge  of  it  and  conducted  it  until  June  10,  1913.  when  Mr. 
Selby  became  its  sole  proprietor.  In  1S94  Mr.  Stinson  again  assumed 
control,  and  in  the  following  year  sold  to  Frank  Groves,  who,  in 
turn,  disposed  of  the  paper  to  John  P.  Beokman.  ilr.  Beckman  con- 
ducted it  from  1904  until  1911.  when  VT.  J.  "Wible  &  Son  purchased  it 
and  are  its  present  owners. 

The  Chubchis  of  Goij>ex 

The  church-going  community  of  Golden — and  it  is  verj-  large — 
is  divided  between  two  Lutheran  societies  and  the  Methodist  and 
United  Presbjterian  churches. 

Immanuel's  congregation  (Lutheran^  in  charge  of  Rev.  Henrj- 
Lindemann,  dates  its  foundation  from  1S67.  Pre%ious  to  that  year 
the  parish  was  included  in  that  of  South  Prairie.  A  number  of  its 
members  li\-ing  west  of  Keokuk  Junction  reguested  their  pastor,  Rev. 
J.  T.  Boetticher.  to  conduct  services  in  the  new  village  in  order  that 
they  might  not  be  compelled  to  take  long  drives  to  South  Prairie. 
He  consented  and  senices  were  held  in  the  C.  B.  &  Q.  depot.  Later 
an  organization  was  effected  with  fifty-three  charter  members,  of 
whom  Peter  Ostermann  is  the  only  cue  liviusr.  In  May,  1S69,  a 
house  of  worship  was  dedicated  under  Rev.  J.  Tjaden,  on  the  site  of 
the  handsome  edifice  now  occupied  by  the  congregation.  He  remained 
but  a  few  months,  after  which  there  was  a  vacancy  of  a  number  of 
years.  Rev.  P.  Kleinlein  sensed  from  1S76  to  ISSO.  The  Congrega- 
tion was  incorporated  in  1S73  and  in  1S77  Trinity  congregation  was 
separated  from  the  parent  society.  Rev.  C.  Zlomke  succeeded  to  the 
pastorate  in  ISSO :  Rev.  F.  W.  A.  Liefeld  in  1SS3 ;  Rev.  F.  Alpers,  in 
1S89 :  Rev.  A.  P.  Meyer.  1905 :  Rev.  H.  Lindemann.  1910.  The  first 
period  of  Mr.  Lindemann 's  pastorate  was  markeil  by  the  completion 
of  the  beautiful  church  in  which  Immanuel's  congregation  now 
worships.  The  parish  school  was  founded  during  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  C.  Zlomke.  and  is  a  verj^  important  adjunct  to  the  actirities  of 
Immanuel's  congregation. 

Religious  ser%ices  in  the  English  language  were  held  in  the  Wabash 
Depot,  alternately  by  Methodists  and  Presbj-terians.  until  the  autumn 


610 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


of  1869,  when  the  district  sehoolhoiise  was  completed  and  used  as  a 
Union  meeting  house.  A  Union  Sunday  school,  which  had  also  been 
organized,  occupied  the  new  building.  Religious  arrangements  were 
thus  continued  until  the  Methodists  erected  their  house  of  worship 
on  Albere  Street  in  1872. 

Rev.  Robert  Chapman  was  pastor  of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  then  located  at  the  soutliwest  corner  of  Albers  and  Congress 
streets.  It  was  first  known  as  Simpson's  Chapel  and  was  part  of  the 
old  La  Prairie  circuit.  William  Beckett,  James  Whitford  and  Wil- 
liam Strickler  were  the  trustees  of  the  chapel  who  formed  the  building 
committee  for  the  erection  of  the  first  house  of  worship.  When  the 
name  of  the  town  was  changed  from  Keokuk  Junction  to  Golden  in 
the   middle    '70s,    the    church    adopted   its   present   title — the   First 


Front  Street,  Golden 


Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Golden.  It  is  now  luider  the  pas- 
torate of  Rev.  G.  A.  Cox.  Among  those  who  have  served  the  church 
between  the  first  and  the  last  ministei-s  mentioned  were  Revs.  G. 
Garner,  O.  P.  Nash,  C.  Y.  Hecox,  A.  M.  Dunnaven,  Samuel  Middlo- 
ton,  Lewis  Walden,  T.  J.  Bryant,  Curtis  Powell,  J.  W.  Madison,  J. 
M.  Johnson,  R.  L.  Smith,  W.  D.  Atkinson,  W.  T.  Evans,  P.  Slagel, 
Charles  Wehrman,  E.  Hale  Fuller,  and  A.  F.  Waters.  It  was  during 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  P.  Slagel,  in  1895,  that  the  old  church  building 
was  remodeled  and  made  adaptable  to  increased  requirements. 

As  stated,  Trinity  Lutheran  congregation  separated  from  Im- 
manuel's  in  1875,  on  the  18th  of  May.  In  December,  1877,  its  first 
house  of  worship  was  erected,  and  the  continuous  increase  in  mem- 
bership made  it  neces.sary  to  enlarge  and  rebuild  it  in  1904.  Rev. 
Hugo  Dorrow  has  been  the  pastor  of  Trinity  congregation  for  nearly 
a  quarter  of  a  century.  Attached  to  it  is  also  a  large  parochial 
school. 


(^nXtV   AND  ADAMS  CorNTV  (ill 

Till-  riiitcil  Presbytfrian  Chiircli  of  (inldcii  was  nr^am/.fil  mIihiii 
twenty-six  ycais  a{^>.  and  is  really  an  otTshixit  of  tlio  Clayton  sociciN, 
which  had  then  been  in  existence  for  nearly  lialf  a  century.  I'he 
official  records  show  that,  under  instructions  fi-oin  the  .Monmouth 
I'rcsbytcry.  the  session  of  the  ('la\ton  I'nitcd  Presbyterian  Churcli 
met  at  tlie  Methodist  Church  in  Golden  for  ilic  |iurposc  of  orjianiz- 
injr  a  local  I'nitetl  Presbyterian  Church  under  tiie  jurisdiction  of  the 
l>resl)ytery  named.  There  were  eighteen  charter  nienibers  of  the  new 
organization,  of  whom  twelve  were  Wallaces.  The  first  elders  were 
.James  A.  Wallace,  Sr..  William  Wallace  and  James  A.  Wallace,  Jr.; 
the  trustees,  William  Wallace,  John  T.  .McCiintock  and  J.  .M.  Wal- 
lace. The  two  congregations  of  Clayton  and  (lolden  formed  luie 
charge  and  were  served  by  Rev.  .1.  J.  Thompson  (lS!t2-!l4i.  Rev.  M. 
Wallace  Lorimer  ( 18i)7-!>!t).  Rev.  Thomas  A.  McKernon.  fiom  1!M)() 
until  the  disbandment  of  the  Clayton  congregation  in  .November,  1902. 
Mr.  McKernon  continued  to  werve  the  Golden  congregation  until  July, 
1908.  In  tlie  same  year  Rev.  J.  M.  McConnell  was  called  to  the 
Golden  Church.  Rev.  Charles  II.  Mitchell  served  from  1910  to  1914; 
Rev.  Harry  F.  Whitmyer.  191.")-17,  and  Rev.  David  A.  McChmg  has 
held  the  pa.storate  since  the  latter  year.  The  only  house  of  woiNhij) 
erected  by  the  United  Presbv-terians  was  completed  in  1893. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

MENDON  AND  LORAINE 

Pioneers  of  Mendon  Township — IIendon  Village  Platted — Early 
Political  Center — Churches  and  Lodges — Mendon  Incor- 
porated AS  A  Village — The  Local  Newspaper — The  Banks — 
Keene  Township  Settled — The  Steiner  Family — Loraine 
Village. 

The  northwestern  and  central  portions  of  Adams  County  between 
Rock  and  Bear  creeks  have  always  embraced  some  of  the  best  agricul- 
tural, live  stock  and  dairy  sections  of  that  portion  of  the  state.  Set- 
tlers came  in  early,  have  been  unusually  pei-mauent  and  the  lands 
have  therefore  been  continuouslj'  imiDroved  and  increased  in  value. 
The  region  named  was  originally  called  the  Bear  Creek  country,  and 
when  township  organization  was  adopted  in  1850  it  was  erected,  as 
an  entirety,  into  Ursa  Township,  thus  retaining  the  "Bear"  part  of 
the  name.  In  1851  the  four  tiers  of  sections  south  of  Bear  Creek  to 
the  base  line,  ten  miles  in  length,  were  set  apart  from  Ursa  To^nisliip 
to  form  Mendon.  That  is  the  territory  to  which  this  portion  of  the 
chapter  is  confined. 

Pioneers  op  Mendon  Township 

Ebenezer  Riddle  appears  to  have  been  the  fii'st  to  settle  in  that 
poi-tion  of  the  county.  He  was  a  Kentuckian  and  in  1829  located  on 
the  southeast  quarter  of  section  9,  where  he  built  his  cabin  and  left 
descendants  to  inherit  the  land  which  he  then  purchased.  In  the 
same  year  Col.  Martin  Shuey  settled  on  Mendon  Prairie,  just  over  the 
line  in  Honey  Creek  Township.  John  C.  Hardy  located  on  section 
29,  Mendon  Townslup,  in  1830,  and  within  the  next  few  years  Samuel 
Bradley,  John  B.  Chittenden,  the  Bentons,  the  Baldwins  and  other 
thrifty  Connecticut  Yankees  came  to  the  Prairie  and  formed  there 
a  prosperous  settlement. 

Mendon  Village  Platted 

In  1833  the  settlement  was  first  laid  out  as  the  Town  of  Fairfield 
by  John  B.  Chittenden,  Benjamin  Baldwin  and  Daniel  Benton,  but 
a.s  the  proprietors  were  soon  notified  by  the  postofifiee  department  that 
there  was  another  Fairfield  in  the  state  they  changed  it  to  ^lendon. 

612 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


613 


In  the  year  of  its  platting  E.  A.  Strong'  oiieiied  a  bhicksuiith  sliop, 
and  while  working  at  his  forge  he  studied  theology  and  eventually 
became  prominent  in  the  Episcopalian  ministrj-.  A  postoflice  was 
established  in  1834  and  Abram  Henton  was  placed  in  charge  of  it. 
Daniel  Benton  was  the  first  merchant,  but  the  postmaster  soon  suc- 
ceeded him  in  business  and  continuetl  to  conduct  a  growing  general 
store  for  half  a  century.  S.  R.  Chittenden  was  also  a  pioneer  mer- 
chant, his  sons  followed  him  and  his  descendants  to  still  later  genera- 
tions are  in  business  at  Mendon.     The  grain  elevator  of  the  present 


I'lUNLEK    liLACKfeillTII    SlIUl"    OF    MeNDOX 

is  owned  and  operated  by  a  member  of  the  Chittenden  family  (C. 
A.  Chittenden). 

E.\RLY  Political  Center 


The  fertility  of  ilendon  prairie,  with  the  consequent  development 
of  the  region,  gave  the  village  quite  a  standing  as  a  political  rallying 
point  in  the  early  days  when  so  much  of  the  electioneering  wa.s  done 
in  the  rural  districts.  For  example,  in  the  William  Ilenrj-  Harrison 
campaign  of  1840  a  grand  whig  barbecue  was  held  at  Mendou  Village, 
and  hundreds  came  in  for  miles  around  to  attend  it  and  consume  the 
roasted  carcas-ses  of  oxen,  sheep  and  hogs,  representative  of  the  riches 
of  the  Bear  Creek  country.  Upon  that  particular  occasion  Daniel 
Nutt  was  manager  of  the  roasts  and  the  eloquent  0.  II.  Browning, 
the  principal  speaker. 

It  is  said  that  the  first  school  in  the  village  wa.s  taught  in  .1.  B. 
Chittenden's  house,  during  1832,  by  the  Miss  Burge&s  who  became 
Jlrs.  "Willard  Keyes,  of  Quincy.  She  lived  only  a  short  time  after  her 
marriage.  What  was  considered  to  be  quite  a  handsome  brick  school- 
hou.se  was  erected  in  1876. 


614 


QUI.XCV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 
Chueches  and  Lodges 


In  1833  the  church  people  of  the  town  erected  the  Union  Meet- 
ing House,  in  which  those  of  any  religious  faith  could  meet  if  they 
could  secure  the  services  of  a  minister.  The  Congregaticnalists  also 
organized  a  church  in  February  of  that  year,  and  theirs  was  said 
to  be  the  first  society  of  that  demonination  in  Illinois.  They  erected 
a  frame  meeting  house  in  1838,  a  larger  structure  in  1853,  and  the 
edifice  in  wliich  they  now  worship  in  1905.  The  old  Congregational 
church  was  purchased  by  the  Mendon  Improvement  Company  and 
transformed  into  a  public  hall.  Rev.  Milton  J.  Norton  is  the  present 
pastor  in  charge. 

The  Salem  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  ]\Iendon  was  organized 
in  April,  1853,  at  the  town  hall,  and  the  meeting  house  was  dedicated 


The  Mendok  High  School 


August  5.  1854.  It  is  still  standing  and  is  one  of  the  old  landmarks 
of  the  place.    Rev.  Joseph  C.  ^liller  is  serving  as  pastor. 

Zion  Episcopal  Church  has  also  been  organized  for  many  years, 
Dr.  D.  E.  Johnstone  being  its  pastor;  the  Methodist  society  is  in  charge 
of  Reverend  McNally,  of  New  Canton,  Illinois,  and  St.  Edward's 
Catholic  Church  is  served  by  Rev.  Father  Paul  Reiufels. 

Considering  its  size,  Mendon  has  a  number  of  rather  strong  lodges. 
IMendon  Lodge  No.  449,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  was 
organized  in  1865 ;  Mendon  Chapter  No.  157,  Ro.yaI  Arch  Masons,  in 
1873,  with  a  present  membership  of  about  fifty,  and  Mendon  Star 
Chapter,  No.  153,  Order  Eastern  Star,  instituted  in  1889,  has  a  mem- 
bership of  95.  There  are  also  Mendon  Lodge,  No.  877,  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  Mendon  Rebekah  Lodge ;  Golden  Grain 
Camp  No.  422,  Royal  Neighbors,  and  the  Tri-Mutual,  and  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America,  Camp  751. 

When  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  at  Jlen- 
don  in   1839  the  circuit   included  all  of  Adams  Countv,  as  well   as 


QriNCV  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY 


Gir. 


considerable  adjoiiiiiij;  teniton .  Tlu-  C^iiiiuy  district,  over  wliieli 
Peter  Cartwright  was  presiding  elder,  was  formed  in  1832,  aud  in- 
eluded  nearly  all  the  western  half  i)f  Illinois.  Knos  Thompson  was 
the  (irst  pastor  of  the  .Mendon  circuit.  A  meeting  hou.se  was  erected 
in  Mendon  during  1840.  which  was  replaced  by  the  house  of  worship 
built  in  18ri4.  Rev.  Mr.  McN'ally.  of  New  Canton.  Illinois,  is  in  charge 
of  the  present  ilendon  circuit. 

Mendon  Incorpur.vted  .\s  .\  Vn.i.AtiK 

Jlenilon  had  uiaiic  such  a  showinfr  as  a  town  iiy  tiie  late  bOs  that 
the  villagers  applied  for  incorporation.  This  was  effected  by  special 
act  of  the  Legislature  in  1867,  its  corporate  boundaries  embracing  an 


Mkn[xin  Crrv  Park 


area  of  one  mile  square.  In  the  early  '!)0s  it  was  incorporated  as  a 
village  under  the  general  laws  of  the  state.  Since  that  time  it  has 
increa.sed  in  population  and  general  nttractivencss.  Nothing  has  c<)n- 
tributcd  more  to  that  development  than  the  coming  of  the  (^uin<'y  <i 
Warsaw  Railroad  to  its  doors  in  1870.  Col.  John  B.  Chittenden,  the 
original  proprietor  and  platter  of  the  town,  set  aside  a  beautiful  plat 
of  ground  for  a  public  park.  It  was  gradindly  improved,  the  most 
noteworthy  single  addition  to  its  attraction  Ix-ing  matle  in  1876,  when 
it  was  bordered  by  a  row  of  fine  sugar  maple  trees,  appropriately 
called  Centennial  Row.  They  have  since  developed  into  a  feature  of 
real  beauty. 

Tiie  present  Village  of  Mendon  is  a  i)retty,  prosperous  com- 
munity, well  adapted  for  residence  and  comfortable  living.  Its 
.streets  are  kept  in  good  condition  and  well  lighted  by  electricity.  Light 
and  power  are  furnished  by  a  private  company,  of  which  James 
Thompson   is  president.     Fire  protection   is  afforded  by  a  volunteer 


616  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

force  of  twentj^  men.  The  village  authorities  have  provided  special 
cisterns  for  that  purpose,  with  a  gas  engine  as  the  chief  featui-e  of 
the  apparatus. 

The  Local  Newspaper 

In  1877,  seven  years  after  the  coming  of  the  railroad,  llendon's 
first  newspaper  made  its  appearance.  It  was  the  Meudon  Enter- 
prise ;  publishers,  C.  A.  Bristol  &  Co.  After  several  changes  of  own- 
ership it  was  purchased  by  Jacob  R.  Urech  in  1878,  and  the  name 
changed  to  the  Mendon  Dispatch.  The  late  D.  H.  Darby  was  editor 
for  several  years.  In  1883  W.  H.  Mclntyre  purchased  an  interest  in 
the  paper  and  became  its  editor ;  later,  he  became  its  sole  owner.  In 
1899  he  disposed  of  the  paper  to  J.  R.  and  C.  H.  Urech,  who  continued 
its  publication,  under  the  name  of  J.  R.  Urech  &  Son,  until  August, 
1911.  At  that  date  it  was  purchased  by  its  present  editor  and  pro- 
prietor, Joseph  B.  Frisbie. 

The  Banks 

Mendon  has  two  substantial  banks.  The  oldest,  the  Mendon  State 
Bank,  was  established  as  a  private  institution  in  April,  1889,  by  J.  S. 
Wallace  &  Brother.  They  conducted  a  general  banking  business  until 
February,  1895,  when  they  disposed  of  their  interest  and  the  concern 
was  reorganized  under  the  name  of  the  ]Mendon  Bank,  which  still  later 
became  a  state  institution,  as  at  present.  C.  A.  Chittenden  is  its 
president. 

Keene  Township  Settled 

Keene  Township,  in  the  extreme  northern  portion  of  the  county, 
is  in  the  old  Bear  Creek  country  and  abimdantly  watered  by  the  upper 
tributaries  of  that  stream.  South  Fork,  Thurman  Creek,  Middle 
Fork  and  Big  Neck  Creek  are  the  chief  water-courses  which  have  made 
the  region  so  finely  adapted  both  to  stock  raising  and  soil  cultivation. 
These  streams  also  were  bordered  with  dense  growths  of  timber  in  the 
early  times,  and  they  still  bear  evidences  of  their  former  prodigality 
in  that  regard.  Fertile  prairies  lay  outside  the  timber  belts,  or  are 
interspersed  by  them.  The  pioneers  therefore  were  attracted  to  the 
Bear  Creek  country  at  a  very  early  period  in  the  history  of  the  county. 

About  1834  Joel  Benton,  Thomas  Hudson,  Ralph  Harden  and  John 
Caldwell  took  timber  claims,  with  enough  prairie  land  for  agricultural 
purposes,  and  were  the  advance  guard  of  a  prosperous  colonj'  of  set- 
tlers who  opened  up  farms  and  founded  homesteads  during  the  fol- 
lowing thirty  years  or  more.  The  first  schoolhouse  in  the  township 
was  built  of  logs  in  1843  on  section  16  (the  school  section),  about  a 
mile  north  of  the  present  Village  of  Loraine.     The  Methodists  were 


QUINCV  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  617 

the  first  to  organize  a  church  society,  in  1S60.  They  called  it  the 
Union  Society  and  erected  a  frame  house  of  worship  on  section  24,  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  It  was  organized  with  fifteen  mem- 
bers, with  Granville  Bond  as  pastor  and  Samuel  Curless  as  class 
leader. 

In  1S52  Seals'  Corn  Cracker,  the  first  mill  in  the  township,  was 
erected  on  section  21,  a  short  distance  south  of  what  is  now  the  site 
of  Loraine. 

The  Steixer  Family 

Of  the  pioneer  families  who  settled  in  Kccne  Township,  the  mem- 
bers of  which  have  been  closely  identified  with  the  continuous  devel- 


The  Late  George  Steiner 

opment  of  the  county,  none  is  more  widely  known  and  respected  than 
the  Steiners.  Michael  Steiner  came  to  Quincy  in  1836,  and  after 
working  in  a  mill  there  for  about  five  years,  moved  to  a  homestead 
location  about  three  miles  northeast  of  the  present  Village  of  Loraine, 
where  he  resided  with  his  wife  and  growing  family  until  his  death  in 
1892.  It  was  there,  on  the  Steiner  place,  that  George  was  born  in 
1848.  In  manhood  he  bought  land  in  section  5  and  in  other  localities 
in  the  Bear  Creek  country,  engaged  in  live  stock  raising  as  well  as 
farming  and  land  investments,  his  operations  extending  over  into 
Hancock  County.  Later  he  moved  to  the  Village  of  Loraine  and  estab- 
lished the  State  Bank,  of  which  he  was  president  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  December  2,  1917.  lie  spent  the  last  few  years  of  his  life  at 
his  pleasant  home  in  Loraine.  The  deceased  left  a  widow,  six  sons 
and  two  daughters.    Among  the  former  are  John  H.  Steiner,  county 


618 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


superintendent  of  schools,  and  two  physicians  practicing  in  Illinois 
outside  of  Adams  County.  The  other  sons  and  the  daughters  (both 
married)  reside  on  farms  near  Loraiue,  the  latter  on  the  old  Steiner 
place. 

LoRAiNE  Village 

The  Village  of  Loraine  is  of  comparatively  recent  growth.  It 
is  a  railroad  town,  and  was  platted  by  Messrs.  Woods  and  Leinberger 
in  December,  1870,  while  the  Carthage  branch  of  the  Chicago,  Bur- 
lington &  Quincy  was  in  process  of  construction.  James  H.  Wade 
opened  a  store  at  about  the  same  time,  and  in  the  following  year, 
when  the  postoffiee  of  Loraine  was  established,  became  postmaster. 


Pretty  Street  in  Loraine 


Christopher  Seals,  proprietor  of  the  old  Seals  Corn  Cracker,  or,  at 
lea.st,  of  that  family,  also  started  a  store  and  opened  a  hotel,  under 
the  alluring  title  of  Traveler's  Rest.  In  the  summer  of  1871  S.  P. 
Hatton  built  a  combined  blacksmith  shop  and  dwelling,  and  Dr. 
James  S.  Atkins  also  erected  a  building  which  accommodated  his 
patients  and  family,  without  crowding.  Doctor  Akins  afterward  be- 
came postmaster.  D.  W.  Lowery  was  soon  added  to  the  list  of  mer- 
chants, and  in  the  spring  of  1872  George  A.  Yeuter  engaged  in  the 
grain  and  live  stock  trade,  and  erected  buildings  for  the  conduct  of 
that  business. 

Several  drug  stores  were  established  in  the  early  '70s,  and  E.  J. 
Selleck  built  a  grist  mill  in  the  summer  of  1873.  Other  merchants 
also  entered  the  local  field,  and  Mr.  Lowery  extended  his  business  so 
as  to  deal  in  agricultural  implements  and  railroad  ties.  In  fact,  the 
trade  in  railroad  ties  and  lumber  was  already  large.  Henry  Goodnow 
and  others  engaged  in  wagon -making  also.    In  1876  he  erected  a  large 


C^riNCV   AND  AI>A.MS  COINTV 


6l!t 


two-slory  buililiiifr,  the  first  Hoor  of  wliicli  was  used  for  a  store  and 
tlie  second  as  a  puhlif  liall.  Mr.  Seals  also  made  a  two-story  addition 
to  one  of  his  Ixiildings  and  tlio  Odd  Fellows  rented  the  U|)|)er  story 
as  a  lodrre  hall. 

And  so  the  village  progressed  and  has  enjoyed  a  substantial  growth 
since.  Of  the  "old-timers,"  as  they  are  affect ionately  called,  S.  M. 
Curless  and  Dr.  K.  (i.  Iledrick  are  perhaps  best  known  locally,  the 
former  being  a  retired  merchant  and  the  latter  a  fine  type  of  tlie  old 
country  physician. 

The  Loraine  of  today  is  a  place  of  about  700  people,  with  a  number 
of  well  stocked  stores,  a  hank,  a  newspai)er,  electric  ligiit  service  and 
waterworks,  a  good  school,  a  grain  elevator,  a  feed  mill  and  a  lumber 
yard.  Its  three  churches  and  several  lodges  also  testify  to  the  fore- 
sight of  its  people  in  the  matter  of  jiroviding  for  those  whose  lives 
demand  also  social  and  religious  nourishment. 

The  -Methodist  Kpiscopal  Church  of  Loraine,  which  is  in  charge  of 
Rev.  Lewis  E.   Haldwin,   is  an  outgrowth  of  the  old   Union  Soeietv 


LiiKAlM.    llliMI    Scilnol. 


Church,  organized  in  ISfid  jind  whose  ciriginal  bouse  of  worshi])  stood 
on  section  24,  about  three  miles  east  of  the  present  village.  Originally. 
the  Baptists  and  Presbyterians  shared  the  building  with  the  Meth- 
odists. 

The  Christian  Church  is  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  II.  O.  Rocks, 
and  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  charge  of  Rev.  Ileury  E.  Pittman. 
The  latter  was  organized  in  1880. 

Both  the  Masons  and  the  Odd  Fellows  have  lodges  at  Loraine.  The 
latter,  Loraine  Lodge,  Xo.  641,  Independent  Order  Odd  Fellows,  was 
instituted  in  June.  1877,  in  the  hall  fitted  up  for  the  jiurpose  over 
Christoplier  Seals'  store. 

The  Loraine  State  Bank  was  organized  in  November.  I!t04,  with 
George  Steiner  as  presiilent :  J.  G.  Stuart,  cashier,  and  George  II. 
Eastman,  vice  president.  Later  S.  S.  Groves  was  elected  cashier,  and 
Joab  Green  as  vice  president,  to  succeed  Mr.  Eastman.  In  January, 
1916,  Newell  Sapp  was  elected  cashier,  and  in  Oeceudjcr.  1!I17.  J.  A. 


620  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Ausmus  succeeded  to  the  presidency  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  i 

the  death  of  Mr.  Steiner.    The  capital  stock  of  the  bank  is  $25,000 ;  | 

surplus  and  undivided  profits,  $16,500;  average  deposits,  $300,000. 

General  mention  has  been  made  of  the  electric  light  service  and  i 

water  supply  of  Loraine.     The  former  is  furnished  by  the  Electric  | 

Light  and  Power  Company,  of  which  Bert  "Van  Blair  is  superintend- 
ent. The  waterworks  are  municipal  property  and  comprise  a  pumping 
station,  with  a  ninety-foot  tower,  and  an  adequate  system  of  distrib- 
uting pipes — the  entire  plant  under  the  management  of  J.  H.  Cub- 
bage.  The  domestic  water  supply  and  the  protection  against  fire  are 
therefore  all  that  are  required. 

The  village  newspaper,  the  Loraine  Times,  was  established  at  Ursa 
by  K.  B.  Ecols  in  1896.  In  1906,  under  the  editorship  and  proprietor- 
ship of  Mr.  Mills,  it  was  moved  to  Loraine.  It  has  been  owned  and 
edited  by  R.  K.  Adair  since  1916. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

PAYSOX  AND  PLAIXVILLE 

Pioneer  Horticulturists — Founding  op  Payson  Village — Noted 
Early  Schools — Other  Village  Institutions — Village  of 
Plainville. 

The  Towiisliip  of  Payson  has  been  described  as  "containing  some 
of  the  richest  lauds  and  some  of  the  poorest  in  the  country."  It  is  in 
the  southern  tier  of  townships,  about  five  miles  east  of  the  Mississippi 
River,  and,  although  it  has  developed  no  considerable  village,  embraces 
two  rural  settlements,  away  from  any  railroad,  known  as  Payson  and 
Plainville.  Although  they  are  both  old,  they  have  been  conteut  to  go 
along  slowly,  if  safely. 

Pioneer  Horticulturists 

In  the  earlier  years  the  Town  of  Payson  had  a  high  horticultural 
reputation,  certainly  taking  the  lead  in  Adams  County  and  measuring 
up  to  the  highest  standard  of  any  other  section  in  the  state.  The  first 
apple  orchard  worthj-  of  the  name  was  planted  by  Deacon  A.  Scarbor- 
ough in  the  spring  of  1838.  His  stock  consisted  of  one-year-old  trees, 
purchased  in  St.  Louis,  but  raised  in  Ohio.  During  the  same  year  he 
purchased  of  John  Anderson,  of  Pike  County,  a  bushel  of  choice  New 
Jersey  peaches,  with  which  he  started  orchards  of  that  fruit  which, 
for  a  time,  were  said  to  have  been  unexcelled. 

William  Stewart  was  probably  the  most  widely  known  of  the  early 
horticulturists  who  gave  that  part  of  the  county  such  a  good  standing. 
In  1836  he  came  with  his  wife  and  large  family  of  children  to  Payson 
Township,  his  home  for  many  years  having  been  in  the  State  of  ilaine. 
Not  long  after  the  family  settled  in  Payson  Township,  Mr.  Stewart 
returned  to  the  East  on  a  business  trip  and  purchased  a  pint  of  apple 
seed  in  New  York.  "With  that  stock  he  started  the  first  orchard,  or 
nursery,  in  Adams  County.  He  not  only  specialized  in  the  cultivation 
of  choice  varieties  of  fruit  trees,  but  commenced  to  raise  ornamental 
.shi-ubbery,  and  many  of  the  old  homesteads  in  the  Payson  neighbor- 
hood, and  quite  a  distance  beyond,  owe  their  artificial  landscape 
attractions  to  William  Stewart's  taste  and  enterprise.  His  death 
occurred  in  December,  1857,  and  his  descendants  in  Adams  County 
are  numerous. 

G21 


622  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Founding  of  Payson  Village 

Previous  to  1834  not  more  than  half  a  dozen  families  had  settled 
in  what  is  now  Payson  Township.  In  the  previous  year  John  Wood, 
E.  B.  Kimball  and  Braekett  Pottle  had  entered  the  tract  upon  which 
the  village  now  stands  at  the  general  land  office.  Deacon  Albigence 
Scarborough  had  already  made  a  trip  to  the  locality,  and  was  so 
pleased  with  the  general  outlook  that  in  the  fall  of  1834  he  purchased 
of  the  gentlemen  named  the  original  site  of  the  village,  which  he  laid 
out  in  the  spring  of  1835.  The  proprietor  came  from  West  Harvard, 
Counecticut,  and  being  a  great  admirer  of  Rev.  Dr.  Edward  Payson, 
of  Portland,  Maine,  named  his  pet  village  accordingly.  In  the  laying 
.  out  of  the  original  lots,  as  well  as  in  their  sale,  he  was  assisted  by 
P.  E.  Thompson  and  James  C.  Bernard. 

In  the  year  1835  Deacon  Prince  arrived  with  a  stock  of  goods  from 
New  York  and  opened  the  first  store  in  Payson.  A  year  or  two  after- 
ward J.  C.  Bernard  and  Joseph  Norwood  established  themselves  as 
merchants,  the  latter  being  the  first  postmaster.  In  May,  1836,  the 
ilethodists  formed  the  first  local  religious  society. 

In  1836  Deacon  Scarborough.  Deacon  David  Prince  and  Capt. 
John  Burns  commenced  the  building  of  the  stone  windmill  which  was 
completed  about  three  years  afterward  at  a  cost  of  $13,000,  and  which 
was  so  long  one  of  the  picturesque  landmarks  of  Adams  County. 

Noted  Early  Schools 

Pioneer  life  is  seldom  marked  by  the  presence  of  many  educa- 
tional advantages,  but  Payson  had  these  advantages  from  her  earliest 
days,  due  no  doubt  to  the  fact  that  the  first  settlers  came  from  the 
East  and  from  the  old  world  where  the  school  systems  were  well 
established. 

In  the  year  1833  the  land  upon  which  Payson  now  stands  was 
entered  at  the  general  land  office  by  Hon.  John  Wood,  E.  B.  Kimball 
and  Bracket  Pottle.  In  the  same  year  Deacon  Albigence  Scarborough 
journeyed  here,  walking  much  of  the  way,  in  order  to  save  the 
strength  of  his  mule  to  carry  provisions.  He  made  a  second  trip 
with  his  family  in  1834,  purchased  the  land  on  wliich  Payson  now 
stands  and  in  the  spring  of  1835  laid  out  the  village,  having  it  platted 
and  recorded ;  afterward  associating  with  himself  P.  C.  Thompson 
and  James  C.  Bernard,  in  the  laying  out  and  sale  of  lots.  The  first 
sale  of  lots  took  place  on  the  seventh  day  of  August,  1836,  and  these 
three  men  gave  20  per  cent  of  the  purchase  money  of  the  lots 
sold  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  seminary,  and  four  acres  of  land 
w^ere  given  by  Deacon  Scarborough  upon  which  to  erect  the  said 
building. 

However,  a  number  of  schools  were  carried  on  by  subscription 
before  the  public  schools  were  organized.  The  first  was  in  an  old 
log  cabin  with  pum-heon  floor  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Edwards  and 


(^I'lXCV   AM)  ADA.MS  ((UXTV  62:J 

Fulloii  streets,  tjiiiglit  In-  Mis,s  Emily  .Searlioi-itufirh,  wli..  iil^o  was  the 
first  puMie  sehool  teacher. 

Miss  Trimble.  Miss  Klizalietli  Scarl)onni<:h  and  .Miss  Ann  I'rinie 
also  taught  suliscription  schools.  The  Ilawlcy  hoarding  school  was 
a  very  ambitious  undertaking  and  teachers  were  brr>ught  from  the 
Ea.st.  However,  it  proved  a  fiiumcial  failure,  and  was  bought  by 
Doctor  Corbyn,  who  gave  up  his  work  in  Palmyra  because  of  the  trou- 
ble stirred  up  by  rebels  there.  Here  a  number  of  Quincy  students 
re<'eived  their  early  education,  among  whom  were  some  of  the  Bush- 
nclls  and  Hulls.  Doctor  Corbyn  later  l)ecame  pastor  of  the  (Jood  Shep- 
herd Church  in  Quiney. 

Hugh  Morrow  conducted  clas.ses  in  the  l)asement  of  the  Second 
Congregational   Church,   until   it   was  destroyed   by   fire. 

In  1846  a  frame  building  now  serving  as  a  residence  in  the  south 
part  of  the  village  was  built  from  the  academy  fund  ui)on  the  land 
given  by  Deacon  Scarborough.  This  was  used  as  a  |>riviitc  school 
for  two  years.  Afterwards  it  was  rented  liy  the  district  for  a  public 
school  and  remained  so  for  a  numbci-  of  yeai-s.  This  building  was 
finally  sold  and  moved  off  the  lot.  Through  the  i)atient  efforts  of 
Joel  K.  Scarlmrough  and  his  a.s.sociates  a  new  public  school  briik 
building  was  erected  on  the  same  lot,  and  a  clear  title  to  the  town  by 
quit  claim  deeds  was  insured  from  the  early  stockholders  in  the 
academy  fund.  The  school  has  ever  been  L'ood  and  always  an  honor 
to  the  town. 

It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  the  Township  of  Payson 
was  first  laid  oiT  into  school  districts  in  1S:?7.  for  which  pui-jiose  the 
citizens  met  on  the  28th  day  of  October  and  the  first  meeting  of 
trustees  then  elected  was  held  on  the  seventh  of  Decendjer  following. 
In  these  districts  public  schools  were  established,  although  piivate 
schools  were  still  maintained. 

The  Payson  public  school  has  increased  in  value,  today  ranking 
second  to  none  in  the  county.  The  influence  of  her  scholars  is  evinced 
by  numerous  distinguished  people  of  various  vocations  who  were 
born  and  reared  in  the  town.  Among  these  were  Dr.  David  Prince, 
a  famous  physician  and  surgeon;  Mrs.  Anna  Scott  and  others,  who 
devoted  their  lives  to  missions  in  foreign  fields;  Prof.  Kilwai'ii  I'erry, 
the  head  of  an  oratorical  schiKil  in  St.  Louis;  Miss  Mai-y  Leach,  a 
Ph.  D.  and  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  Oxford.  Ohio.  Splendid  teach- 
ers have  t>een  graduated  from  Payson  School,  as  well  as  men  in  the 
ministry,  law  and  business. 

Among  the  former  teachers  who  have  done  much  for  Payson 
School  are  Theodore  C.  Poling,  now  a  successful  lawyer  and  banker 
in  Quiney:  Profes-sor  Hall,  who  first  graded  the  school:  (ieoige 
Gabriel,  who  has  taught  in  the  Quiney  Schools,  been  their  superin- 
tendent, and  is  now  president  of  the  Hoard  of  Education. 


624  QUIXCr  AND  ADAilS  COUNTY 

Charles  "W.  Seymour  High  School 

This  bronze  tablet  has  a  prominent  place  in  the  entrance  hall  of  the 
Parson  High  School : 

"This  building  was  erected  br 

Henrv  il.  and  Lucy  W.  Seymour 

in  memory  of  their  only  son 

CHAELES. 

May  his  noble  and  generous  life,  which  prompted  this  gift,  inspire 
all  students  who  enter  here  to  improve  this  opportunity-  of  study  and 
of  gi'owth,  that  the  world  may  be  a  better  place  because  he  once  lived 
here. ' ' 

"  'A  blameless  nature — glad  and  pure  and  true, 

He  walked  life's  morning  path  in  happy  light. 

Then  passed  from  sight. 

But  still  he  lives  in  every  kindly  deed  we  do, 

In  all  our  love  of  truth  and  right, 

Forever  young,  forever  glad,  forever  true.'  " 

Charles  W.  Sej-mour,  in  whose  memory  the  building  was  erected, 
when  only  sixteen  years  of  age  was  almost  instantly  killed  in  a  ball 
game  on  the  school  grounds.  May  22,  1915,  a  pitched  ball  striking  him 
over  the  heart.  The  Seymour  family  is  one  of  the  oldest,  most  promi- 
nent and  well-to-do  in  Adams  County,  the  gi-andfather  for  whom 
Charles  was  named  having  located  in  Payson  in  the  early  '30s. 

Shortly  after  the  death  of  their  only  son,  ;Mr,  and  Mrs.  Henry  ^L 
Seymour  decided  to  provide  this  memorial  schoolhouse  as  his  monu- 
ment. The  building  was  completed  and  dedicated  December  30,  1916. 
It  is  a  beautiful  structure.  172  feet  long,  extending  back  on  the  wings 
i2  feet  and  in  the  center  92  feet.  Its  red  tile  roof  does  not  flame  at 
the  sky,  but  merely  adds  a  touch  of  restful  color.  Its  native  limestone, 
taken  from  the  Seymour  quarries  and  used  for  the  walls  of  the  build- 
ing, is  just  the  right  shade,  and  the  Bedford  stone  trimmings  are  in 
most  excellent  taste.  Over  the  large  stone  piUars  in  the  entrance 
arch  is  carved  in  the  stone.  "Charles  W.  Seymour  High  School." 
The  visitor  enters  over  granite  steps  into  a  marble  stepped  vestibule 
and  thence  into  the  entrance  hall,  floored  with  quarry  tUe  and  lighted 
with  one  handsome,  indirect  electric  fixtiire.  Facing  the  door  is  the 
bronze  tablet  with  the  inscription  quoted  above.  The  hall  waUs  are 
of  marble.  The  wood  work  is  all  of  quarter  sawed  white  oak.  stained 
silver  gray.  A  marble  base  runs  around  the  bottom  of  the  side  walls 
in  the  corridors  leading  right  and  left  from  the  hall.  Here  the  walls 
are  tinted  green  and  are  offset  by  the  French  half  windows.  The 
floor  is  of  mosaic  tUe.  On  the  first  floor,  beside  the  hall  and  corri- 
dors, there  are  four  class  rooms,  24  by  32  each,  an  auditorium  32  feet 
wide  and  45  feet  to  the  stage,  which  is  10  by  IS.  and  a  recitation  room 
on  each  side  of  the  auditorium,  16  by  16  feet.    In  the  light  basement 


c 


626  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ample  provision  has  been  made  for  tlie  domestic  science  and  manual 
training  departments.  Here  also  are  the  large  indoor  play  room, 
locker  room  for  boys  and  girls,  shower  baths  and  the  heating  plant. 
The  building  is  heated  by  steam,  lighted  by  electricity,  provided 
with  hot  and  cold  water  and  sanitary  drinking  fountains.  The  walls 
are  of  hollow  tile  and  the  floors  of  concrete  and  the  building  is  tire- 
proof. 

The  memory  of  a  sixteen-year-old  boy  lives  today  in  the  heart  of 
Payson  and  in  the  pride  of  Adams  County.  So  short  a  span  of  life! 
Just  long  enough  to  bring  to  the  village  where  he  was  born  a  gift  that 
endures  forever ;  for  it  was  Charles  Seymour  himself  who  first  planned 
the  new  school  for  Payson.  It  was  in  his  boyish  heart  to  give,  when 
he  became  a  man,  an  enduring  monument  to  education,  a  monument 
which  in  the  sad  tragedy  of  his  death  has  become  a  memorial  to  a  boy 
and  to  his  home  village  a  surety  of  the  things  that  make  life  worth 
while.  In  the  death  of  Charles  W.  Seymour,  the  sixteen-year-old  boy, 
Payson  holds  in  her  heart  a  memory  and  a  gift,  neither  of  which  will 
ever  be  forgotten.  In  the  boy  there  comes  to  the  mind  of  Payson  a 
lovable  youth  whose  thoughts,  strangely  enough  for  youth,  were  of 
other  people ;  a  genei-ous  boy  whose  young  heart  was  an  inspiration  to 
his  friends,  as  it  was  a  joy  to  his  elders.  In  his  monument  they  have 
a  school  beyond  compare — one  of  the  finest  and  most  complete  in  the 
entire  country. 

State  Superintendent  of  Schools  Francis  G.  Blair  delivered  the 
principal  address  at  the  dedication  of  the  memorial  school  in  1916,  and 
in  the  course  of  his  remarks  said:  "Helen  Hunt  Jackson,  before  her 
death,  let  it  be  known  to  her  friends  that  she  did  not  wish  a  monu- 
ment to  be.  erected  upon  her  grave.  She  asked  that  her  body  be  laid 
to  rest  upon  the  summit  of  the  mountain  where  she  had  sat  so  often 
writing  the  stories  for  the  children  and  the  people  of  this  country. 
She  said  that  it  was  her  wish  that  people  coming  to  vist  her  grave 
might  pick  up  two  pebbles  from  the  stream  on  the  mountain  and  lay 
them  upon  her  grave.  If  they  wished  some  remembrance  of  that  visit, 
they  might  take  away  one  pebble  placed  there  by  other  hands. 

"What  has  happened  within  the  years  since  her  body  was  buried 
on  the  mountain?"  Loving  feet  have  toiled  up  the  mountain  side; 
loving  hands  have  plucked  up  the  pebbles  and  cast  them  on  her  grave 
until  a  real  monument  has  been  erected  to  her  memory — a  monument 
such  as  any  noble  minded  person  might  crave  for  himself. 

"Here,  however,  we  have  the  erection  of  another  kind  of  monu- 
ment which,  in  my  mind,  is  more  noble  and  more  abiding;  here  a 
building  is  erected  within  which,  during  the  years  to  come,  great 
spiritual  forces  are  to  influence  the  lives  of  children.  Hundreds  of 
boys  and  girls,  coming  under  these  spiritual  influences,  are  to  carry 
away  with  them  gifts  which  will  influence  every  thought  and  act  of 
their  lives.  A  monument  will  be  built  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  the 
children  which  time  will  not  destroy. 

"We  are  told  that  on  Mount  ]\Ioriah  King  Solomon  erected  a  tem- 


(^riXCV   AND  ADA.Ms  (orXTV  627 

pie.  with  marble  and  jjranito  hewn  and  fashioned  in  the  (juarries,  with 
cedars  from  Lchanon,  and  tir  trees  fnmi  T\re  and  Sidon ;  witii  silver 
and  <r<ild  and  preeimis  jewels  from  <1pliir,  and  with  the  most  skillfid 
WKrkiiien  that  the  aneient  world  <'Ould  iiroiiiiee  he  eonstrueted  a  temi)le 
that  was  the  wonder  of  the  ages.  Princely  potentates  and  crowned 
heads  eame  from  the  fonr  corners  of  the  earth  to  look  npon  that  mag- 
niticcnt  embodiment  of  the  architectural  skill  and  genius.  Hut  tlie 
corroding  breath  of  the  centuries  marred  its  beauty  and  the  thunder- 
ing.' tread  of  the  Chaldean  soldier  shook  its  foundations.  .\mid  smoke 
and  flame  it  tottereil  and  fell  and  crumliled  to  dust.  Today  we  know 
not  even  the  spot  on  which  it  stood.  Yes,  Solomon  was  a  minhty 
builder,  but  he  emd<l  not  construct  out  nf  wood  and  stone  a  monu- 
ment that  would  endure  forever. 

"So  we  turn  from  the  dream  of  vanished  grandeur  and  lieauty  to 
look  into  the  school  room,  where  the  teacher  is  bnildin<r  another  tem- 
ple; where  she  is  laying  its  foundations  deep  and  broad  uptin  the 
eternal  verities  of  nature  and  art  ;  where  she  is  carving  its  pillars  and 
arches  out  of  tiie  infinite  (piarries  of  the  human  soid ;  where  she  is 
hanging  its  walls  with  the  pictures  of  the  imagination  and  the  tapes- 
tries of  the  heart,  and  where,  let  us  hope,  she  is  crowning  the  whole 
with  a  dome  resplendent  in  beauty  and  radiant  with  the  hope  of 
immortality.  And  over  the  entranee  to  such  a  temple  is  written  in 
characters  of  living  fire: 

"  "He  who  builds  with  wood  and  stone, 
^lust  see  his  work  decay. 
But  he  who  shapes  flic  hinuan  mind, 
Htiilds  for  eternity." 

"It  is  because  1  believe  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seymour  are  bnikling 
to  the  memory  of  their  son  such  an  imperishable  monument  that  I 
have  come  to  join  with  them  and  the  people  of  this  community  in  the 
dedication  of  this  building." 

Governor  Frank  O.  Lowden  offered  three  silk  flags  as  |)ri/.es  tr>  the 
schools  of  the  State  of  Illinois.  Payson  High  School  won  one  of  fhe.se 
flags  by  selling  a  greater  number  of  bonds  in  proportion  to  the  num- 
ber of  students  enrolled  than  any  other  high  school  in  the  State. 

Other  Vii.l.u;e  Instititions 

The  Village  of  Payson  was  first  incorporated  in  18:i9,  and  secondly, 
in  1869.  as  a  town.  On  Ajiril  26,  l!t():{.  it  was  incorporated  as  a  village 
under  the  general  state  act.  Its  public  utilities  may  be  .said  to  include 
electric  lighting  furnished  by  a  local  plant,  of  which  \V.  K.  Klliott 
is  the  owner,  and  a  municipal  well.  200  feet  in  depth,  from  which  the 
supply  for  all  purposes  is  drawn. 

It  also  has  two  banks  and  a  weekly  newspaper.  The  latter,  owned 
and  edited  by  E.  P.  Maher  and  wife,  is  a  live  village  institution,  and 
has  been  such  for  a  number  of  veaiN.     The  two  financial  institutions 


628  QUIXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

which  accommodate  the  village  and  a  considerable  area  of  surrouiidiug 
country  are  branches  of  the  South  Side  Bank  and  the  State  Savings, 
Loan  and  Trust  Company  of  Quincy.  Their  respective  managers  are 
J.  G.  Thompson  and  C.  E.  Gabriel,  cashier.  The  branch  of  the  State 
Savings,  Loan  and  Trust  Company  at  Payson  was  opened  in  Decem- 
ber, 1909,  and  the  new  building  now  occupied  was  completed  in  the 
fall  of  the  following  year. 

The  Village  of  Payson  has  had  a  reputation  for  sobriety  and  reli- 
gious strength  since  the  very  early  days,  and  the  townspeople  have 
well  sustained  it.  At  the  present  time  the  Congregationalists,  Metho- 
dists and  Disciples  of  Christ  maintain  organizations  with  settled  pas- 
tors, and  the  Baptists  have  also  a  society.  In  priority  of  establishment 
the  last  named  heads  the  list,  a  Baptist  Church  having  been  organized 
at  Payson  in  ilareh,  1834.  As  this  was  the  first  of  the  religious  bodies 
to  get  a  foothold,  although  the  organization  is  not  now  strong,  the 
event  is  worthy  of  some  special  mention. 

The  meeting  to  organize  the  Baptist  Church  was  held  at  the  resi- 
dence of  "W.  H.  Tandy,  about  three  miles  north  of  the  village,  on 
March  8,  1834,  and  besides  ilr.  Tandy  and  wife,  the  society  comprised 
two  married  couples  and  a  bachelor.  At  first  meetings  were  held  in 
the  houses  of  the  members,  but  in  1835  a  log  house  of  worship  was 
erected  in  a  grove  near  Gabriel  Kay's  residence.  But  when  the  Vil- 
lage of  Payson  was  assured — in  fact,  at  the  second  sale  of  lots,  in 
April,  1837 — the  Baptists  purchased  a  site  for  a  church  building,  and 
soon  afterward  commenced  its  erection.  They  occupied  this  frame 
structure  for  twenty-seven  years. 

The  Methodists  had  organized  a  class  in  the  village  during  1835, 
and  in  1840  it  was  incorporated  as  a  church.  Its  first  building  was 
completed  in  the  fall  of  1842,  and  a  larger  one  in  1854.  The  present 
pastor  of  the  Methodist  Church  is  Rev.  C.  S.  McCuUom.  The  Con- 
gregationalists organized  in  May,  1836,  the  numerous  Scarboroughs, 
headed  by  Deacon  Albigence  Scarborough,  being  among  the  original 
members  of  the  church.  The  first  house  of  worship  was  burned  not 
long  after  its  completion  in  1842,  the  second  meeting  house  being  com- 
pleted in  the  fall  of  1865.  Rev.  T.  J.  Brown  is  now  in  charge  of  the 
■'Congregational  Church  at  Payson.  The  Christian  Church,  Rev. 
Charles  L.  Roland,  pastor,  was  organized  in  February,  1868. 

Payson  has  a  number  of  secret  and  benevolent  organizations.  The 
oldest,  Payson  Lodge,  No.  375,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  ilasons, 
was  chartered  in  October,  1863.  It  has  a  present  membership  of  about 
eighty.    The  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star  has  also  a  chapter.  No.  375. 

Village  of  Plainville 

The  little  Village  of  Plainville,  southeast  of  the  central  part  of 
Payson  Township,  was  originally  called  Stone's  Prairie.  Samuel 
Stone  settled  in  that  locality  in  the  year  1822;  himself,  his  family 
and  descendants  gave  the  settlement  its  earlv  name.    Among  the  other 


QUIN'CY  ANU  ADAMS  COINTY  629 

early  settlers  of  the  locality  and  neighborlmcpil  were  lliniy  Wugy, 
Wyniau  Whitcoiub  aud  A.  H.  Viuiiig,  who  came  in  the  early  "Ms,  and 
Solomon  Shinn  and  John  Delaplaiii,  who  came  at  a  somewhat  later 
period. 

The  first  merchant  of  the  place  was  Mr.  Delaplain  (deceased  sev- 
eral years),  and  the  little  old  building  in  which  he  displayed  his  small 
stock  of  goods  is  still  standing,  altliough  it  has  been  moved  to  another 
lot  than  its  original  site.  A  few  years  afterward  John  Vining  opened 
a  store.  In  the  early  '80s  Mr.  Delaplain  built  a  new  store  at  Plaiuville 
with  a  handsome  residence,  but  botii  were  burned  some  years  later. 
The  same  fire  destroyed  several  other  buildings,  including  the  "Ob- 
server," the  home  newspaper  office.  The  publication  named  was 
owned  by  Chulibick  &  Caugblaii. 

For  many  years,  while  the  postoffice  was  called  Stone's  Prairie,  the 
village  was  popularly  known  as  Shakerag.  When  Chubbick  &  Caugh- 
lan  founded  their  newspaper  they  thought  the  village  should  lie  named 
in  honor  of  its  first  mcrclumt,  John  Delaplain,  and  they,  witli  others, 
petitioned  the  postoffice  department  to  that  effect.  The  result  was 
that  the  name  of  the  postoffice  was  changed  from  Stone's  Prairie  to 
Plaiuville.  It  was  incorporated  as  a  town  May  1,  1^96.  The  village 
is  represented  in  the  newspaper  field  by  A.  J.  Crimm,  editor  of  the 
News,  who  founded  that  journal  in  October,  ini.").  Plaiuville  has  also 
a  well  organized  State  Bank,  of  which  A.  M.  Carter  is  president  and 
E.  E.  Benson  cashier. 

Both  the  ^lethodists  and  Baptists  have  church  organizations — the 
latter  of  comparatively  late  establishment  (1890).  The  Methodists  of 
the  locality  have  been  active  since  1854,  when  the  Shiloh  Church  was 
dedicated;  the  Richfield  Church  was  established  in  1858  and  the 
organization  at  Plaiuville  was  founded  in  1876.  These  societies  are 
now  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  George  F.  McCumber.  The  Shiloh 
membership  is  56,  the  Richfield  46.  and  the  Plaiuville  118.  Emory 
Elliott  was  on  the  work  in  1855.  For  the  past  thirty  yeai-s  Revs.  S.  G. 
Ferree,  R.  Gregg,  J.  W.  Jladdison,  A.  V.  Babbs.  C.  F.  linker,  I.  W. 
Keithley,  J.  A.  Biddle,  M.  D.  Tremaine.  A.  B.  Fry  and  George  C. 
Bechtel  have  been  the  successive  pastors,  previous  to  the  coming  of  Mr. 
McCumber  in  1914.    Rev.  L.  C.  Taylor  is  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church. 

The  JIa.sons,  Odd  Fellows  and  ilodern  Woodmen  of  America  are 
organized  at  Plaiuville.  The  Independent  Order  Odd  Fellows'  Lodge 
was  originally  instituted  in  August,  1887,  as  Stone's  Prairie  Lodge, 
No.  759.  Its  .successive  noble  grands  have  been  J.  F.  Lightle.  C.  W. 
Sturtevant,  William  Hess.  S.  A.  Benson.  Gus  ITampsmire,  Or\ille 
Hess,  H.  0.  Larimore,  J.  P.  Journey  and  C.  W.  Sturtevant,  .second 
term. 

Plain ville  was  incorporated  as  a  village  in  1896.  the  first  president 
of  its  board  of  trustees  having  been  Lawrence  Hoskins,  with  A.  J. 
Crim.  clerk.  C.  W.  Sturtevant  is  now  president  of  the  village  board 
and  Fay  Hoskins,  clerk. 


CHAPTER  XX 

OTHER  TOWNSHIPS  AND  VILLAGES 

Industries  and  Products  op  Honey  Creek  Township — Froggy 
Prairie — Coatsburg,  Quincy's  Rival — Paloma  and  the  Good- 
INGS — Fall  Creek  Township — Marblehead  and  F.vll  Creek — 
Lima  Township  and  Village — Liberty — Gilmer  Township  and 
Fowler — The  Old  Thompson  Settlement — Old  and  New  Ursa 

— ^IeRCELLINE — COLUMBXTS BuRTON  ToWNSHIP  AND  Its  VILLAGES 

— Houston  Township — Beverly  Township  and  Its  Villages — 
Ellington  Township  and  Bloomfield — McKee  Township  and 
Kellerville^ — Richfield  Village. 

The  natural  features  of  Honey  Creek  Township,  which  is  located 
north  of  the  central  part  of  Adams  County,  are  extremely  diversified, 
and  yet  all  favorable  to  substantial  development  and  comfortable 
progress.  Honey  and  Brush  Creeks,  tributaries  of  the  south  branch 
of  Bear  Creek,  drain  and  fertilize  the  country,  which  is  included  in 
the  watershed  of  the  Mississippi  basin. 

Industries  and  Products  of  the  Township 

Agriculture,  horticulture  and  live  stock  raising  all  flourish,  dairy- 
ing I)eing  a  chief  and  growing  specialty.  The  specific  products  upon 
which  the  people  of  the  township  depend  for  their  substantial  pros- 
perity and  future  growth  are  corn,  hogs  and  cattle.  Apples,  pears 
and  peaches  do  well,  although  on  account  of  the  constant  fight  which 
fruit  growers  must  wage  against  insect  enemies,  horticulture  has  uot, 
on  the  whole,  advanced. 

Originally,  Hone.v  Creek  Townshi])  consisted  of  about  three-fifths 
timbei'  and  the  remainder  prairie  lands,  but  since  the  timber  has  been 
stripped  away  to  a  large  extent  for  building  purposes  and  to  manu- 
facture such  articles  as  barrels  and  wagons,  there  have  been  no  indus- 
tries wliich  are  not  dependent  upon  the  annual  products  of  the  soil, 
or  the  raising  of  live  stock. 

Froggy  Prairie 

The  principal  prairie  of  Honey  Creek  is  called  Froggy-.  The  why 
and  wherefore  of  the  name  is  thus  explained  by  au  old  settler:  "It 
originated  at  one  of  the  old-fashioned  spelling  bees,  where  a  school 

630 


(^riNl  V  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  631 

district  at  the  west  of  the  i>raiiie  was  pitted  against  the  liomc  district. 
Schoolhouse,  a  log  cabin  on  tlie  prairie;  time,  March  25,  1844;  at 
eaiidle  lijxlitiiig.  i)reseiit  lK)tli  schools  in  full  force;  wild  fjrass  taller 
than  a  man;  water,  boot-leg  deep  full  of  frogs,  which  made  .so  much 
uoise  tliat  the  teacher  was  compelled  to  pronounce  the  words  at  tlic 
top  of  his  voice  in  order  to  be  heard  at  all.  A  schoolgirl  from  the 
west  district  called  the  place  Froggy;  and  Froggy  it  has  been  ever 
since." 

A  sipiatter  named  Haven  is  said  to  have  iiiaile  the  lirst  si'ttlement 
in  the  township,  fixing  his  habitation  on  what  is  now  llog  branch 
of  Honey  Creek,  section  21,  some  time  previous  to  1830.  The  story 
is  that  he  found  a  bee  tree  on  the  ereek  bottom  so  laden  with  honey 
that  he  forthwith  gave  the  main  stream  its  name,  which  was  also 
applied  to  the  township.  Within  the  decade  succeeding  Haven's 
arrival  came  such  settlers  as  Edward  Edmondson,  Enos  Thompson 
and  sons,  John  Hyler,  II.  15.  Maldwiu,  J.  E.  Kammerer,  liiehard  Gray. 
Joseph  Pollock,  Mrs.  Irene  Grigsby  and  Jabez  Lovejoy,  Daniel  Good- 
ing, the  Strneys  and  the  Whites.  Dr.  .lod  Darrah  settled  in  the 
spring  of  1840. 

CO.VTSBCRG,   QUINCY's  RiV.\L 

There  are  two  villages  in  Honey  Creek  Township,  both  on  the  Chi- 
cago, liurlington  &  Quincy  line — Coatsburg  and  Paloma.  The  former 
was  surveyed  and  jdatted  by  K.  P.  Coats  in  January,  185.5,  and  derives 
its  name  from  him.  Coatsburg  witnessed  a  somewhat  steady  growth 
for  about  twenty  years  and  reached  a  point  in  its  development  when 
it  had  a  substantial  support  for  the  county  seat;  but  the  contest  of 
1875  laid  its  ambitions  low  in  that  regard,  and  it  is  now,  and  has  been 
for  some  years,  in  a  state  of  decline.  It  has  a  local  newspaper,  the 
Community  Enterprise,  edited  by  R.  C.  Stokes,  and  a  branch  of  the 
State  Street  Bank  of  Quincy.  organized  in  October,  190!l.  1).  L. 
JleXeal  is  its  cashier.    The  bank  building  was  ero<'teil  in  1!)14. 

There  are  half  a  dozen  general  and  special  stores  in  the  village. 
It  is  in  the  center  of  (piite  a  large  German  Ltitheran  community,  the 
church  at  Coatsburg  having  been  founded  in  July.  1862.  Its  first 
pastor  was  Rev.  A.  Fismer,  and  Rev.  A.  H.  Zeilenger,  the  present 
incumbent,  has  been  in  charge  since  lf)t)8.  The  society  has  a  niem- 
bershij)  of  about  150,  with  a  strong  Sunday  School  and  several  flour- 
ishing au.xiliaries.  The  Methodists  have  no  settled  pa.stor,  being 
.served  by  Rev.  C.  R.  I'nderwood,  of  Columbus,  and  the  Disciples  of 
Christ  are  in  charge  of  Rev.  L.  C.  Manck  of  Quincy.  As  to  the  lodges 
of  the  neighborhood,  only  one  is  strong — that  which  reiircsents  the 
Jlodern  Woodmen. 

P.VUIM.V    AND   THE  GOODINOS 

Paloma  was  laid  out  by  Daniel  W.  (iooding  about  1H()2.  He  was 
an  lionest,  thrifty  .Maine  man.  and  when  he  came  to  Quincy  from  Oliio 


632  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

in  1837  there  was  only  one  brick  building  in  the  county  seat.  JMr. 
Gooding  afterward  moved  to  Honey  Creek  Township  and  bought  a 
large  tract  of  land,  a  portion  of  which  he  developed  into  a  fine  farm 
and  homestead.  As  .stated,  he  laid  out  Paloma  on  his  property,  which 
also  included  more  than  half  a  section  adjoining  it  to  the  north.  It 
was  in  that  locality  that  Edward  J.  Gooding,  the  youngest  child  of 
Daniel,  was  born  sixty-two  years  ago,  and,  for  some  years,  he  has 
been  living  comfortably  in  the  village,  as  the  oldest  continuous  resi- 
dent of  the  township. 

Z.  Morton,  who  died  in  1917,  had  settled  about  sixty  years  before 
on  the  farm,  one  mile  north  of  Paloma,  which  had  been  his  lifelong 
residence.  His  six  sons  have  all  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  their 
father. 

In  1848  William  Booth  located  his  homestead  one  and  a  half  miles 
south  of  the  present  site  of  Paloma,  and  died  about  fourteen  years 
ago.  His  six  children  continued  to  reside  in  the  old  neighborhood 
and  are  now  among  the  oldest  settlers  of  the  township. 

Paloma  has  become  the  center  of  quite  an  extensive  trade  in  live 
stock,  grain  and  hay.  On  account  of  the  large  quantities  of  cucumbers 
which  are  raised  in  the  neighborhood  and  pickled  there,  it  has  often 
been  dubbed  Pickle  Station  or  Pickleville. 

The  Paloma  Exchange  Bank,  which  is  a  branch  of  the  People's 
Bank  of  Camp  Point,  was  opened  in  1909.  M.  W.  Callahan  is  its  presi- 
dent and  H.  G.  Henry  cashier. 

The  Paloma  Lumber  Company  handles  a  full  line  of  building 
materials  under  the  management  of  J.  E.  Lohr.  The  large  live  stock 
shippers  are  represented  by  "Willis  Cook  and  C.  C.  Lawless,  and  the 
dealers  in  hay  and  grain  by  J.  E.  Lohr  and  J.  H.  Lummis.  The  latter 
have  done  business  in  those  lines  for  the  past  eighteen  years. 

As  to  her  public  utilities,  it  may  be  said  that  Paloma  organized  an 
electric  light  company  in  1916,  and  put  in  a  plant  with  storage.  The 
water  for  domestic  consumption  is  drawn  from  sanitary  wells. 

The  Paloma  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  the  only  local  religious 
body,  was  originally  organized  at  Richland  schoolhouse,  one  mile  south 
of  town,  in  1851.  Seven  j-ears  later  the  headquarters  of  the  organi- 
zation were  transferred  to  the  present  site  of  Paloma,  where  a  house 
of  wor.ship  was  built  and  dedicated  by  Peter  Cartwright.  The  society, 
now  a  thriving  station,  is  in  charge  of  Rev.  Otis  L.  Monson. 

Fall  Creek  Township 

This  section  of  the  county  borders  the  Mississippi,  in  the  extreme 
southwest,  and  is  broken  by  Mill,  Fall  and  Ashton  Creeks,  which  cut 
through  the  limestone  bluffs  bordering  the  parent  river.  Fall  Creek, 
from  which  the  township  derives  its  name,  meanders  through  the 
southern  sections  of  the  to-miship  from  east  to  west,  and  is  so  called 
from  a  considerable  cascade  or  waterfall  which  is  a  feature  of  its 
course  in  that  section  of  the  county.    Mill  Creek,  the  largest  of  the 


QULNCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  6M 

streams,  cwts  across  the  northwest  corner  of  the  township,  and  \\ii> 
so  named  because  of  tlie  pioneer  sawmill  huilt  upon  its  banks  in  1824 
by  Amos  Bancroft,  Daniel  Jloore  and  Rial  Crandall. 

JIARBLEHE.U)  AND   FaLL  CrEEK 

At  one  time  ilarblchead,  on  ^lill  Cretk  mar  the  northern  town- 
ship line,  gave  promise  of  becoming  quite  a  village.  It  was  laid  out 
in  1835  by  Michael  Mast,  John  CotTinan  and  Stephen  Thomas  in  the 
center  of  section  5.  Mr.  Mast  erected  a  large  store  and  stocked  it  with 
general  goods,  and  as  the  saw  and  grist  mill  on  Mill  Creek  did  con- 
siderable business  for  a  number  of  years,  he  realized  a  good  trade 
from  its  customers,  as  well  as  from  the  settled  farmers.  As  late  as 
1850  a  large  steam  ferry  plied  between  a  point  opposite  Marblehcad 
and  Marion  City,  Missouri  (now  extinct),  which  also  attracted  emi- 
grants to  the  Illinois  country  and  tended  to  support  Mr.  Ma.st's  store. 
But  gradually  the  trade  fell  away,  the  coming  of  the  Quincy,  Alton 
&  St.  Louis  Railroad  completely  changed  conditions,  and  Marblehead 
has  shrunken  to  a  little  collection  of  buildings  grouped  aroiuid  the 
plant  of  the  ^larblehead  Lime  Company.  It  is  a  station  on  the  Louis- 
iana branch  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad. 

Fall  Creek,  also  a  station  on  that  line  and  on  the  stream  men- 
tioned, ships  some  live  stock  and  farm  produce. 

Lima  Township  and  Village 

In  the  northwestern  portion  of  the  county  is  the  little  village  of 
Lima,  in  the  township  by  that  name  two  miles  ea.st  of  Lima  Lake.  It 
is  also  about  a  mile  and  a  half  .south  of  the  Hancock  County  line. 

The  first  settlement  in  the  township  was  made  by  Joseph  Ilarkncss 
in  1828,  and  soon  afterward  he  erected  a  log  house  about  two  miles 
northwest  of  the  present  village.  The  daughter  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Harkness  was  the  first  native  of  the  township.  The  Orrs — AVilliam. 
Grayson  and  Dr.  Joseph — were  all  prominent  in  the  early  development 
of  the  country.  Grayson  Orr  made  the  first  brick,  William  ojicratcd 
the  first  mill,  and  Dr.  Joseph  Orr  built  the  first  store  in  town,  soon 
after  it  was  platted  in  1833.  The  Doctor  is  also  said  to  iiave  named 
the  settlement  Lima,  in  compliment  to  a  Peruvian  visitor,  who  had 
declared  that  nowhere  outside  his  home  cajjital  had  he  seen  more 
beautiful  women  than  those  whom  he  had  met  in  this  region  of  Adams 
County. 

Lima  is  the  center  of  a  rich  district  productive  of  corn,  wheat, 
oats  and  fruit.  Along  the  creeks,  in  the  earlier  times,  it  was  thickly 
timbered.  It  has  a  number  of  stores  and  the  State  Bank  of  Lima 
bears  witness  to  its  importance  as  a  center  of  trade  and  exchange.  It 
was  opened  in  1910,  and  has  a  capital  of  !|;25,(100.  surplus  of  $2,500. 
and  average  deposits  of  nearly  .$150,000.  A.  B.  Lceper  is  president 
and  E.  F.  Jacobs  cashier. 


634  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Liberty 

Liberty  is  a  substantial  rural  village  in  the  southern  part  of.  the 
county,  and  this  despite  the  fact  that  it  has,  as  yet,  been  without  the 
stimulating  effects  of  railroad  communication.  It  has  about  a  dozen 
stores,  several  garages,  a  coal  and  wood  yard,  a  feed  mill,  a  bank 
and  a  newspaper.  The  last  named,  the  Liberty  Bee,  was  established 
in  October,  1912,  by  its  present  owner  and  editor,  W.  A.  Robinson. 
The  Farmers '  State  Bank  was  organized  in  1903.  The  village  school- 
house  was  erected  in  1887.  Liberty  supports  four  churches,  as  fol- 
lows: Tlie  Lutheran,  Rev.  M.  P.  Mortensen ;  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Rev.  C.  0.  Stutsman;  the  Catholic  (St.  Bridget's),  Rev.  Father  VoU- 
brecht ;  and  the  Presbyterian,  now  without  a  pastor.  The  town  is  also 
represented  in  the  lodge  world  by  the  Ma.sons,  Odd  Fellows,  Modern 
Woodmen  and  Royal  Neighbors.  The  Odd  Fellows  organized  in  1860 
and  the  Masons  in  1863.  In  order  to  bring  the  record  of  its  activities 
strictly  up  to  date,  it  may  be  added  that  S.  G.  Lawless,  a  leading  and 
active  citizen  of  Liberty,  is  chairman  of  the  local  exemption  board 
wliich  meets  in  that  place. 

The  fiist  village  in  the  township  was  established  by  the  Mormons 
in  1830,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  southeast  of  the  present  site  of  Lib- 
erty. It  was  called  Montgomery'.  A  postoffice  was  established  at 
Liberty  in  1834,  and  in  1850  it  was  platted  by  Paris  T.  Judy. 

Liberty  High  School 

In  1852,  the  first  Liberty  Sehoolhouse  was  built  on  the  site  where 
Pond  Brothers  general  store  is  located.  Tlie  building  was  a  one- 
story  building,  built  of  brick  manufactured  on  the  C.  A.  Wagner 
farm  one-half  mile  south  of  the  village.  W.  H.  Odell  was  the  tii-st 
teacher. 

After  fourteen  years  of  service,  the  brick  school  building  was  too 
small  for  the  rapidly  increasing  population  of  the  Village  of  Liberty. 
Ambrose  Dudley  deeded  to  the  school  trustees  the  block  on  the  north 
side  of  Dudley  Street,  so  long  as  it  should  be  used  for  school  pur- 
poses. P.  H.  Mercer  planted  the  shade  trees  on  the  play  ground  and 
around  the  block.  The  second  school  house  was  built  in  the  summer 
of  1866. 

In  1885  the  patrons  again  saw  the  needs  of  a  large  school  building 
and  purchased  the  one-half  block  where  the  present  high  school 
stands.  The  building  was  erected  during  the  summer  of  1887. 

The  first  brick  sehoolhouse  has  been  razed  and  the  second  building 
was  sold  to  0.  H.  Collins  and  is  now  used  as  a  warehouse  by  the 
Pond  Brothers  general  store. 

For  many  years  the  school  taught  only  tlie  rudiments  of  the 
country  school,  but  it  has  had  a  gradual  growth.  For  a  few  years 
only  one  year's  high  school  work  was  taught.  Another  year's  work 
was  added  and  it  finallv  became  a  recognized  two-year  high  school. 


QriXCV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  635 

Its  curripiiluin  now  has  a  tlirei'-yi-ar  course  ami  the  seliool  is  classed 
as  a  recognized  three-year  hifrh  school.  The  work  done  and  the  eur- 
riculuni  have  heen  approved  by  the  state  superintendent  of  public 
instruction. 

The  following  is  a  partial  list  of  men  wIki  have  attended  Lilierty 
High  School  and  become  prominent:  P.  II.  Mercer,  representative 
in  Congress  from  Nebraska;  John  C.  liroady,  circuit  judge  of  the 
Eighth  Judicial  District;  W.  E.  Mercer,  physician  and  captain  in 
the  service  of  the  United  States  during  the  World  war;  Hay  Mercer, 
also  physician  and  captain  in  tiie  military  service  during  the  late 
war;  Floyd  ]\Iercer,  Christian  minister  and  prominent  banker  in  Cal- 
ifornia; Rolland  Wagner,  prominent  lawyer  at  Quiney,  representa- 
tive in  the  General  As.seml)ly,  1916-18,  and  recently  elected  for 
another  term;  R.  E.  Balzer,  prominent  druggist  in  Dakota;  L.  L. 
Boyer,  present  county  superintendent  of  iiighways  of  Adams  County; 
Dr.  Albert  Boren,  now  living  in  Taeoma,  Washintrton  ;  Nellie  Foster, 
prominent  in  musical  world,  and  Charles  E.  Boren,  a  prominent 
banker  in  Alton,  Illinois. 

The  teachers  of  the  school  in  1!)1H  were:  S.  Fred  Hall,  principal; 
Arivilla  Flick,  eighth  grade  and  assistant  in  the  high  school;  Mabel 
Sims,  fifth,  sixtii  and  seventh  grades,  and  Zeplia  Welton,  primary. 

Since  its  estal)lishment  the  Liberty  School  has  had  fifty-.seven 
teachers.  The  first  teacher  was  W.  H.  Odell :  the  last  principal  of 
the  school,  serving  when  this  history  was  written,  was  Fred  Hall,  a 
grandson  of  one  of  the  former  teachers. 

The  Board  of  Directors  for  1918.  and  the  body  to  whom  Liberty 
owes  more  to  the  advancement  of  her  school  than  any  other,  was: 
W.  A.  Robinson,  president,  (ieorge  Diehl,  clerk,  and  Steven  C. 
Lawless.  The  Board  has  fought  manfully  for  a  better  and  more  up- 
to-date  school,  and  it  is  its  endeavor  to  realize  a  complete  four-year 
high  school. 

Gilmer  Townsiiip  and  Fowler 

Gilmer,  one  of  the  central  townships  of  the  county,  was  named  in 
honor  of  Dr.  Thornton  Gilmer,  an  early  and  promii  ent  settler.  It 
was  organized  in  IS.'iO.  The  first  settlements  were  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  township  as  early  as  1829. 

The  little  hamlet  of  Fowler  is  on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quiney 
Railroad,  which  passes  through  the  northwest  corner  of  the  town.ship. 
The  eighty  acres  on  which  it  is  platted,  on  the  .southwest  quarter  of 
section  6,  was  purchased  from  Doctor  Gilmer  by  Edward  Fowler,  of 
Mendon.  Illinois.  The  Village  of  Fowler  was  laid  out  in  August,  18r)6, 
by  Henn-  Brenner,  father  of  Dr.  Theodore  Brenner  of  Quiney,  and  his 
son,  Edward,  was  the  first  child  born  in  the  village.  The  Evangelical 
Lutheran  St.  Paul's  Church  was  organized  in  September.  1862,  and 
built  a  .small  house  of  worship  in  the  east  part  of  the  village.  The 
German  Metho<lists  and  the  United  Brethren  afterward  organized  and 


636  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

erected  meeting  houses,  the  former  in  1868.    Fowler  has  now  a  few 
stores,  a  good  village  school,  and  other  evidences  of  a  modest  rural  life. 

The  Old  Thompson  Settlement 

There  are  also  a  number  of  other  points  in  the  county,  some  of 
which  have  almost  faded  away  and  several  quite  disappeared  from 
the  face  of  the  earth,  but  of  which  a  record  should  be  made  as  of  items 
in  past  history. 

The  Thompson  settlement  in  Honey  Creek  and  Mendon  townships 
was  famous  in  the  '30s,  as  Enos,  its  patriarch  and  the  eldest  of  the 
three  brothers  who  gave  their  names  to  it  was  widely  known  through- 
out western  Illinois  as  an  indefatigable  worker  for  Methodism.  Their 
descendants  were  prolific  and  kept  the  name  alive  long  after  the  set- 
tlement had  been  blotted  out. 

Old  and  New  Ursa 

Old  Ursa  was  also  established  as  a  postoffice  on  section  25,  in  Ursa 
Township,  David  Campbell  having  built  a  mill  there  for  the  grinding 
of  wheat  and  corn.  That  was  about  1830.  Although  it  became  a 
settlement  of  some  pretensions,  it  was  never  organized  as  a  village, 
that  distinction  remaining  for  New  Ursa,  or  plain  Ursa,  founded  in 
1875  less  than  a  mile  north.  With  the  coming  of  the  railroad  (the 
Chicago.  Burlington  &  Quincy)  there  was  a  wholesale  exodus  to  the 
new  town. 

Meecelline 

In  1842  the  Village  of  Mereelline  was  laid  out  by  S.  M.  Jenkins, 
three  miles  north  of  Ursa,  on  section  31.  Additions  were  afterward 
made  to  the  original  plat,  but  the  place  never  attained  substantial 
growth. 

Columbus 

The  small  cluster  of  buildings,  partly  in  Columbus  and  partly  in 
Gilmer  Township,  very  near  the  geographical  center  of  Adams  County, 
is  a  relic  of  blighted  hopes — not  exactly  of  departed  greatness,  but 
of  political  and  corporate  ambitions  nipped  in  the  bud.  The  exact 
center  of  the  county  was  the  settlement  of  Gilmer,  a  mile  west  of 
Columbus,  but  as  the  former  was  in  the  Military  Tract,  and  the  east- 
ern owners  of  its  site  could  not  be  reached  for  purposes  of  purchase, 
the  advocates  of  fixing  the  county  seat  in  the  geographical  center  of 
the  county  compromised  on  Columbus  as  being  the  nearest  they  could 
come  to  it,  under  the  circumstances. 

While  the  county  seat  contest  was  in  doubt,  from  1841  to  1848, 
Columbus  grew  quite  steadily  and  became  quite  a  village.     It  had  a 


QUIXCV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTV  637 

newspaper,  the  Columbus  Advocate,  edited  by  Iv  Ferry,  a  lawyir  and 
a»  earnest  supporter  of  tlie  town  in  all  its  pretensions  and  ainliitions; 
a  number  of  stores  and  wagon  faitorics  were  establislied ;  a  wool  eard- 
ing  machine  was  placed  in  operation,  and  several  churches  flourished. 
In  the  nortliern  part  of  the  township  a  steam  prist  and  saw  mill  was 
built  and  operated.  At  one  time  it  was  owned  by  the  ilormous,  who 
thought  so  well  of  the  country  that  they  contemplated  starting  a  town 
in  that  locality.  A  rather  sweeping  tire  in  1S47  and  tiie  final  loss  of 
the  county  scat  contest  in  the  following  year  dealt  Columbus  a  blow 
from  which  it  never  recovered.  At  the  present  time  the  settlement 
comprises  two  stores  and  a  few  other  buiidinss.  The  Metiiodist 
Church,  the  pastor  of  which  is  Rev.  C.  R.  Underwood,  was  organized 
in  the  early  '40s.  The  Disciples  of  Christ  were  the  first  to  erect  a 
house  of  worship  at  Colum))Us,  in  1836.  From  an  early  day  there 
have  been  lodges  of  Jlasons  and  Odd  Fellows  in  the  neighborhood. 

Blktox  Township  and  Its  Vill.vges 

Burton  Township  is  in  the  second  tier  both  from  the  west  and  the 
south.  Although  the  villages  of  Burton  and  Xewton  were  located  in 
the  '3()s,  when  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  was  built  tiirough  the 
southern  part  of  the  county,  it  coolly  passed  south  of  them. 

Burton  was  platted  by  Elijah  JI.  King  in  1836,  on  the  southwest 
quarter  of  section  7.  Paris  T.  Judy  kept  the  first  store.  The  village 
school  was  established  about  1847.  The  Free  Will  Baptists  organized 
the  first  church  at  Burton. 

At  Xewtown.  the  Presbyterians  founded  a  church  .soon  after  tiie 
village  was  laid  out,  in  1839.    Rev.  Thomas  Cole  was  its  first  minister. 

Houston  Township 

Neither  has  Houston  Township  been  fortunate  in  the  planting  of 
villages  within  its  limits.  In  1839  Henry  A.  Cyrus  and  Levi  T.  Ben- 
ton laid  out  a  town  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  34  and  named 
it  in  honor  of  Sam  Houston  of  Texas.  But  the  town  was  a  complete 
failure  except  that  it  gave  the  township  a  good  name  when  it  was 
organized  in  April,  184il. 

The  first  school  in  the  township  was  held  at  Glenwood,  on  Section 
16,  and  the  first  church  was  built  at  York  Neck,  section  33. 

Beverly  Township  and  Its  Viluvges 

Beverly  Township,  the  .southeastern most  corner  of  the  county, 
comprises  two  settlements  or  rural  communities,  both  of  whicii  were  at 
one  time  postoffices.  Beverly  postoffice  was  established  in  1837,  with 
John  B.  Robert.son  as  postmaster.  He  held  the  office  for  a  period  of 
forty  years.  The  first  schoolhouse  was  erected  in  1837,  and  a  few 
vears  afterward  was  destroved  bv  a  tornado.     In  18.j6  the  Village 


638  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  Beverly  was  laid  out  on  section  21  by  a  company  composed  of  Jlr. 
Kobertson,  William  Raymond,  Charles  "W.  Billington,  Samuel  Rey- 
nolds and  Archibald  Williams. 

The  Village  of  Kingston  (Fairweather  postoffice)  is  of  later  date. 
Its  natural  situation,  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  township,  is  good. 

Ellington  Township  and  BLOOMPrELD 

Bloomfield  is  the  onlj-  village  worthy  of  the  name  in  Ellington 
Township,  which  contains,  of  course,  a  portion  of  the  City  of  Quincy. 
Situated  ten  miles  northeast  of  the  county  seat,  it  was  platted,  about 
1837,  by  Ansel  Clarkson,  and  for  some  j'ears  its  future  seemed  prom- 
ising. A  number  of  large  stores  were  erected,  a  wagon  factory  estab- 
lished and  its  prospects  looked  upward.  But  the  factory  proved  a 
bad  venture,  and  the  year  1861  marked  a  steady  decline  in  the  life  of 
Bloomfield.  But  although  the  village  almost  faded  away,  the  town- 
ship as  a  whole  has  been  settled  by  a  thrifty  and  prosperous  people, 
and  productive  and  attractive  farms,  as  well  as  neat  sehoolhouses  and 
churches,  bear  witnes.s  to  their  comfortable  and  rounded  lives. 

^IcKee  Township  and  Kellerville 

IMcKee  Townshiji  takes  its  name  from  the  tine  creek  which  passes 
through  it  in  a  southeasterly  direction.  Its  history  is  also  a  record  of 
comparative  failure  in  the  establishment  of  centers  or  concentrations 
of  population.  Bowling  Green,  on  section  7,  passed  away  before  the 
"SOs,  and  in  1853  Old  Slab  Town  was  rechristened  Spring  Valley. 
But  the  change  of  name  did  not  save  it  from  ruin,  when  the  Civil 
war  called  away  the  proprietor  of  its  carding,  grist  and  saw  mill, 
upon  which  Spring  Valley  depended  for  its  life.  In  1865  the  Towti 
of  llagnolia  was  started,  but  is  said  to  have  been  killed  by  a  bad 
whiskey  establishment.  In  1869  Hickory  Corner  rose  and  fell.  Then 
Payton  was  born  and  was  finally  developed  into  Kellerville,  in  the 
northeastern  corner  of  the  township,  where  it  still  modestlj^  rests. 

Richfield  Village 

The  Village  of  Richfield,  in  the  township  by  that  name,  about  four 
miles  north  of  the  county  line,  was  never  incorporated,  although 
platted  in  1842.  The  first  store  in  the  place  was  built  by  Nahma 
Tyler  about  1845.  Richfield  was  never  a  leader — did  not,  in  fact, 
aspire  to  be  one — among  the  villages  of  the  county. 

There  may  have  been  others,  but  probably  none  which  will  be  crit- 
ically missed  by  the  present-day  historian  of  Adams  County. 

Melrose  and  Concord  Townships 

Melrose  Township,  immediately  east  and  south  of  the  City  of 
Quincy,  is  one  of  the  oldest  sections  of  Adams  County  in  point  of 


Qrixcv  AXF)  AMAMs  (orxTV  cm 

settlement,  and  althoiigli  its  surfaee  is  imu-li  broken  by  Mill  Creek 
ami  its  l)ranohes,  its  soil  is  rich  anil  higrlily  improved  farms  are  the 
rule.  When  Asa  Tyrcr  brought  his  family  fi-om  Louisiana,  Illinois, 
and  settled  on  seetion  12,  in  the  spring  of  1821,  there  were  only  two 
other  resident  white  families  in  Ailams  County.  He  visited  the  site 
of  C^uincy,  but  passed  it  over  as  less  promising  than  the  seetion  in 
which  he  located  two  quarter  sections  on  soldier's  warrants,  David 
Shaiv,  Perry  Alexander,  Abadiah  Waddell,  Jacob  Wagner,  Abigail 
I'arsons  and  Nathaniel  Sommers  settled  in  Melrose  Township  previous 
to  1830.  The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  on  section  35  in  the  summer 
of  1S33,  almost  coincident  with  the  organization  of  the  first  religious 
.society  by  the  Methodists  on  Little  .Mill  Creek.  Melrose  E])iscopal 
Church  was  founded  about  the  same  time  at  the  house  of  Rev.  Samuel 
Griggs,  on  Xorth  Mill  Creek,  under  the  ministrations  of  the  cele- 
brated I'eter  Cartwriglit.  In  183.')  the  society  built  the  little  log  liouse 
near  Dyer's  Spring,  now  known  as  Coe's  Springs.  The  German 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  184.")  and  in  18.50 
erected  Zion's  Chapel  in  section  22.  Although  the  township  lia.s  a 
preponderance  of  the  German  element,  many  of  its  early  settlers 
were  from  ilassachusetts.  anil  (|uite  a  colony  came  from  Melrose.  In 
1849  at  a  public  meeting  held  in  Xathaniel  Pease's  house  a  majority 
of  its  citizens  voted  in  favor  of  giving  the  township  tlie  name  of  the 
Massachusetts  town.  At  the  first  election  tinder  tlie  township  organi- 
zation law,  held  in  April,  1850,  the  following  officers  were  elected: 
Supervisor,  Stephen  Safford ;  assessor,  Cornelius  L.  Demaree :  elerk, 
X'athaniel  Pease;  collector,  Jeremiah  Parsons;  justices  of  the  peace, 
Gilead  Bartholomew  and  Amos  Bancroft;  overseer  of  the  poor,  Albert 
A.  Humphrey ;  constable,  Oliver  Waddell. 

Concord  Townshiji  was  organized  at  the  s{)ring  election  of  1850 
with  the  following  olficers:  Supervisor,  Edward  Sharp;  clerk,  Wil- 
liam Hobbs;  as.ses.sor,  David  Hobbs;  collector,  Shannon  W^allaee.  The 
first  settlements,  in  the  early  '.SOs,  were  made  by  John  Wells.  John 
Ausmus,  H.  Bennett  and  Elijah  Elli.son.  William  Hobbs  taught  the 
first  school,  a  house  for  which  was  built  on  seetion  4  in  1835.  The 
pioneer  minister  was  a  Methodist,  Rex.  Granville  Bond.  The  first 
house  of  worship,  erected  by  the  Lutherans,  was  built  in  1S60  on 
seetion  30.  The  German  Lutheran  Society  was  organized  in  1862 
by  Henry  Lessinan,  Christ  \'ollbracht  and  Frank  Ke.stner,  with  their 
families,  and  Rev.  B.  Burfeind  was  its  pastor. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATIONS  AND   HISTORIES 

AVhy  Adams  County  Could  Appropriately  Celebrate  — County 
Centennial  Commission  Formed — Celebrations  in  the  County 
— Liberty  Township  Centennial  Picnic — Ellington,  Burton, 
Mendon,  Richfield,  Golden,  Camp  Point,  Payson,  Houston, 
Columbus,  Gilmer,  Honey  Creek,  Concord,  Melrose  and  Fall 
Creek  Townships — Centennial  History  of  Liberty  Township 
(By  W.  a.  Robinson,  Historian) — History  of  Burton  Town- 
ship (Contributed) — History  of  Richfield  Township  (Con- 
tributed)— Honey  Creek  Township  (By  W.  S.  Gray). 

lu  1918  the  different  townships  of  Adams  County,  through  their 
specified  chairmen,  or  historians,  prepared  quite  complete  centennial 
histories,  which  were  read  at  the  celebrations  of  that  year.  As  much 
of  this  material  as  was  presented  in  manuscript  form,  and  could  be 
obtained  for  this  work,  is  here  reproduced.  Although  some  repeti- 
tions in  subject  matter  already  published  may  be  noted,  the  town- 
ship histories  thus  prepared  are  more  complete  than  any  which  have 
heretofore  been  offered,  and  are  therefore  published  in  this  chapter. 

Why  Adams  County  Could  Appropriately  Celebrate 

It  was  not  the  good  fortune  of  any  citizen  of  Adams  County  to 
have  any  part  in  the  formation  of  the  State  of  Illinois  or  in  the 
adoption  of  its  first  constitution,  for  at  that  time  so  far  as  history 
informs  us  no  white  man  had  ever  set  his  foot  on  the  soil  now  com- 
prised in  the  territory  of  Adams  County.  It  was  not  until  the  spring 
of  the  following  year  (1819)  that  the  first  white  man,  Willard  Keyes, 
who  afterwards  became  a  prominent  citizen  of  the  county,  while 
floating  down  the  Mississippi  River  in  his  rude  bark  first  gazed  upon 
the  bluff  where  the  City  of  Quincy,  the  county  seat  of  Adams  County, 
is  now  located. 

However,  the  citizens  of  Adams  County  could  very  appropriately 
celebrate  the  centennial  of  the  state  for  soon  after  its  admission  into 
the  Union,  Adams  County  was  rapidly  settled  and  furnished  two 
governors,  namely  John  Carlin  and  John  Wood. 

Another  reason  why  Adams  County  should  enthusiastically  cele- 
brate the  centennial  was  because  it  was  Honorable  C.  S.  Hearne,  the 

640 


QUIN'CY  AM)  ADAMS  COUNT V 


641 


senator  from  the  district  of  whii-li  Adams  County  comprised  a  part, 
who  offered  the  resolution  in  the  State  Lejrishiture,  in  the  winter  of 
1915,  providing  for  the  appoiutnicnt  of  the  Centennial  Commission, 
and  Mr.  Ilearne,  himself,  was  a  member  of  that  commission  up  to 
the  date  of  his  death. 

County  Centenniai,  Com.mission  Foumep 

At  the  request  of  this  State  Centennial  Commission  a  meeting  of 
the  county  and  city  officials  was  held  in  the  nioiitli  of  Fehruary,  1917, 
for  the  purpose  of  arranginrr  for  an  organization  in  Adams  County 
to  celebrate  the  centennial,  and  at  this  meeting  it  was  decided  to  call 
a  ma.ss  meeting  in  the  early  part  t)f  March  when  the  supervisors  of 
the  county  would  be  in  session. 

Accordingly  on  the  sixth  day  of  March,  1917,  a  mass  meeting  was 
held  in  the  Circuit  courtroom.  Qnincy,  of  which  Judge  Lyman 
McCarl  was  chosen  as  chairman  and  J.  L.  Adair,  state's  attorney, 
secretary.  A  committee  comprising  J.  II.  Steiner,  county  superin- 
tendent of  schools,  and  J.  L.  Adair,  was  api)<)int<>d  to  prepare  and 
report  a  constitution  and  by-laws  for  the  organi/atioii. 

The  Honorable  M.  J.  Daugherty,  of  Galesburg,  a  member  of  the 
State  Centennial  Commission,  was  present  and  addre.ssed  the  meeting, 
explaining  the  object  and  scope  of  the  celebration. 

After  this  address  the  committee  on  constitution  and  by-laws 
reported  the  following  constitution  aTul  by-laws,  which  were  adopted: 

Constitution 

Article  I  The  name  of  this  organization  shall  be  Adams  County 
Centennial   Association. 

Article  II  Any  citizeii  of  Adams  County  interested  in  the  ob.ieets 
of  the  As.sociation  may  become  a  member  thereof. 

Article  HI  The  officers  of  this  As.sociation  shall  consist  of  a  presi- 
dent, vice  president,  secretary  and  treasurer,  al.so  an 
honorary  vice  president  from  each  township. 

Article  IV  The  officers  and  as  many  others  as  they  may  choose 
shall  constitute  an  executive  connnittee  to  have 
charge  of  the  affairs  of  the  Association  when  not  in 
session. 

Article  V  The  officers  shall  hold  office  for  one  year  and  until  their 
.successors  are  elected  and  (pialifieil,  and  shall  have 
power  to  fill  all  vacancies. 

By-L.\ws 

The  annual  meeting  shall  be  held  on  the  first  Thursday 

of  March  each  year. 
Special    meetings   may   be  called   at   any   time   by   the 

I'resident  or  a  ma.jority  of  the  officei-s. 
The   e.vecutive   committee  shall   meet   as   it    may   here- 
after determine. 


Article  I 
Article  II 

Article  1 1 1 

Vol  I— «i 


642  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

It  was  resolved  that  the  matter  of  selection  of  the  officers  be 
referred  to  the  county  officials,  who  met  on  March  21,  1917,  and  chose 
George  Gabriel,  former  superintendent  of  schools  of  the  City  of 
Quincy,  president ;  Judge  Lj'man  McCarl,  vice  president ;  Joseph 
L.  Thomas,  secretary,  and  Major  J.  E.  Adams,  treasurer.  Soon  after 
this  meeting  the  country  was  drawn  into  the  World  war  and  no  more 
meetings  were  held  until  November  5,  1917, 

On  the  latter  date  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  Hotel  Quincy  to 
meet  Horace  Bancroft,  of  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  a  member  of  the 
State  Centennial  Commission,  who  was  present  and  addressed  the 
meeting  and  requested  that  delegates  be  appointed  to  a  meeting 
of  the  Centennial  Commission  to  be  held  at  Springfield  on  December 
3.  1917.  Judge  S.  B.  ^Montgomery.  Major  J.  E.  Adams,  J.  L.  Thomas 
and  Judge  Lyman  McCarl  were  appointed  delegates  to  the  meeting. 
George  Gabriel  presented  his  resignation  as  president  and  stated 
on  account  of  his  arduous  duties  as  a  member  of  the  Exemption 
Board  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  serve  in  that  capacity.  The 
resignation  was  accepted  and  on  November  30,  1917,  Judge  S.  B. 
Montgomery  was  chosen  to  succeed  him. 

On  December  3,  1917,  Judge  S.  B.  Montgomery,  Judge  Lyman 
McCarl  and  the  secretary,  Joseph  L.  Thomas,  attended  the  state 
meeting  of  the  Centennial  Connnission  at  Springfield,  and  reported 
a  very  interesting  session.  The  next  meeting  was  held  on  January 
22,  1918,  when  the  officers  reported  that  they  had  selected  an  execu- 
tive committee  consisting  of  the  officers  of  the  County  Commission 
and  the  following  persons:  Mayor  J.  A.  Thompson,  John  H.  Steiner, 
Joseph  W.  Emery,  Trmnan  T.  Pierson,  David  F.  Wilcox,  William  A. 
Richardson,  William  A.  Jackson,  William  A.  Fifer,  Mrs.  E.  J. 
Parker,  Mrs.  0.  G.  Mull,  Mrs.  0.  F.  Schullian,  Mrs.  T.  D.  Woodruff, 
Mrs.  Robert  B.  White,  Mrs.  A.  S.  Ellis  and  ^liss  Julia  Sibley. 

Judge  Lyman  McCarl  outlined  the  aims,  plans  and  possibilities 
of  the  Centennial  Celebration,  as  he  had  done  in  an  address  at  the 
meeting  at  Spi'ingfield.  A  committee  consisting  of  Judge  McCarl, 
J.  H.  Steiner,  and  J.  L.  Thomas  was  appointed  to  recommend  names 
of  vice  presidents  in  each  township,  as  provided  in  the  constitution. 
Messrs.  Steiner,  McCarl  and  Wilcox  were  named  a  committee  to 
confer  with  Superintendent  Gill,  of  the  public  schools,  with  refer- 
ence to  the  Lincoln  Birthday  Celebration  in  the  schools  and  to  have 
attention  called  to  the  Centennial  Celebration  in  connection  therewith. 
Judge  S.  B.  Motgomory,  J.  IT.  Steiner,  Judge  Lyman  McCarl,  Mrs. 
A.  S.  Ellis,  Mrs.  T.  D.  AVoodruff  and  David  F.  Wilcox  were  appointed 
on  committees,  and  instructed  to  report  such  organizations  as  they 
deemed  advisable  to  carry  on  the  work  at  an  adjourned  meeting  on 
the  first  Monday  in  February. 

On  February  4,  1918,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce at  which  the  following  committees  were  reported :  on  Finance, 
Churches,  Fraternal  Societies,  History,  Schools,  County  Organiza- 
tion, Fall  Celebration  and  Publicity. 


t.iriNCV   AM)  ADA.MS  corXTY  G4:{ 

Thereupon  the  president  iiiipoiiited  as  chairniaii  of  the  various 
eoniiiiittees  the  follow  iiii;  named  persons:  Finanee,  James  K.  Adams ; 
Churches,  Mis.  T.  I).  WoodnilT;  Fraternal  Societies,  Truman  T.  Tier- 
son;  History,  William  A.  Richardson:  Schools.  John  II.  Steiner; 
County  Organizations.  Lyman  McCarl ;  Fall  Celebrafinn.  \V.  A. 
Fifer;  and  Publicity,  William   A.  Jackson. 

From  this  time  on  the  celebration  naturally  fell  into  three  divi- 
sions which  will  be  treated  as  follows:  Celebrations  in  the  county; 
the  presentation  of  the  Pafreant  of  Illinois,  and  the  celebrations  in 
the  City  of  Quincy. 

Celebrations  in  the  Coi-nty 

The  celebrations  in  the  county  consisted  larpel.v  of  appropriate 
exercises  in  the  public  schools,  one  meeting,  also,  in  each  lod^e. 
and  a  collection  of  the  names  of  the  soldiers  who  had  served  in  the 
War  of  1861,  in  the  Spanish-American  war  and  who  were  then  in 
the  World  war.  Judpre  Lyman  McCarl  was  chairman  of  the  organi- 
zation  of  the  county  outside  of  the  City  of  Quinc.v. 

At  a  meetinpr  of  the  Tcaehers"  Association  held  in  Quincy  on 
February  14  and  li>,  IHIS,  Judgre  Lyman  McCarl  appeared  before 
the  teachers  of  that  association  on  the  latter  day ;  explained  to  them 
the  scope  and  plan  of  the  celebration  of  the  schools,  and  ref|uested 
that  each  teaeher  take  the  matter  uj)  with  the  directors  in  her  district 
and  provide  for  a  celebration  in  her  school.  This  was  lar^'cl.v  done, 
some  of  the  schools  holding  the  celebration  in  the  spring  and  others 
in  the  fall. 

Early  in  April  a  letter  was  sent  to  each  vice  president  in  the 
township  requesting  that  a  chairman  be  appointed  of  schools,  of 
churches,  of  lodges,  and  of  collection  of  names  of  soldiers.  This  was 
done  in  many  of  the  townships.  Also  a  re(|uest  was  made  that  some 
picnic,  old  settlers'  meeting,  or  one  day  of  a  Chautau(|ua  that  had 
heretofore  been  held  in  the  villages  and  townships,  be  this  .vear  de- 
voted to  a  Centennial  celebration. 

LinERTv  TowNPiiir  Ckntfnniai,  Picnic 

The  first  one  of  these  Centennial  picnics  to  be  held  was  in  Liberty 
Township  on  August  9th.  The  churches  of  Liberty  bad  been  for 
more  than  fifty  years  last  past  holding  a  union  Sunday  School  jucnic. 
This  year  it  was  turned  into  a  centennial  celebration.  A  great  throng 
estimated  at  5.000  was  in  attendance.  Mrs.  Lillian  Brown  Inghram, 
of  Quincy,  a  most  acco!n;tlishe<l  singer  and  musician,  was  present 
and,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Adams  County  Home  Bureau,  led  in 
community  singing.  Addresses  were  made  b.v  Iloi-ai'C  II.  Bancroft, 
of  Jacksonville.  Illinois,  a  member  of  the  State  Centennial  Commis- 
sion, and  also  by  Hon.  William  Schlagenhauf.  A  history  of  the 
township    had    been    prepared    by    W.    A.    Robinson,    editor    of     the 


644  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

"Liberty  Bee,"  and  was  read  by  the  pastor  of  the  Lutheran  Cluirch. 
In  the  evening  the  "Masque  of  Illinois"  was  given  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Council  of  National  Defense,  which  will  be  referred  to  in 
another  part  of  this  history. 

Ellington  Township 

On  August  14th  a  celebration  was  held  in  Ellington  Township, 
T.  Will  Turner,  vice  president,  having  it  in  charge,  and  assisted  by 
the  other  members  of  the  committee — Miss  Elizabeth  Chase,  Mrs.  Jen- 
nie Long,  C.  T.  Sterne  and  John  Eraser.  An  address  was  given  by 
Samuel  Woods,  who  had  taught  school  in  that  township  when  a  young 
man,  and  many  interesting  reminiscences  were  referred  to  by  him. 
A  splendid  time  was  reported. 

Burton  Township 

On  the  same  day,  August  14th,  a  centennial  celebration  was  held 
in  Burton  Township,  at  the  Village  of  Adams.  This  meeting  was 
perhaps  the  best  and  most  methodically  arranged  of  any  held  in  the 
county.  H.  W.  Wheeler  had  prepared  a  history  of  the  lodges  of  the 
township ;  Mrs.  Henry  Lohse,  of  the  schools ;  Mrs.  Amelia  Tandy,  of 
the  churches;  and  James  B.  Cook,  of  the  soldiers,  which  were  read 
by  the  respective  authors.  The  picnic  was  held  on  the  school  grounds, 
and  in  the  school  building  was  a  collection  of  many  old  relies  and,  best 
of  all,  a  picture  of  each  boy,  at  that  time  in  the  service  was  exhibited. 
Mrs.  Lillian  Brown  Inghram  was  present,  and  led  in  the  community 
singing  in  her  usual  interesting  way.  Addresses  were  made  by  one 
of  the  local  pastors,  Judge  Lyman  McCarl  of  Quincy,  and  by  J.  L. 
Adair,  states  attorney,  who  was  the  orator  of  the  day.  A  very  ap]>c- 
tizing  cafeteria  lunch  was  served  in  the  evening. 

The  next  week  was  tlie  busiest  one  of  the  season.  On  August 
15  and  16,  1918.  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  Village  of  Clayton,  tliis 
usually  being  the  time  that  the  Old  Settlers'  meeting  was  held,  whicli 
this  year  was  turned  into  a  centennial  celebration,  but,  on  account  of 
there  being  so  many  celebrations,  a  small  crowd  was  pi-esent  on 
Thursday,  the  first  day :  wliile  on  the  second,  Friday,  a  record-bretik- 
ing  crowd  was  in  attendance.  Mrs.  Lillian  Brown  Inghram  was 
present  and  led  in  the  community  singing.  Addresses  were  made  by 
Horace  H.  Bancroft,  member  of  the  State  Centennial  Commission  : 
Judge  Lyman  McCarl  of  Quincy,  and  Mr.  Hoover,  president  of 
Carthage  College ;  also  by  an  Indian  cliief.  One  of  the  most  interest- 
ing attractions  was  a  booth  in  which  had  bei'n  co'lected  many  old 
historical  relics. 

Mendon 

For  many  years  the  Tri-State  County  Mutual  Life  Association 
had  been  holding  picnics  at  Mendon  on  the  third  Thursday  of  August. 


(^riNCY  AND  ADAMS  COINTV  645 

III  ini8  that  picnic  was  turned  into  a  Centennial  celcbratinii.  Aipio- 
priate  exercises  were  held,  a  history  of  the  townsliip  was  prepared 
and  read  by  Joseph  Frisbie.  editor  of  the  Mendon  Dispatch,  and 
vice  president  of  the  township.  Tlic  event  of  the  day  was  an  acUlress 
upon  the  war  given  by  John  E.  Wall  of  (jnincy.  In  the  evenin)r  the 
■■^lasque  of  Illinois'*  was  given,  which  will  Im?  referred  to  later.  It 
was  the  opinion  of  those  participating  that  the  largest  crowd  that  had 
ever  been  in  attendance  wa.s  present  on  this  day. 

Richfield 

On  the  same  day,  Thursday.  August  loth,  a  celebration  was  held 
in  Jlartin's  Grove,  Richfield  T()wnshi|).  This  was  a  special  one  for  the 
occasion,  and  A.  J.  Gamble,  vice  president  of  this  township,  deserves 
a  groat  deal  of  credit  for  the  efforts  made  in  holding  the  celebra- 
tion. Edward  Lutner,  Herman  Kill,  Earl  Rice,  Orville  Hess  and  W. 
J.  Gamble  had  been  appointed  on  a  coiiunittee  to  prepare  a  history 
of  the  township  and  arrange  for  this  celebration.  Mi"s.  Lillian  Hrown 
Inghram  led  the  community  singing  with  her  usual  ability.  Also 
there  was  a  solo  b.v  Margaret  McCarl  and  music  by  a  local  or- 
chestra. Addresses  were  made  hv  H.  E.  Schmiedeskamp,  Hon.  Wil- 
liam Schlagenhauf  and  Judge  Lyman  JlcC'arl.  The  latter  spoke 
very  feelingly,  as  this  was  his  old  township  and  many  of  his  friends 
were  present.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting  a  Red  Cross  sale  was  eon- 
ducted  by  George  Hendricks  of  Beverly  and  W.  F.  Smith,  county 
clerk,  as  auctioneers  which  netted  a  neat  sum  for  the  local  Red  Cross 
Society. 

Golden 

The  town  with  a  rich  name  celebrated  on  Saturday,  August  17, 
1918,  with  J.  H.  Paxton,  vice  president,  as  master  of  ceremonies.  A 
very  interesting  history  of  the  township  had  been  prepared  by  Ira 
Reynolds,  E.  :M.  Getting,  Prof.  C.  L.  Hawkins  and  Dr.  J.  F.  Ross 
which  was  read.  Music  was  furnished  by  a  band  of  young  girls 
dressed  in  khaki  from  Plymouth  :  also  by  a  (luartctte  of  young  ladies 
from  Clayton  who  sang  very  sweetly  and  entertainingly.  Mis.  In- 
ghram was  also  present  and  led  the  community  singing  in  her  match- 
less way.  John  E.  Wall  was  tlie  orator  of  the  day,  and  lie  made  a  state- 
ment on  that  occasion  that  attracted  much  attention;  and  that  was 
that  "he  believed  that  the  World  war  would  be  over  in  this  Centennial 
Year."  ilany  hoped  that  his  prediction  would  come  true,  but  few 
could  believe  it  would  be  so;  yet  recent  event.s  have  proved  the  cor- 
rectness of  his  prophecy.  Judge  Lyman  McCarl  spoke  briefly  on  the 
Centennial  and  in  the  evening  the  ".Mastpie  of  Illinois"  was  given, 
which  will  be  treated  in  detail  in  another  chapter. 


646  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Camp  Point  Township 

The  week  beginning  Sunday,  August  18th,  was  devoted  to  the 
Annual  Chautuaqua.  Monday  was  given  over  to  the  Centennial  cel- 
ebration. George  W.  Cyrus,  .the  veteran  editor  of  the  Camp  Point 
Journal,  was  made  vice  president  of  this  township,  and  to  him  was 
allotted  the  task  of  preparing  a  history  of  the  township.  In  the 
evening  Hugh  S.  Magill,  director  of  the  Centennial  celebration,  was 
present  and  delivered  what  was  perhaps  the  ablest  address  given  iu 
the  county  on  the  Centennial  of  Illinois. 

Payson  Tovtnship 

Mrs.  II.  F.  Scarborough  was  appointed  vice  president  of  Payson 
Township.  She  selected  some  very  able  assistants  and  had  prepared 
one  of  the  completest  histories  of  any  township  in  the  county.  Pay- 
son  Township  has  been  celebrating  for  years  "Old  Settlers"  Meet- 
ing'' on  the  fourth  Thursday  in  August,  and  this  year  extra  efforts 
were  made  to  entertain  the  people.  Henry  M.  Seymour,  with  his 
usual  genei'osity,  liad  erected  a  new  band  stand  in  the  public  park. 
George  Jlahan,  one  of  the  ablest  speakers  in  Eastern  Missouri,  was 
the  orator  of  the  day.  The  day  opened  beautiful,  and  by  two  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  every  available  standing  space  in  the  public  park  was 
occupied.  The  Red  Cross  Society  served  a  delightful  chicken  dinner 
and  supper.  Tlie  history  of  the  township  was  read  by  Reverend 
Brown  and  was  thoroughly  enjoyed  by  the  old  settlers.  In  the  eve- 
ning the  "Masque  of  Illinois"  was  to  be  given  and,  after  the  crowd 
had  assembled  and  the  curtain  had  been  raised,  a  terrific  rainstorm 
swept  over  the  village  and  sent  the  crowd  hurriedly  to  seek  shelter. 
Every  house  in  the  Village  of  Payson  was  thrown  open,  even  to  the 
schoolhouse,  to  accommodate  the  visitors.  Many  from  Quincy  tried 
to  return  to  their  homes,  but  the  roads  were  so  muddy  that  those  in 
automobiles  found  it  a  difficult  task.  The  next  morning  the  road 
was  strewn  with  automobiles  in  the  ditches,  and  it  was  a  fruitful  day 
for  all  garage  men  going  out  and  bringing  in  disabled  cars.  It  will 
be  a  day  long  to  be  remembered  by  those  who  were  caught  in  that 
storm.  Perhaps  nothing  could  have  occurred  to  so  impress  the  Cen- 
tennial upon  tlie  memory  of  those  who  attended  Payson  Centennial 
as  that  storm  did. 

Houston  Township 

The  celebration  of  the  Centennial  was  held  in  this  township  at 
Big  Neck  on  the  last  Saturday  in  August,  1918.  The  ilodern  V/ood- 
raen  have  been  holding  for  years  a  picnic  at  that  locality,  which,  this 
year,  wis  turned  into  a  Centennial.  As  usual  a  large  crowd  was  pres- 
ent. Addresses  were  made  by  Hon.  R.  M.  Wagner  and  Hon.  William 
Schlagenhauf,  of  Quincy.    A  history  of  the  township  which  had  been 


QUIXCY  AND  ADAMvS  COUXTV  G47 

prepared  by  George  II.  Rice.  \V.  A.  Tiiylor.  Miss  Neva  Tii.tcm.  Miss 
Zelma  Woods  and  Miss  Ella  Ei-kles,  was  read. 

CoLCMBus  Township 

A  pii-nic  was  held  in  Coluinhus  the  fii-st  Saturday  in  Sc|)ttMnlier, 
1918,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Farmers'  As.sociation  of  Adanis  Cnuu- 
t.v.  Farmer  Rusk  had  charge  of  the  meeting  and  many  appropriate 
addre.sses  were  made  and  a  good  time  was  had. 

Gilmer  Township 

This  township  was  organized,  with  Clay  Lawless  as  vice  president 
and  Dr.  G.  E.  Whitlock,  chairman  of  the  committee  on  soldiers; 
Mi-s.  Ilujjh  C.  Lawless,  chairman  of  cnmiiiittee  on  schools;  James 
McCoiinel.  chairman  of  committee  on  churches ;  and  Holford  Whit- 
lock, chairman  of  committee  on  lodges. 

Honey  Creek  Township 

W.  S.  Gray  wa.s  the  moving  spirit  in  Honey  Creek  Township.  Al- 
bert Brosi  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  committee  on  lodges;  D. 
W.  Morton,  on  schools;  Samuel  Tallcott,  on  soldiers;  Miss  Nannie 
White,  on  churches.  A  complete  history  of  this  townshi]i  was  jx-e- 
pared  by  W.  S.  (iray,  which  appears  at  length  in  the  Adams  County 
History  of  this  year. 

Concord  Township 

Concord  having  no  village  within  its  limits  held  no  celebration, 
but  was  organized  with  T.  Klmer  JelTerson  as  its  vice  president,  who 
appointed  the  following  committees :  Amos  Sharp,  William  T.  Roy, 
George  Vollbracht  and  Albert  Bcckman,  who  assisted  him  in  prepar- 
ing a  history  of  the  township,  and  many  of  the  schools  observed  the 
celebration. 

Melrose  Township 

"Daddy  Mast"  was  made  chairman  of  Jfclrose  Townshi|>  and 
attended  all  of  the  meetings  of  the  committee.  Ilis  township  was  or- 
ganized, a  celebration  was  held  in  many  of  the  schools  and  a  very  com- 
plete history  of  the  township  was  prepared  by  E.  D.  Humphrey. 

Fall  Creek  Township 

Mrs.  Henry  M.  .Seynmur  was  appointed  honorary  vice  president 
of  Fall  Creek  To^vnship.  She  had  a  very  interesting  history  pre- 
pared of  the  township,  which  showed  that  one  of  the  earliest  schools 


648  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

was  held  therein.  On  account  of  there  heing  no  village  in  the  town- 
ship, its  citizens  united  with  Paj'son  in  the  celebration  of  the  Centen- 
nial on  the  fourth  Thursday  of  August. 

Centenni.^l,  History  of  Liberty  Township 
By  W.  A.  Eobiitson,  Historian 

Just  four  years  after  Illinois  became  a  state  this  territory,  of 
which  Liberty  Township  is  a  part,  knew  no  sounds  except  the  sounds 
of  Nature.  No  white  man  trod  the  forest  and  the  plains — nothing 
disturbed  the  stillness  but  the  cries  of  the  wild  animals  and  fowls; 
the  bear,  the  deer,  the  wolf,  the  panther,  the  wild  turkey,  etc.,  and 
the  bands  of  roving  Lidians.  Four  more  years  and  the  centennial  of 
Illinois  would  be  the  centennial  of  Liberty  Township.  We  can  imagine 
the  prairie  schooner  wending  its  way  across  this  fair  land,  containing 
the  family  of  Daniel  Lisle,  who  in  1822  settled  on  section  28,  where 
Adam  Lentz  now  resides.  This  farm  for  a  number  of  years  was  known 
as  the  Wigle  farm.  The  Wigle  and  Hunsaker  families  soon  followed, 
and  ere  long  a  small  settlement  was  formed.  Other  families  came  in 
and  settled,  and  these  marked  the  beginning  of  this  township.  There 
were  no  towns  near ;  not  even  Quincy,  which  was  first  settled  in  1825, 
was  in  existence.  The  first  postoffice  was  located  on  what  is  known 
as  the  Kimmons  farm,  where  Jonas  Schoonover  now  resides.  There 
were  no  postage  stamps  and  no  envelopes,  and  the  mail  came  only  at 
long  intervals. 

In  1831,  A.  H.  D.  Buttz  settled  on  section  31,  which  was  then 
owned  by  Mr.  Pierce  and  which  is  still  known  as  the  Pierce  place.  He 
worked  for  Mr.  Pierce  for  awhile.  He  later  cut  logs  and  erected  a 
building  and  started  a  store,  which  was  perhaps  the  first  institution 
of  the  kind  in  this  territory.  From  that  time  until  his  death,  his 
life  was  indissolubly  connected  with  the  history  of  this  township. 

A  man  by  the  name  of  Paris  T.  Judy  laid  out  some  lots  in  section 
20,  but  it  was  afterwards  discovered  that  he  did  not  owai  the  lots, 
so  the  venture  fell  through.  Later,  a  ]\Ir.  Talbot  sold  this  land  to  a 
Mr.  Dudley,  who  in  June,  1836,  laid  out  the  town  of  Liberty,  or 
rather  New  Liberty.  The  first  postoffice  was  called  Liberty,  but  when 
it  was  moved  to  the  village  it  was  called  New  Libei-ty,  with  A.  H.  D. 
Buttz  as  first  postmaster. 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  Liberty  Township  was  built  on  the  south- 
east corner  of  section  21.  The  first  church  was  located  where  the 
Seigel  schoolhouse  now  stands,  and  the  first  preacher  was  George 
Wolfe  of  the  Brethren  Church. 

The  first  horse  mill  was  built  by  Daniel  Lisle  on  section  21. 

The  first  marriage  was  Jacob  Wigle  to  Miss  Catherine  Hunsaker, 
at  the  home  of  the  bride's  father.  Rev.  George  Wolfe  officiating. 

The  first  birth  and  death  was  the  infant  child  of  Mr.  Kimbrick. 

The  first  supervisor  of  this  township  was  David  Wolfe. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  649 

It  was  the  custom,  in  the  early  days,  to  go  around  and  hold  meet- 
ings at  the  various  houses.  One  of  the  favorite  places  was  the  home 
of  Samuel  Hunsakcr,  where  William  Felsing  now  resides.  Another 
favorite  place  was  in  what  was  known  a.s  the  Bugg>'  Shed,  and  was 
the  huiUling  that  was  recently  torn  down  just  south  of  the  Carnes 
garage.  Whenever  they  wished  to  hold  meetings,  they  would  take  out 
the  wagons  and  then  hold  services.  Camp  meetings  were  very  numer- 
ous, and  these  were  the  days  of  the  circuit  rider,  Peter  Cartwright 
being  one  of  the  favorite  preachers  in  this  section. 

A  few  Mormons  settled  on  section  27.  They  subsequently  started 
a  little  village  on  that  section  and  called  it  Montgomery.  A.  H.  D. 
Huttz  later  came  into  pose.ssion  of  this  land  and  tore  down  the  houses, 
which  marked  the  end  of  the  Mormon  village. 

The  oldest  native  resident  of  this  township  is  Uncle  Henry  Buttz, 
who  has  never  resided  more  than  eighty  rods  from  the  place  of  his 
birth,  which  was  the  residence  where  John  Enlow  now  resides,  only 
it  was  one  lot  further  south. 

The  history  of  Liberty  Township  would  not  l>e  complete  without 
the  mention  of  some  of  the  early  pioneer  families.  Among  the  families 
that  first  located  here  might  be  mentioned  the  following:  Wolfe, 
Ilunsakcr.  Mitchel,  Wigle.  McClure,  Hughes,  Boren,  Williams.  Wag- 
ner. Walker,  Chaplain.  Limburg,  Dayton,  Grubb,  Collins,  Kimmoiis, 
Heeker,  Xander,  Lister,  Hendricks,  Lee,  Eblow,  McBride,  Buttz.  .Mc- 
Clintock.  Sutherland.  Titus,  Pierce.  Craig.  Miller,  Barnard.  Shonty, 
Culp,  Fessenden,  Allen,  Lovell.  Scott,  Vancil,  Pond,  Kennedy,  Van- 
derlip,  etc.  Many  of  the  descendants  of  these  families  are  residing  in 
the  township  today. 

The  Village  of  Liberty  was  surveyed  in  1836.  Two  new  additions 
were  soon  laid  out.  To  this  original  plot  two  additions  have  been 
made — the  Lawlcss-Enlow  and  the  C.  W.  Phillips  additions.  The 
oldest  house  in  Liberty  is  the  frame  residence  where  John  Enlow 
now  resides,  built  by  A.  H.  1).  Buttz.  The  next  two  oldest  houses  are 
the  west  half  of  the  house  now  occupied  by  the  Beringer  brothers,  and 
the  south  i)art  of  Robert  Mercer's  blacksmith  shop.  The  first  store 
in  Liberty  was  built  by  1).  P.  Meacham  on  the  spot  where  the  butcher 
shop  now  stands.  The  second  store  was  started  by  A.  H.  D.  Buttz 
where  the  brick  store  is  located.  It  was  later  made  of  brick  burned 
in  what  is  now  the  west  part  of  Liberty.  The  village  had  a  slow  but 
a  gradual  growth.  Tt  was  not  until  May  8,  1912,  that  it  began  to 
really  take  on  new  life.  A  group  of  enterprising  citizens  gathered 
together  and  formed  an  a.s.sociation  known  as  the  Commercial  Club. 
The  first  officers  were  Dr.  W.  E.  Mercer,  president ;  L.  L.  Boyer, 
secretary.  Rev.  C.  F.  Shultz,  vice  president ;  M.  E.  Graff  treasurer. 
Among  the  first  things  this  organization  did  was  to  lay  out  and  mark 
what  was  known  as  the  White  Star  trail:  establish  a  newspajier.  start 
a  movement  that  ultimately  resulted  in  our  fine  bank  and  Opera 
House,  and  direct  influences  so  deep  and  la.sting  that  they  cannot 
be  told  by  a  hi.storian.     The  Lawless-Enlow  addition,  with  the  lay- 


650  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ing  out  of  the  park,  was  the  real  beginning  of  Liberty's  growth,  and 
since  1912  the  village  has  nearly  doubled  in  size  and  population.  It 
is  the  center  of  supplies  of  this  part  of  the  country  for  miles  around, 
and  has  a  larger  commercial  trade  than  any  village  of  its  size  in  the 
county.  Liberty  has  one  bank,  a  newspaper,  two  groceries,  one 
hardware  store,  the  finest  harness  shop  in  the  county,  four  restau- 
rants, one  butcher  shop,  three  blacksmith  shops,  three  garages,  the 
largest  implement  house  in  the  county  outside  of  Quincy,  one  hotel, 
an  electric  light  plant,  washing  machine  factorj',  five  churches,  a  three 
year  recognized  high  school  and  one  of  the  prettiest  parks  in  the 
county.  Liberty  also  has  seven  lodges.  The  one  man  to  whom 
Liberty  owes  more  than  to  any  other  individual  for  its  financial 
growth  and  enterprise,  is  Steven  G.  Lawless,  cashier  of  the  Farmers 
Bank. 

Liberty  Township  has  six  churches :  the  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Presbyterian,  Lutheran,  Christian,  St.  Bridget's  Catholic  and  the 
Pleasant  View  Baptist. 

The  Church  of  the  Brethren  is  the  oldest  organized  body  in  the 
township,  having  been  founded  in  1831.  In  1832  a  building  was 
erected  west  of  Liberty  where  the  Seigel  schoolhouse  now  stands. 
Elder  George  Wolfe  wa.s  the  first  pastor.  In  1874  a  new  building  was 
erected  in  Liberty  and  is  their  present  meeting  house.  In  1831  this 
church  had  a  membership  of  over  200.  Among  the  charter  members 
were  the  Lierles,  Wolfes,  Walkers,  Nations,  Vancils  and  Hunsakers. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  in  1852,  with  L.  W.  Dun- 
lap  as  the  first  pastor.  The  first  meeting  of  the  society  was  held  in 
the  old  brick  schoolhouse  where  Pond's  warehouse  now  stands.  The 
present  church  building  was  erected  in  1854. 

The  Lutheran  Church  was  organized  in  1855,  and  preaching  serv- 
ices were  started  by  Rev.  James  Harkley,  a  farmer-preacher  residing 
on  section  29.  The  services  at  first  were  held  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  In  1870  they  built  a  new  meeting  house  on  the  site  of  the 
present  church.  This  building  was  struck  by  lightning  and 
burned  in  August,  1907.  It  was  at  once  rebuilt  and  services  re- 
sumed on  Christmas,  1907.  This  church  has  always  been  self-support- 
ing and  in  a  prosperous  condition.  Among  the  charter  members  were 
the  Xanders,  Williams,  Freys,  Graft's  and  Weisenburgers.  The  only 
living  charter  members  are  Daniel  Balzer  and  Mrs.  Elvina  Frey. 

The  Christan  Church  was  organized  in  1852  and  held  its  first  meet- 
ings in  the  old  brick  schoolhouse.  Elder  Ziby  Brown  was  its  first 
minister.  In  1853  a  church  house  was  erected  on  lot  4  in  block  10. 
In  1907  a  new  building  was  erected  and  is  the  present  meeting  place 
of  the  congi'egation.  The  church  is  in  a  prosperous  condition  and  is 
out  of  debt.  Among  the  charter  members  were  the  Grubbs.  Benfields, 
Meachams,  Vanderlips,  Dunlaps,  Travers,  Malones,  Kimmons,  Hun- 
sakers, Titus,  Rices,  Barnards  and  Connors. 

The  St.  Bridget's  Catholic  Church  at  Liberty  was  organized  at  an 
early  date  and  the  first  meetings  were  held  at  the  houses  of  the  mem- 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  fOFNTY  651 

bers.  The  iliurch  building  was  erected  in  1870.  The  first  pastor  was 
the  Rev.  Thomas  Cusack.    The  eongrcgation  is  large  and  flourishing. 

The  Plca.sant  View  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  the  briek 
sehoolhouse  in  \i<')'.i  with  Stei)lu'ii  .Mullen  as  pastor.  The  present 
church  building  wa.s  erected  in  the  fall  of  1896.  The  charter  members 
who  an-  known  at  this  time  are  the  Sliohoneys.  liradleys,  Culps  and 
Barnards. 

Liberty  Township  has  seven  lodges — the  Odd  Fellows,  the  Re- 
bekahs.  Masons,  Eastern  Stars.  Modern  Woodmen.  Royal  Neighbors 
and  the  Adams  County  .Mutual. 

The  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  was  organized  in  1860,  B.  F.  Grover  being 
the  first  noble  grand. 

The  Rebekah  Lodge  was  organized  in  1893,  with  Mrs.  Caddie  Enlos 
as  the  presiding  officer. 

The  Ma.sonic  Lodge  was  organized  in  186."?.  with  James  R.  Ilower- 
ton  as  the  first  worshipful  master. 

The  Eastern  Star  Lodge  was  organized  in  1898,  with  Mrs.  Mattie 
McBride  as  the  worthy  matron. 

The  Royal  Xeifrhbors  were  organized  in  1899,  with  Mrs.  Laura 
Heine  as  first  oracle. 

The  Adams  County  .Mutual  was  organized  in  1010.  with  Dr.  W.  E. 
Mereer  as  the  first  president. 

The  other  organizations  of  the  township  are  the  Women's  Christian 
Temperani-e  Union  and  the  Commercial  Club. 

The  Women's  Christian  Temperance  I'nion  was  organized  in  1907 
with  Mrs.  Maggie  drubb  as  the  first  president.  In  1917,  the  Loyal 
Temperance  Lc<rion.  an  auxiliary  of  this  organization,  was  organized. 

The  Commercial  Club  was  organized  May  8,  1912,  with  Dr.  W.  E. 
Jlereer  as  the  first  president. 

Liberty  Township  has  nine  schools — Liberty,  East  T'nion,  Seigel. 
Franklin,  Chaplain,  Lost  Prairie,  I'lea.sant  View,  Hickory  Flat  and 
California. 

In  1852,  the  first  sehoolhouse  was  built  in  Tvibert.v,  where  Pond"s 
warehouse  now  stands.  It  was  built  of  brick  remaining  from  the 
Buttz  buildings.  After  fourteen  years  this  building  was  found  to  be 
too  small,  so  Ambrose  Dudley  deeiled  the  ground  on  the  north  side  of 
Dudle.v  Street  to  the  school.  P.  H.  Mercer  transplanted  the  first 
shade  trees  on  this  lot  where  the  second  building  was  erected  in 
1866.  In  1885,  it  was  decided  that  anotlier  building  was  necessary,  so 
the  one-half  block  south  of  Dudley  Street  was  purcha.sed  from  Mr. 
Dudley.  In  1877  the  present  school  building  was  erected.  The  old 
building  was  sold  to  O.  TI.  Collins  and  now  serves  as  Pond  Brothers' 
warehouse.  W.  II.  Odell  was  the  first  teacher.  Some  of  the  prominent 
men  who  attended  this  school  are  D.  H.  Mercer,  member  of  Congress 
from  Nebraska:  John  Broady,  lawyer  and  .judge:  Nellie  Foster, 
musician:  Elmer  and  Ray  Mercer,  physicians  and  respectiveJy  cap- 
tain and  lieutenant  in  the  army;  Floyd  Mereer,  minister  of  the  Gospel 


652  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  banker ;  Rolland  Wagner,  lawyer  and  member  of  the  State  Legis- 
lature ;  and  Ealeigh  Balzer,  druggist. 

As  near  as  can  be  ascertained,  the  East  Union  School  was  built 
in  1869,  it  being  a  small  log  building.  John  Gorman,  P.  H.  Barnard 
and  William  Gordon  were  the  first  directors  and  Mary  Kelly  was 
the  first  teacher.  The  schoolhouse  burned  down  in  1876  and  a  new 
and  lai-ger  one  was  built  on  this  site.  This  building  stood  for  thirty 
years  until  1906,  when  a  new  and  more  modern  school  building  was 
erected.  Guilford  Barnard,  a  lawyer  received  his  early  education 
here. 

We  cannot  close  the  history  of  this  township  without  making 
mention  of  the  boys  who  enlisted  in  the  Civil  war.  Liberty  fur- 
nished about  150  of  the  soldiers  of  this  war.  They  enlisted  in  the 
Seventy-Eighth,  Fiftieth,  Seventh  and  Second  Illinois  Cavalry  and 
Sixteenth  Illinois  and  the  Thii-d  Missouri  Cavalry.  They  were  valiant 
and  loyal  soldiers  and  Liberty  will  always  have  cause  to  be  proud  of 
her  "Boys  of  '61."  P.  H.  Mercer  and  Abner  Gates  are  the  only 
surviving  soldiers  of  this  war  now  residing  in  the  township.  Liberty 
has  also  done  her  share  in  the  present  war  for  humanity.  Many  of 
her  boys  are  "over  there,"  giving  their  lives  for  their  country,  and 
many  more  are  ready  to  go.  All  honor  and  glory  to  the  white  haired 
"Boys  of  '61,"  as  well  as  to  the  brave  boys  of  1918.  May  God,  in  all 
his  wisdom,  lay  his  hand  lightly  on  the  gray  hairs  of  the  one,  and 
bring  honor,  glory  and  victory  to  the  arms  of  the  other. 

In  closing  this  history,  we  wish  to  say  that  it  ha.s  given  us  great 
pleasure  in  preparing  it,  although  it  has  been  rather  a  difficult  task, 
as  we  are  not  a  lifelong  resident  of  the  township,  and  owing  to  the 
lack  of  interest  in  those  on  whom  we  counted  for  much  information 
and  help.  We  feel  deeply  indebted  to  all  those  who  helped  in  giving 
us  the  required  information.  We  are  indebted  to  Mrs.  Lillie  Baird, 
Mrs.  Bertha  Buttz,  Mr.  Gerald  Frey  and  Mr.  Russell  Linker,  members 
of  the  committee,  who  assisted  in  gathering  the  material  for  this  his- 
tory. We  are  also  indebted  to  all  those  organizations  which  furnished 
us  with  their  histories.  We  are  especially  indebted  to  Uncle  Henry 
Buttz,  more  than  any  other,  for,  through  his  kindness  and  help,  we 
have  received  more  information  than  from  any  other  source. 

Today  our  memories  should  be  fresh  and  green  with  the  remem- 
brance of  those  hardy  pioneers  who  have  laid  the  foundation  of  our 
present  civilization,  remembering  that  the  history  of  the  next  hundred 
years  will  be  what  we  and  our  posterity  make  it.  And  when  our 
descendants  turn  the  pages  of  the  next  hundred  years,  "God  grant 
they  read  the  good  with  smiles,  and  blot  the  ill  with  tears." 

History  of  Burton  Township 

[Contributed] 

The  first  church  in  Burton  Township  was  organized  in  1834,  by  the 
Ironside  Baptist  denomination,   whose  house  of  worship   was  a  log 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  653 

house  built  on  section  18  where  tlie  Burton  Cemetery  is  now  located. 
About  ten  years  later  an  organization  of  Free-will  Baptists  worshiped 
first  in  private  homes  and  later  in  the  Livinp^ton  schoolhouse.  As  the 
records  of  these  churches  have  licen  destroyed  and  the  meiubci-s  have 
passed  away,  we  cannot  give  a  complete  history  of  them. 

The  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  at  Adams,  Illinois,  in 
1839  by  Rev.  Thomais  Cole.  The  earlier  members  were :  William  WelLs, 
Phoebe  Wells,  Lewis  Roe,  Caroline  Roe,  Warren  Millei-,  Phoebe  Ann 
Miller,  Elizabeth  W^ells,  Anna  Wells,  James  Stobcr,  .Janette  Stober, 
Kliza  Stober,  Desia  Wells,  Cartherine  Wells,  Mary  Wells,  Alice 
Wells.  Harriet  Wells,  Samuel  Reed.  The  first  ruling  elders 
were:  William  Wells.  Lewis  Roe  and  Warren  Miller.  The  fir.st 
church  was  at  Adams;  later  it  was  moved  to  Independence 
where  the  con?i-eg-ation  worshiped  in  a  schoolhouse.  In  1871 
it  was  moved  to  Burton,  Illinois,  where  a  good  building  was  erected, 
costing  .>t;2,r)00.  Following  is  a  list  of  the  pastors:  Rev.  Thomas 
Cole,  1839-41;  L.  P.  Kimball,  1841-43;  H.  C.  Abernatly.  184.')- 
50;  G.  F.  Davi.s,  1853-55:  Rev.  Ilerrit,  1857-62;  Leslie  Irwin, 
1867-73 ;  J.  P.  Crowe,  J.  P.  Dowson,  D.  Fulton,  Rev.  Wier ;  F.  Lippe, 
1884-86:  George  Ernest.  1886-92;  William  Stecher,  1892-95;  William 
Everds.  1895-99;  G.  Dusscuberry,  1899-1904;  Rev.  Jacobs,  1905-06;  R. 
Batler.  1907-08;  Rev.  Tanner,  1908-09;  Miss  Taylor,  1909-10:  J.  L. 
Sawyer.  1910-16.  Rev.  McCrackon  is  the  present  pa.stor.  The  present 
ai'tive  elders  are:  J.  F.  .Miller.  William  Alhrink,  C.  A.  Schmidt.  The 
church  does  not  have  a  large  membership — only  fifty — but  has  done 
good  work. 

•  The  oldest  church  in  Burton  Township  is  the  St.  Matthew's  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran  Church,  located  on  the  Broadway  Road.  This  con- 
gregation was  organized  by  a  number  of  German  Lutheran  farmers 
living  in  the  vicinity,  who  found  it  too  inconvenient  to  drive  to  the 
Lutheran  churches  of  Quincy  on  Sundays.  1859  marks  the  year  in 
which  the  St.  Matthew's  Congregation  was  organized  and  the  church 
building  erected.  The  Rev.  Edward  Kombaum  was  the  first  pastor 
of  the  congregation.  He  remained  but  a  short  time,  as  did  most  of 
his  successors  in  after  years.  During  the  fifty-nine  years  St.  Mat- 
thew's congregation  has  been  ser\'ed  by  fourteei\  pa.stors  viz:  Rev. 
Edward  Kornbaum.  11.  Klochemeir.  A.  Fisnier.  A.  Frowein,  E.  Brecht, 
H.  Castens,  W.  Gcrnunm.  G.  Gerken.  J.  Schna<-k,  and  A.  Cook,  the 
latter  being  pa.stor  of  the  church  at  the  present  writing.  St.  Matthew's 
church  is  affiliated  with  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Synod  of  Missouri. 
Ohio,  and  other  states,  the  largest  Lutheran  Synod  in  America.  From 
the  very  outset  in  1859  a  parochial  .school  was  maintained.  How- 
ever, in  1913  this  schof>l  was  dissolved  owing  to  the  great  distance 
most  of  the  children  would  be  obliged  to  travel,  while  the  district 
.school  proved  more  convenient.  The  German  language  was  used 
exclusively  in  the  St.  ^latthew's  Church  until  1913.  when  the  services 


654  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

were  conducted  in  the  English  language  the  first  three  Sundays  of 
the  month,  with  the  remaining  Sunday  or  Sundays,  devoted  to  service 
in  the  German  language.  However,  January  1,  1916,  it  was  unani- 
mously resolved  to  drop  the  German  language  altogether.  The  name  of 
the  congregation  was  then  changed  to  "The  St.  Matthew's  English 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church."  The  church  building  proper,  as  it 
.stands  today,  was  erected  in  1859  and  improved  and  enlarged  from 
time  to  time.  In  1865,  the  present  church  hall  and  kitchen  was  added 
to  the  north  end  of  the  church  building,  being  used  at  that  time  as  the 
pastor's  residence.  In  1876  the  present  tower  was  erected  and  the 
large  church  bell  installed.  A  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1870  and  when 
the  parochial  school  was  discontinued  in  1913  the  structure  was  com- 
pletely renovated  and  a  large  addition  was  built,  thus  providing  an 
excellent,  modern  parsonage  for  the  resident  pastor.  The  Ladies' 
Aid  Society  of  twenty  members  is  an  unusually  active  organization, 
which  has  merited  much  prai.se  for  the  aid  rendered  unto  the  church 
along  various  lines.  The  Young  People's  Club  is  also  hard  at  work 
in  the  interest  of  the  church.  The  Sunday  school  and  Bible  class 
warrant  a  bright  future  for  the  congregation.  The  membership  of 
the  church  has  remained  almost  steady  during  the  fifty-nine  years  of 
its  existence.  Today  the  membership  has  reached  the  highest  mark  in 
the  history  of  the  church,  being  nineteen  voting  members,  seventy  com- 
municant members  and  120  soul  members. 

The  ilethodist  Church  at  Burton  was  organized  in  1896.  The 
founders  were  L.  Meyer,  F.  Seiz,  W.  Seiz,  W.  Kuhn,  J.  Mollenhauer, 
H.  Vollrath  and  Mi"s.  C.  Stautermann  and  daughters.  The  church 
parsonage  is  located  in  Burton.  The  pastors  were :  C.  F.  Stecker, 
1896-97;  W.  K.  Herzog,  1897-98;  W.  P.  Ludwig,  1898-99;  Aug.  Did- 
zun,  1899-1901:  E.  S.  Hehner,  1901-04;  H.  H.  Sehwietert,  1904-06; 
H.  R.  Kasiske,  1906-08 ;  Hugo  Lang,  1908-09 ;  Max  Opp,  1909-1911 ; 
H.  H.  Sehwietert,  1911-12;  E.  Goetz,  1916  (now  serving).  Present 
officers :  L.  Meyer,  F.  Seiz,  W.  Seiz  and  Otto  Schmidt. 

Between  the  years  1860  and  1866  it  was  planned  to  build  Pleasant 
Grove  ^Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Before  this  time  preaching  serv- 
ices were  held  at  three  different  places,  viz. :  Columbus,  Mount  Pleas- 
ant schoolhouse  and  Independence  schoolhouse.  The  largest  congi-ega- 
tion  of  members  were  in  the  Independence  Society,  and,  as  the  school- 
houses  were  too  small  to  accommodate  the  people  it  wa.s  decided  at  a 
called  meeting  to-  build  two  churches — one  at  Mount  Pleasant  and  one 
at  Pleasant  Grove.  The  Mount  Pleasant  and  Independence  societies 
could  not  agree  on  a  building  site.  About  the  same  time  services 
were  being  held  at  the  Livingston  schoolhouse,  as  the  latter  school 
district  had  some  of  the  leading  members.  Daniel  Hughes  was  the 
principal  one,  and  through  his  untiring  efforts  it  was  agreed  to  build 
Pleasant  Grove  Church  on  the  present  site.  Those  most  active  in 
its  construction  were :   Daniel  Hughes,  Garrett  Stewart,  James  Ship- 


QriXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  C5o 

man  and  Elizah  Thompson.  All  of  the  last  mentioned  have  been 
called  luinie  to  their  reward.  The  ciiureh  building  was  reinoileled  in 
li'lT  and  a  .social  room  erected  in  addition  to  the  main  building,  the 
interior  of  the  main  building  being  equipped  with  modern  improve- 
ments. The  following  is  a  list  of  pastors  who  have  prea<*hed  at  Pleas- 
ant Grove  Methodist  Episcopal  Church:  Rev.  Curtis  Powell,  1866-6!?; 
Wm.  McGoodinp,  1868;  James  W.  Sinnoek.  1868-72;  George  S.  Fer- 
ree,  1873;  Sampson  Shinn,  1874-77;  Reuben  Gregg,  1877-7!);  Thos. 
J.  Bryant,  187f)-82;  A.  M.  Danely.  1882-85;  J.  V.  Wohlfarth  1885- 
88;  J.  L.  B.  Ellis,  1888-90;  C.  F.  MeKown,  1890-9.3;  A.  A.  White, 
18;)3-98:  S.  W.  Bak-h.  1898:  A.  V.  Babbs,  1899-1901;  W.  E.  Rose, 
1901-04;  C.  S.  Baughman.  1904-08;  T.  W.  Green,  1908-10;  C.  T. 
Filch,  1910-13;  A.  R.  Grummon,  1913-16;  H.  H.  Waltmire,  1916-18; 
C.  R.  Underwood,  1918. 

The  Baptist  Church  at  Adams,  was  organized  May  24,  1873.  Elder 
Gibson,  pastor  of  the  Payson  Baptist  Church  acting  as  moderator  and 
H.  L.  Tandy,  secretary.  Charles  M.  Morton,  (iiles  S.  Lewis,  and  II. 
L.  Tandy  were  chosen  deacons;  Samuel  MeVey,  Alanson  Lewis,  and 
TI.  L.  Tandy,  trustees.  J.  F.  Richards  was  elected  clerk  and  served  the 
church  in  that  capacity  for  twenty-three  years.  H.  L.  Tandy  was  the 
first  treasurer,  serving  twenty  years.  At  his  resignation  in  1893. 
S.  S.  Harkness  was  electetl  and  has  servetl  up  to  the  present  time.  At 
the  organization  the  church  numbered  thirty-six  members;  thirty- 
two  had  received  letters  from  the  Baptist  Church  at  Payson,  this 
county,  and  four  from  the  Trenton  Baptist  Church.  Grundy  County, 
Mis.souri.  The  names  of  the  charter  members  are  as  follows:  Giles  S. 
Lewis,  ^frs.  Giles  S.  Lewis.  Ilattie  il.  Lewis,  Alanson  Lewis,  Helen  E. 
Lewis,  Mrs.  M.  D.  Scarboroutrh.  William  E.  Price,  Carrie  Price.  Annie 
Price.  E.  B.  Tandy,  :Mr.  and  Mrs.  II.  L.  Tandy.  Annette  Tandy. 
Cerilla  Tandy,  Mrs.  Ann  Terrill.  Nannie  Terrill,  Lucy  Terrill,  Mary 
n.  Johnson.  Rufus  McVay.  Susan  McVey,  M.  P.  :McVey.  S.  McVey. 
Alice  S.  Tandy,  Jennie  Bookout,  C.  M.  Morton,  Mary  J.  Proctor, 
Elizabeth  Baker,  ^lary  Wheeler,  Jane  Hardy.  Diantha  Wingct, 
Melissa  Baldwin,  Annabell  Fargiis.  J.  F.  Richards,  Mrs.  J.  F.  Rich- 
ards. Effie  Richards  and  Amelia  Richards. 

At  this  first  meeting  a  building  committee  was  appointed  consist- 
ing of  J.  F.  Richards.  Alanson  Lewis,  II.  L.  Tandy,  Thomas  Tripp 
and  G.  F.  Terrill.  The  finance  committee  were  Mrs.  Giles,  S.  Lewis. 
Miss  Nannie  Terrill  and  TI.  L.  Tand.v.  In  the  fall  of  1873,  a  house 
of  worship  was  built  and  dedicated  free  from  debt:  it  cost  about  ^3.- 
200.  It  was  built  on  a  piece  of  land  on  the  southeast  corner  of  a  farm 
belonging  to  George  F.  Terrill  and  donated  by  him  for  this  purpose. 
This  is  the  building  as  it  stands  today.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
pastors:  Elder  Kelly.  1874;  Henry  Steele,  187.')-76:  II.  C.  Yates,  1877; 
Wm.  Hawker,  1878-80;  David  King,  1881-82;  Rev.  Hart,  1883;  Rev. 
Kent.  1884;  Harry  Tilbe,  1885-86;  Stephen  Douglas.  1887;  C.  H. 
Hands,  1888;  Geo.  Nicholson,  1890:  William  Hawker.  1891;  William 


656  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Stewart,  1893-95 ;  Rev.  House,  1896 ;  W.  D.  Hawker,  1897-98 ;  James 
Palmer,  1899  ;  F.  W.  Wightman,  1902 ;  Rev.  Johns,  1904 ;  D.  W.  Riggs, 
1906;  Geo.  Kline,  1909-1910;  M.  G.  Burton,  1911-1912;  S.  C.  Taylor, 
1915-18. 

The  society  was  fortunate  and  greatly  blessed  by  having  from  time 
to  time  such  gifted  men  as  the  Rev.  William  Stewart,  formerly  of 
Quincy,  now  of  Toledo,  Ohio;  Rev.  Harry  Tilbe,  now  and  for  many 
years  past  a  missionary  in  India;  Rev.  J.  B.  Rogers,  former  pastor 
of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Quincy,  and  now  in  charge  of  one  of 
the  Chicago  Baptist  churches. 

The  Burton  Lodge,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  was  char- 
tered Octol)er  10,  1877,  after  having  effected  a  preliminary  organi- 
zation August  8,  1877.  The  charter  members  were  Geo.  J.  Sehaefer, 
noble  grand ;  Raymond  Cook,  vice  grand ;  P.  R.  Jlyers,  secretary ; 
Henry  Meise,  treasurer ;  J.  H.  Rump,  Arnold  Michaels  and  F.  M. 
Steele.  A  lodge  hall  was  erected  in  1887.  The  present  ofBeers  are 
Wm.  Elliott,  N.  G. ;  James  Elliott,  Jr.,  V.  G. ;  Ira  Schnur,  secretary : 
J.  A.  Pulma,  treasurer;  G.  T.  Hilsinan,  G.  A.  Lierle,  Joseph  Abel, 
Wm.  Richards  and  F.  N.  Steele,  trustees.  Of  the  charter  members  J. 
H.  Rump,  Henry  Meise  and  F.  N.  Steele  are  living. 

The  Burton  Chapter  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  was  or- 
ganized on  July  24,  1907.  The  charter  members  were  Frank  H.  Steele, 
consul;  G.  A.  Lierel,  clerk;  A.  R.  Schmelzle,  banker;  Andy  Grimmer, 
adviser;  Jacob  Beckman,  C.  L.  Blickhan,  Hugh  Bliven,  Willis  Cook, 
D.  J.  Dean,  J.  W.  Elmer  Fries,  Wm.  Hartman,  C.  G.  Paul,  Elmer  N. 
Powell,  Joseph  Schmelzle,  Lester  A.  Steele  and  Edward  Theisen.  The 
meetings  of  the  chapter  are  held  in  the  Odd  Fellows  Hall.  The  pres- 
ent officers  are :  Charles  Ellerraeier,  consul ;  Clyde  Seiz,  clerk ;  Lester 
A.  Steele,  banker ;  Hugh  Bliven,  adviser. 

The  oldest  school  in  Burton  Township  was  taught  by  Mrs.  Griffin 
in  her  own  home  in  1830.  It  was  an  old  log  house  located  on  the  south- 
east cjuarter  of  section  4,  now  owned  by  William  Zanger. 

The  first  log  schoolhouse  was  located  on  the  southeast  quarter  of 
section  3  or  one-half  mile  north  of  the  Pleasant  Grove  Church,  in 
1836.  About  the  same  date  another  old  log  schoolhouse  was  located 
on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  21,  near  the  creek  south  of  Mrs. 
Anne  Elliot's  home.  These  schools  were  subscription  schools.  In 
July,  1841,  the  township  was  divided  into  three  districts — Northeast, 
Burton  and  New  Town — and  in  October  of  the  same  year  Elm  Grove 
was  cut  off  the  west  end  of  New  Town. 

In  1844  the  township  was  divided  again,  this  time  into  six  dis- 
tricts. In  1846  Southeast  District  was  cut  ofP  the  east  end  of  New 
Town  District,  thus  making  seven  districts  as  we  have  them  today. 
On  June  2,  1855,  at  a  called  meeting  of  the  township  trustees,  a  tax 
of  one  mill  per  dollar  was  levied  on  all  taxable  property,  for  the  pay- 
ment of  teachers'  salaries.    The  districts  were  numbered  as  required 


(^riXCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNT V  657 

l>v  law  aiid  the  township  was  to  i-ontaiii  seven  districts.  Tlie  districts 
were  numbered  as  follows:  Livingston,  Xn.  1:  Independence,  No.  2; 
liurton.  No.  ;5 ;  Southwest,  .\o.  4;  New  Town.  No.  5;  Soutlieast,  No.  6; 
Union,  No.  7.  These  nuiul)ers  continued  in  use  till  1!I07,  when  thc.v 
were  changed  fom  191  to  197  inclusive. 

The  first  district  seho<il  teachers  were  examined  antl  fjraMted  cer- 
tificates by  a  committee  of  three  appointeil  by  the  townsiiii)  trustees. 
The  teachers  in  tiioso  days  boarded  around  among  the  patrons  of  tlie 
schools. 

Livingston  School  District  191  was  named  in  honor  of  one  of  the 
American  ministers  to  France.  The  first  Livingston  school  was  taught 
in  an  ujiper  room  of  Mr.  Lcverette's  home.  During  the  summer  of 
1S44  the  first  schoolhouse  was  built.  This  house  was  used  as  a  place 
of  worship  by  the  Freewill  Bapti.sts  for  many  years.  Fire  destroyed 
it  in  187.')  and  in  1876  the  .second  Livingston  school  was  built. 

The  old  log  schoolhouse  of  Independence  (District  No.  192) 
was  located  in  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  3.  This  quarter  section 
is  now  owned  by  Tiiomas  Sorril.  Independence  schoolhouse  was  built 
in  1846,  .seventy-two  years  ago.  This  is  the  oldest  schoolhouse  in  Bur- 
ton Township.  In  1861  or  1862  the  German  Lutherans  built  a  school 
in  this  district,  but  it  was  closed  about  1908. 

The  Burton  School  (District  No.  19:3),  was  held  in  an  old  log 
schoolhouse  for  several  years.  The  records  being  destroyed,  the  date 
of  the  building  of  the  schoolhouse  was  not  obtainable. 

The  Tandy  School  (District  No.  194)  may  well  be  called  the 
"school  of  many  names."  It  was  first  known  as  the  Elm  Grove;  then 
the  Southeast.  Washington  Hall.  TJock  School,  and  now  we  all  know 
it  as  the  Tandy  School.  The  fii-st  schoolJHUise  was  built  of  brick  in 
1850.  In  1863  this  was  torn  down  and  a  larger  stone  building  erected 
in  its  place. 

The  old  log  schoolhouse  of  Newtown  (School  District  No.  195) 
stood  in  the  center  of  the  Park.  Later,  school  was  held  in  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  In  185.')  a  one-room  school  was  built,  this  proving 
to  l)e  too  small  as  the  population  increased  in  1862.  In  1870  the  two- 
room  schoolhouse  was  built  which  is  now  occupied. 

Oregon  (District  No.  196)  was  fii-st  known  as  the  Soutlieast  Dis- 
trict. The  frame  schoolhouse  was  located  one-fourth  of  a  mile  cast  of 
the  Oregon  School.  This  building  was  burned.  Oregon  Schoolhouse 
was  built  in  1863. 

School  District  No.  95  of  Adams  County,  originally  No.  5  of 
Honey  Creek  Township,  is  known  as  the  Coatsburg  School.  The  dis- 
trict comprises  sections  25,  26,  35  and  36  of  TToney  Creek  Township, 
and  the  we.st  one-half  of  sections  30  and  31,  Camp  Point  Towiishij). 

The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1840  on  the  land  now  owned 
by  Bernard  Dirks  and  occupied  by  his  son  William  IT.  Dirks.  Tt  was 
a  log  schoolhouse  of  the  most  i)rimitive  structure.  No  nails  or  other 
manufactured  articles  were  employed  in  its  structure  and  grea.sed 
paper  was  u.sed  for  window  lights.    Levi  .Ii)hn.son  was  the  first  tea<'hcr 


658  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  George  H.  Graj-  of  California,  still  living  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
five,  attended  the  first  school.  About  ten  years  later  a  new  and  more 
modern  log  sehoolhouse  was  built  on  the  land  now  owned  by  W.  B. 
Lawless  just  across  the  road  northeast  of  the  Ben  Dirks  home.  Among 
the  teachers  here  may  be  mentioned  Mr.  Paterson,  Squire  Doan,  John 
Ballow  and  Frances  Bass,  a  half-sister  of  the  Gray  Brothers.  In 
1859  the  first  frame  sehoolhouse  was  built  in  the  northwest  corner  of 
the  Village  of  Coatsburg,  and  in  1870  a  second  room  was  added,  mak- 
ing a  two-room  school.  The  present  four-room  brick  building  was 
built  in  1883.  Among  the  teachers  who  taught  from  1859  until  the 
present  time  may  be  mentioned  Messrs.  Root,  Emery,  Scott.  Lattie,  C. 
M.  Gibbs,  Creighton.  Burch,  Parmenter,  Metcalf,  C.  Aaron,  Simmonds, 
W.  S.  Gray,  Fred  G.  Ertle,  J.  K.  Smith,  D.  C.  Hill,  John  H.  Steiner,  E. 
W.  Sellers,  M.  Wilson,  Mr.  Lity,  H.  E.  Kincheloe,  R.  N.  Stacy  and 
J.  L.  Ensminger.  Among  the  lady  teachers  were  the  Misses  Selby, 
Mills,  Gilmore,  Guenther,  Pethom,  Pevehouse,  Rettie  and  Mable 
Wliite,  Mouine  "White,  Louise  Sherman,  Josie  Gray,  Maud  Adams, 
Fannie  Gray  and  Hazel  Bottorff.  Among  the  many  boys  and  girls 
who  have  been  students  of  the  Coatsburg  School,  who  have  engaged 
in  teaching  or  other  professional  work,  may  lie  mentioned  Dr.  Theo- 
dore Tieken,  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Chandler,  Attorney  J.  T.  Gilmer,  W.  L. 
White,  Miss  Jennie  White,  Lillian  Gray,  W.  S.  Gray,  Jr.,  Fannie 
Gray,  R.  N.  Stacy  and  others.  Among  those  who  have  served  the 
district  as  directors  may  be  mentioned  Richard  Gray,  Sr.,  H.  E. 
Hawkins,  William  Everston,  James  Eckles,  James  Griffith,  J.  B.  Gil- 
mer, Henry  Renken,  C.  M.  Gibbs,  James  M.  White,  Albert  R.  M.  and 
G.  H.  Gray,  W.  H.  Henderson,  Dr.  W.  E.  Gillenad.  J.  A.  Brosi,  John 
Frese,  T.  E.  Frike  and  W.  C.  Hemy.  The  present  board  comprises : 
John  McMahan,  president ;  Ben  Dirks,  clerk ;  and  J.  L.  Gribsby. 

The  old  Union  log  sehoolhouse  was  located  on  the  southwest  quar- 
ter of  section  13,  where  is  now  the  home  of  Mrs.  Kate  Tenhouse.  The 
first  Douglas  sehoolhouse  was  built  about  1858.  It  was  a  frame 
building  and  in  1882  H.  J.  Vickers  purchased  and  moved  it  to  his 
farm.  It  is  still  standing  on  the  homestead,  which  is  now  owned  by 
Mr.  Hopson.  In  1882  the  second  Douglas  sehoolhouse  was  built.  The 
name  Union  was  changed  to  Douglas  about  the  time  of  the  famous 
Lincoln  and  Douglas  debates. 

As  to  former  teachers  and  pupils :  Abner  Eggleston  taught  in 
the  township  in  1841-42.  He  was  also  the  first  Freewill  Baptist 
preacher  in  the  township. 

In  1859  George  Washington  Dean  taught  his  first  term  of  school 
in  Burton  Township  at  Livingston.  He  later  married  ]Miss  Mary 
Hughes.  He  began  farming  on  what  is  now  the  Philip  Spangler 
home  place.  A  few  years  later  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spangler  moved  to  the 
Douglas  District  and  there  built  their  life-time  home. 

In  1886-70  Mr.  Spangler  was  a  member  of  the  Illinois  Senate  and 
in  1894-96  of  the  House  of  Representatives.    He  served  his  state  well 


yriNlV  AM>  ADAMS  C'OrXTV  659 

and  was  always  an  intt-rested  friend  and  conipaninn  i>f  tlic  people 
who  were  so  fortunate  as  to  live  within  his  aequaintanc-e.  lie  was 
the  life  of  the  "Old  Dongla-s  Debater." 

Rev.  C.  M.  Wilson,  now  pastor  of  the  Mount  Sterlinj;  Jlethodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  A.  A.  Eaton,  teacher  in  a  bu.siness  college  of 
St.  I.ouis,  are  well  rciiieiiibered  teachers  of  Burton  Townshij). 

A.  M.  Samuels,  former  pupil  of  Indepent'encc,  was  a  mcmln'r  of 
the  House  of  Representatives  from  1878  to  1880. 

Henry  Conner  former  i)upil  of  Livinfrston.  worked  his  way 
through  law  school,  moved  to  California,  became  a  prr)minent  lawyer 
and  successfully  carried  a  case  through  the  Tnited  States  Supreme 
Court  for  the  sufrar  refinery. 

Edward  Elliott,  also  of  Livingston,  now  is  state  bank  examiner  of 
California. 

Ivewis  Steiiback.  now  of  Hutchinson.  Kansas,  sends  greetings  to 
all  old  friends  and  schoolmates. 

In  the  schoolhouse  you  will  find  on  exhibition,  pictures  of  all  the 
schoolhouses  of  Burton  Township:  also  pictures  of  former  pupils 
now  living  who  are  seventy  years  of  age. 

The  special  military  history  of  Burton  Township  commences  with 
the  mustering  into  the  Union  service,  on  September  1,  1862,  at 
Quincy,  of  the  following  residents:  Horatio  J.  Hughes,  Guy  M. 
Birdsall.  Leo  Gearhard,  Slater  Lewis.  Matbew  Leach.  John  L.  Manisl, 
AVm.  A.  Mamifer.  Henry  Morton.  Moses  .Nichols,  Win.  G.  Reed,  Arris 
Young,  Charles  T.  Birdsall.  Jeremiah  Browning,  Harvey  J.  Metz, 
Terrill  B.  Proctor.  Martin  Luther  Roe.  Lewis  K.  Roe.  Wm.  Wells, 
James  Corbin,  Ben.jamin  B.  Blivens.  Washington  Corljin.  John  J. 
Childers.  Reuben  Frey,  James  W'.  Harris,  Wm.  J.  J.  Mitts.  John  G. 
^fanifold.  Henry  C.  "Wheeler.  Arthur  Clingingsmith.  fieorge  B. 
Ilendrix.  Newton  Huffman.  Andrew  J.  Stillison.  Andrew  ("ookson, 
Robert  Price,  Jasper  Huffman,  Peter  Hartman  and  I^ewis  Whitaken. 
The  foregoing  joined  the  Fiftieth  Regiment  of  Infantry  which,  as  an 
organization,  was  musteretl  into  the  service  at  Quincy.  September 
12,  1861,  by  Capt.  T.  C.  Pitchou.  I'.  S.  A.  It  was  present  at  the  cap- 
ture of  Fort  Donaldson,  February  1.").  1S62:  at  the  iiattlc  of  Shiloh, 
April  6,  1862.  where  Colonel  Bane  lost  his  right  arm:  at  t)attle  of 
Corinth,  May  1,  1862,  and  Boonville.  Mississippi;  at  a  skirmish  at 
Bean  Creek,  April  17.  1863;  at  Cherokee  and  Xewsonics  Farm:  at 
Town  Creek.  April  28,  1863.  where  it  fought  (Jeneral  Forrest. 

Smith  Thompson  formed  a  cavalry  company  at  Quincy,  in  AugiLst, 
1864:  was  taken  prisoner  and  exchanged  :  died  and  is  l>uried  at  Balti- 
more. Maryland. 

On  January  1.  1864,  three- fourths  of  the  regiment  re-enlisted 
and  returned  tf)  Illinois  on  veteran  furlough.  A  creat  rally  occurred 
at  Liberty,  and  a  great  fight  on  the  main  street  of  the  town,  in  which 
the  soldiers  knocked  everybody  down  who  opposed  them.  They  re- 
turned  to  the   front   and     fought   near    Ortanauld    River,    .\pril    17, 


660  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1863;  at  Cedar  Town,  July  3,  1863;  and  at  Altooua,  Colonel  Hanua 
was  shot  through  the  thigh.  The  Fiftieth  was  at  Cave  Spring,  Oc- 
tober 13,  1862 ;  marched  with  Sherman  to  the  sea ;  met  enemy  at 
Little  Ogeechee  and  fought  at  Bentonville,  on  March  24,  1865;  was 
present  at  the  Grand  Review  in  Washington,  D.  C,  May  21,  1865; 
won  a  prize  banner  at  Louisville,  Kentueln-,  July  3,  1865 ;  was  mus- 
tered out  of  service  July  13,  1865,  and  arrived  at  Camp  Butler,  Illi- 
nois, July  14,  1865. 

The  soldiers  who  enlisted  in  the  Eighty-Fourth  Illinois  Infantry 
from  Burton  Township  were:  James  F.  Hughes,  Phillip  Keller, 
Stephen  A.  Malone,  DeWitt  C.  Miller,  Joseph  S.  Pond,  L.  Scheder, 
John  H.  Smith,  George  W.  Thompson,  George  W.  Wilson,  Henry  Y. 
Lewis,  Crayton  Slade,  Wm.  R.  Gray,  Wm.  M.  Powers,  Samuel  J. 
Blivens,  James  T.  Bartholamew,  Levi  M.  Dort,  Samuel  Getz,  Thos. 
M.  Bagby,  Wm.  L.  Hughes,  Loren  W.  Lewis,  Martin  ilerrill,  Benja- 
min F.  Morton,  Newton  J.  Robb,  George  W.  Simpson,  Israel  Spitler, 
Wm.  H.  Wells,  Wm.  JIalone,  S.  S.  Slater,  James  Malone,  Lyman  C. 
Hancock,  Francis  Baltzer,  George  A.  Blivens,  Samuel  M.  Crawford, 
Samuel  Ellis,  Wm.  H.  Holftnan  and  Henry  Sparks.  The  Eighty- 
Fourth  Illinois  Infantry  (volunteer)  was  mustered  into  the  service 
on  September  1,  1862,  at  Camp  Quincy,  Illinois,  by  Capt.  Thomas 
Ewing,  an  officer  of  the  regular  army.  The  regiment  left  Quincy 
September  23,  1862,  for  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  soon  after  started 
on  that  memorable  march  to  Nashville,  Tennessee.  On  the  march 
from  Bush  Creek  to  Somerset,  ninety  of  the  men  waded  through 
snow,  slush  and  mud  a  distance  of  twelve  miles  without  shoes.  In  the 
battle  fought  December  31,  1862,  at  Stone  River,  228  men  were 
killed  and  wounded  out  of  350  engaged.  Lieutenant  Roberts  of  Com- 
pany E  was  shot  in  the  spine.  Other  battles  in  which  Burton  Town- 
ship soldiers  participated:  Perryville,  Woodbury,  Lookout  Moun- 
tain, Ringgold.  Buzzard  Roost,  Burnt  Hickory,  Smyrna,  Jonesboro, 
Franklin,  Stone  River,  Chickamauga,  Missionary  Ridge,  Dalton,  Re- 
saca,  Kenesaw  Mountain.  Atlanta,  Lovejoy  Station  and  Nashville. 
The  number  of  casualties  in  battle,  558 ;  killed  by  accident,  7 ;  died  of 
disease,  124.  Four  men  were  taken  prisoners;  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Morton;  Corporal  John  P.  Chowring  of  Company  E. ;  Private  Herbert 
shot  by  a  guard  at  Andersonville,  on  the  dead  line ;  William  H.  Till- 
son  of  Company  E  exchanged  by  order  of  secretary  of  war.  The 
regiment  was  camped  on  the  slope  of  the  mountain  near  Buzzard 
Roost  Gap,  in  Tennessee,  when  news  came  that  General  Lee  had  sur- 
rendered and  the  war  was  over,  and  the  regiment  was  mustered  out 
of  service  June  9,  1865,  at  Camp  Harken,  Tennessee. 

Crayton  Slade,  of  Company  E,  who'  enlisted  August  5,  1862,  at 
Livingston  School,  was  eighty-eight  yeai's  of  age  May  14,  1918.  He 
lives  in  Gilmer  Township,  at  Paloma. 

Soldiers  of  the  Spanish-American  war  who  went  from  Burton 
Township :   Eugene  Weisenger,  Walter  S.  Wells,  Willis  Cook,  Theron 


QUINCY  AND  ADA.MS  COrXTY  (Uil 

Hirdsel  and  Peck  Troctor  enlisted  in  the  I'nitetl  Stales  Navy  at 
(^uincy.  May  30.  1898;  took  part  in  the  actions  at  Guantanaino  ]iuy 
and  at  San  Juan;  diseharped  Xoveinber  2'i,  1898. 

Soldiers  of  the  present  World  war  who  have  pone  from  Hurton 
Township:  Charles  W.  Cook,  horn  June  24,  18!)0.  Enlisted  in 
United  States  Rcpular  Army  January  6,  1912.  Placed  on  list  of  re- 
serves, January  .">.  lid 5.  Reported  for  duty  in  present  war  at  Jef- 
ferson Barracks,  Missouri,  May  18,  1917.  Sent  to  Fort  Moidtrie, 
South  Carolina.  Promoted  to  serpeant.  Battery  A,  Si.xty-First  Artil- 
lery. C.  A.  C.     Volunteered. 

Mark  II.  Tandy,  horn  March  1.  1893,  Burton  Township,  Illinois. 
Enlisted  at  Quincy  June  2").  1!)17.  Hospital  Corps,  Fort  Riley,  Kan- 
sa.s.    Volunteered. 

Frank  L.  Cook  horn  June  1.  1S93.  Enlisted  at  Quincy.  June  2;), 
1917.  Sent  to  Fort  Riley,  Kansas;  later  to  Camp  Travis,  Texas; 
Three  Hundred  and  Fifty-Eiphth  Motor  Amhulance  Corps.  Vol- 
unteered. 

Elmer  II.  Ilartman,  horn  June  21,  1887.  Burton  Township,  Illi- 
nois. Enlistment  ftt  Quincy,  Septemhcr.  1917.  Sent  to  Camp  Dodge, 
Iowa.    Selective  draft. 

Ellis  S.  Tandy,  born  April  15,  1898.  Enlisted  at  Quincy.  Decem- 
ber 26,  1917.  Sent  to  Camp  Sevier.  South  Carolina:  later  to  Camp 
Merrit,  New  Jerse.v.     Volunteered. 

Oeorge  A.  Proctor,  born  August  4.  1890,  Burton  Township,  Illi- 
nois. Enlisted  at  Quincy.  April  3,  1918.  Sent  to  Fort  Crockett, 
Texas,  assigned  to  Battery  D,  Third  Transport  Motor  Battalion.  Vol- 
tmtcered. 

Milton  M.  Dean,  born  July  21.  1892.  Burton  Township,  Illinois. 
Enlistment  at  Quincy.  April  3.  1918.  Sent  to  Fort  Crockett.  Texas, 
assigned  to  Battery  I).  Third  Transport  Motor  Battalion.  \'olun- 
teered. 

AVilliam  A.  Veihl,  horn  Fcbrnar\  4,  1804.  Burton  Township,  Il- 
linois. Enlistment  at  Quincy,  May  30,  1918.  Sent  to  Fort  Sheri- 
dan, Alabama.     Assigned  to  Machine  Oun  Company. 

August  Ilopson.  born  August  T),  1888,  Hancock  County.  Illinois. 
Enlistment  at  Quincy.  May  24.  1918. 

Maurice  P.  O'llare,  born  January  21.  189.3,  Burton  Township, 
Illinois.  Enlistment  at  Quincy,  December  1.  1917.  Sent  to  Fort 
Baker,  California.  Company  Seventeen,  .\rtillerv. 

Earl  C.  Brackensiek.  born  'November  23.  189.i.  Burton  Town- 
ship. Illinois.  Enlistment  at  Quincy.  May  3.  1918.  Sent  to  Camp 
Sheridan.  Alabama.  Company  fl,  Forty-F'ifth   Infantrw 

Carl  Mollenhauer,  born  December  24.  1898.  Burton  Township, 
Illinois.  Enlistment  urd<nown.  Sent  to  Rockford.  Illinois.  Volun- 
teered. 

Lewis  W.  Rabe,  born  Fcbruarv  24.  1894.  Burton  Township,  Illi- 
nois. Enlistment  I.one  Island.  New  York.  A.ssiened  First  Class 
Signal  Reserve  Corps.  Aviation  Section.  Aero  Souadron. 


662  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Donald  J.  Haire,  born  December  24,  1895,  Burton  Township, 
Illinois.  Enlistment  Quincy,  May  30,  1918.  Sent  to  Fort  Sheridan, 
Alabama,    Forty-Fifth    Machine    Gun    Company. 

Harry  A.  O'Hare,  born  May  30,  1889,  Burton  Township,  Illinois. 
Enlistment  Norden,  Nebraska,  June  27,  1918.  Sent  to  Camp  Fun- 
ston,  Kansas. 

Charles  R.  Geisel,  born  May  29,  1891,  Burton  Township,  Illi- 
nois. Enlistment  at  Quincy,  June  1,  1918.  Sent  to  Great  Lakes 
Naval  Training  Station,  Chicago,  111.     Volunteered. 

Russell  L.  Cook,  born  February  21,  1895,  Bui-ton  Township,  Illi- 
nois. Enlistment  at  Quincy,  June  14,  1918.  Sent  to  Rakes  Army 
Motor  ^leehanies  School,  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 

Arlo  H.  Geisel,  born  November  17,  1896,  Burton  Township,  Illi- 
nois. Enlisted  at  Quincy,  June  4,  1918.  Sent  to  Rakes  Army  Motor 
Mechanics  School,  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 

Earl  Wells,  born  January  16,  1896,  Burton  Township,  Illinois. 
Enlisted  at  Quincy.  June  5,  1918.  Sent  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  Lim- 
ited Mechanics  School.   Company  A. 

Frank  R.  Sorrill,  born  September  6,  1896.  Jacksonville,  Illinois. 
Enlisted  at  Quincy,  May  31,  1918.  Sent  Great  Lakes  Naval  Training 
Camp,  Chicago.  Transferred  to  League  Island  Navy  Yard,  Phila- 
delphia. 

History  of  Richfield  Township 

[Contributed] 

The  first  schoolhouse  was  located  a  quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  the 
present  building,  on  section  33.  It  was  built  of  logs,  in  1845.  This 
was  replaced  by  a  frame  building  in  1856  and  used  until  1904  when 
it  was  sold  to  Sam  Gamble  and  moved  to  his  farm.  The  present 
sclioolhonse  is  an  up-to-date  l)uilding,  equipped  with  furnace,  organ, 
maps,  etc.  The  ninth  and  tenth  grades  have  been  taught  there  for 
the  last  five  years.  The  present  directors  are  Sam  Gamble,  A.  W. 
Young  and  Alex.  Likes.  Among  the  teachers  having  taught  in  this 
school  during  this  above  historic  record  are :  William  Ilollenlieak. 
Dr.  J.  G.  McKinney,  William  Heck,  Thomas  Davidson,  Leander  Cly- 
mer,  Cainey  Sellers.  Ed  Roe,  Mary  Long,  Bob  Jones,  Abbie  Roberts, 
Lon  Thompson,  Oscar  Lock,  Anna  Jones,  Ada  Hedges,  Rose  Curran. 
Lillian  Dewill,  Maud  House,  Ida  Hull,  Fannie  Funk,  Irma  Rickart, 
Ora  Funk,  Rose  Daniels,  Olivi  W^orks,  Leona  Tully,  Ora  Oitker,  Pay- 
ton  Baker,  Lewis  Boyer,  Byron  Lock,  Harry  Lock,  Lulu  Heizog,  Eda 
House,  Laurell  Crisp,  Frank  Young. 

The  present  Rice  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1889.  The  old  school- 
house  was  sold  to  Charles  Griffin  for  $9.50.  Names  of  the  teachers 
that  taught  this  .school  are  as  follows:  Robert  T.  Hinckley,  John 
Gilkey,  Edward  Uhland,  Mrs.  McGinnis,  Oliver  Whitney,  :\Iargaret 
Broady,  Albert  Leach,  Callie  Morton,  Robert  Hinckley,  Cle  Enlow, 
Kate   Petit,    Edward   Roe,    Savena    Gabriel,   Record   W.    Hinckley. 


QT'INCV  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  663 

Mary  Rice,  Sarah  Iliiikley,  I>.  I.  Carpenter,  Douglas  Belt/,,  Mi-s. 
Sarah  Barnard,  Klla  Riee,  Tiny  Nichols,  Anna  (ieavatt,  Lois  Trotter, 
Wesli'v  SjiiimioikIs,  La\ira  Jolinsoii.  <  "lias.  A.  Reid,  Gilbert  Wwxls, 
Eiiiiiia  Wliiteineyer.  .Matt  MeMeachan,  Rclieeea  Coriiiany,  Ira  Smith, 
Carolina  I'hland,  Louie  I'hland.  Alice  Lawrence,  Klecta  Groniand, 
Mary  Iluddleston.  Rosa  Flick,  K.  A.  Orummonds.  Klsie  Holenum, 
A.  L.  Enlow,  (Jeitrude  Arnt/.eu,  Roy  McKiii/c,  Charles  Daly,  Elmer 
Stewart,  Florence  Cook,  Ira  Scott,  Lula  Ilerzog,  Maude  Sittler.  Car- 
rie Goertz,  Agnes  Welsh,  Floyd  Stewart.  Nellie  Gray  and  Frank 
Bauer. 

Riehtteld's  present  school  was  huilt  in  1870.  Followin;;  is  a 
list  of  the  teachers  who  have  taught  therein :  Edward  Roe,  Rob- 
ert Hinckley,  Walter  Hinckley,  James  House,  Dr.  W.  F.  Snider, 
John  Smith.  Andrew  Tyler,  Ben  Collins.  Orson  Lock.  Harry  Lock, 
T.  O'Morre,  Winnie  Hartshorn,  Maggie  Welsh.  Rosa  Flick.  Ben 
Groves,  Robert  Glenn,  Myrtle  Sturtevant,  Edith  House,  Dean  Fer- 
ryman, Agnes  Welsh.  Gertie  Daniels,  Opal  Hocliiiiin  iiinl  E.  D. 
Picrson. 

The  names  of  those  who  have  taught  in  Wagy  School  .since  1863 
are  as  follows:  Harrison  .McKee,  A.  J.  Watkins.  Lucy  Calloway. 
Elizabeth  C.  Mosley.  Louis  H.  Kidder.  Elizabeth  E.  Johnson,  Thebe 
A.  Ester,  Lydia  Fusselman,  Crawford  Maple,  A.  F.  Green,  Kate 
Petit.  Charles  Thompson,  Melvina  Nichols.  Sarah  Barkley.  Barton 
R.  Field,  Cle  Enlow,  Newton  Potter,  JL  V.  Humphrey,  George  Ijock, 
A.  B.  Call.  L.  C.  Carter,  Lyman  McCarl,  Belle  Lock,  Hester  Good- 
ner.  Alice  Browning.  Mattie  McMcachan.  Grant  McCarl,  Ida  Hull. 
Louisa  Thompson,  Edgar  Landoii,  Jesse  Alcshire,  Orson  Lock,  Harry 
Lock,  Bessie  Smiley,  L.  D.  Peters,  Charles  Wagy,  W.  B.  Smiley, 
Alma  Thompson.  Edith  Bobbins,  Florence  Cook.  Sylvia  Smiley.  Emil 
House,  Jesse  Morrison,  John  Daniels,  Charles  Wagy.  Nellie  Gray 
and  Zepha  Welton. 

Frank's  school  was  built  in  1872.  Following  is  a  partial  list  of 
teachers  that  taught  during  that  time:  Florence  Sells.  Mary  Heine, 
Thomas  Enlow,  Daisy  Tourney,  Myrtle  Austin.  Lucy  Griggs.  Guy 
Tourney.  Louisa  Hennings.  Emma  LicHe.  Catherine  Fischer,  Fred 
ilcCarl,  Francis  Crim,  Byron  Lock.  Ray  Clary.  Angle  Hunsaker 
and  Neva  Drage. 

Following  is  a  list  of  teachers  who  taught  at  Oakwood  School: 
Newton  Forgy,  John  Daniels,  Madge  Dunn.  Lucy  Griggs,  Jcs.sc 
Ale-shire,  Marie  Freeman,  Claudie  Lea.se.  liable  Daniels,  Carl  Riee. 
Wilma  Tandy,  Harry  Lock.  Gertie  Daniels.  :\raggic  Flynn.  ISIattie 
Triplett,  Nettie  Fitzgerald,  Agnes  ,\bbott.  Orson  Lock.  Edna  Lari- 
more,  Winnie  Hartshorn,  Orphia  Hull,  Rosa  Curren.  Rebecca  Cor- 
many,  Patrick  Daniels.  Maude  House.  J.  C.  Baker,  (icorgia  Anna 
Pryor.  Clement  McCarl  and  Verna  Pickens. 

What  is  now  known  as  District  No.  232  (Akers  School)  was 
organized  sometime  before  the  Civil   war.  or  about  sixty-five  years 


664  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ago.  A  fairly  complete  record  has  been  kept  for  the  past  fifty-five 
years.  Perhaps  the  first  building  used  entirely  for  school  purposes 
wa.s  of  logs  and  stood  a  short  distance  south  of  the  present  residence 
of  Doctor  Davidson.  About  the  year  1862  a  frame  building  largely  of 
oak  wa.s  erected  on  the  site  of  the  present  sehoolhouse.  This  was 
built  by  Cyrene  Johnson  of  Siloam,  Illinois,  and  was  used  by  the 
district  until  the  present  building  replaced  it  in  1890.  The  old 
sehoolhouse  is  now  used  as  a  residence  by  William  Nations,  Sr.  The 
district  was  at  one  time  much  larger  than  now,  and  has  had  a  school 
population  of  over  100.  Two  former  teachers  became  county  super- 
intendents, John  H.  Black  and  John  Jimison ;  others  are  John 
Weber,  a  well  known  banker  of  Barry,  Illinois ;  Douglas  Belt?.,  a 
wealthy  ranch  owner  and  legislator  of  the  State  of  Washington  ; 
George  Kendall,  county  agent  of  Morgan  County,  and  J.  B.  Hend- 
rick,  principal  of  schools,  Petersliurg,  111.  Former  pupils  of  old 
Akers  may  be  found  all  over  the  West,  and  have  done  and  are  yet 
doing  a  good  part  in  the  uplifting  of  whatever  section  of  the  country 
they  are  residing.  Following  is  a  list  of  teachers  since  April,  1863: 
Carrie  Crocker,  John  Jimison,  John  Weber,  Albert  Leach,  John  D. 
Henry,  Anna  Bimson,  William  McKinney,  Priseilla  Watkins,  Mar- 
tha Huffman,  John  H.  Black.  Charles  Kendall,  John  A.  Cunning- 
ham, Lydia  Bimson,  Sarah  Jimison,  Douglas  Beltz,  Mary  Salthouse, 
Louis  Trotter.  Serena  Callahan,  Jennie  Buffington,  Becky  Cormany, 
Samuel  Ensminger,  John  M.  Lutener,  T.  G.  Murphy,  N.  P.  Mclntire, 
Edgar  Sellars,  W.  B.  Moore,  George  Buffington,  Cle  Enlow,  Mollie 
Smith,  Nannie  McMahan,  Frank  Shelly,  W.  D.  Bigelow,  Ada 
Hedges,  Louis  Charles,  Wood  D.  Anderson,  Emma  Hedges,  George 
Kendall,  Mar,y  Heine,  Henry  Davis,  Herbert  Hendricks,  Lura  Grubb, 
John  Daniels,  Ora  Funk,  C.  L.  Chandler,  Quindo  Lierle,  Lydia  Goretz, 
Leta  Nations,  Milton  Hofmeister,  Ralph  Hofmeister,  Nina  Cutforth. 
Harry  Hackard  and  Edith  Chamberlain. 

The  old  Rose  Hill  Sehoolhouse,  a  frame  building  built  in  1855, 
was  located  one-half  mile  south  of  the  present  stone  one,  which  was 
erected  in  1875,  at  a  cost  of  .$800.  N.  G.  Peters,  S.  L.  McClain  and 
William  T.  Davis  were  the  directors  at  the  time  the  money  for  the 
building  was  borrowed  of  A.  H.  D.  Buttz.  A  Mr.  Evans  of  Liberty 
did  the  stone  work.  Mr.  Carney  of  the  same  place  did  the  carpenter 
work.  Charles  Chandler  pla.stered  the  building.  The  stone  was 
quarried  on  the  farm  of  W.  H.  Beavers  by  Lee  Cougkenour.  The 
following  is  a  partial  list  of  teachers  from  1855  to  1882:  Charles 
Kendall,  Mollie  Robinson,  Clarence  King,  Harrison  McKee,  Mattie 
Henderson,  Angeline  Spence,  David  Starr,  Jesse  Clymer,  Thomas 
Ferrier,  N.  G.  Peters,  Hugh  G.  Tourner,  John  Broady.  Sarah  E. 
Orr,  A.  B.  Call,  C.  A.  Carson  and  J.  H.  :\Iorrison.  From  1882  to 
1918 :  L.  S.  Clymer,  Mollie  Smith,  Jennie  Doty,  Fay  Behymer,  Cas- 
sina  Rush,  Anna  Peters,  Jennie  Penny,  Charles  Davis,  A.  I.  Tyler, 
Elsie  Holeman,  May  Wood,  Jesse  Alcshire,  Florence  Sells,  Ada 
Hedges,    Richard    Kennedy,  W.   H.   Morley,   J.    C.   Baker,   Lemuel 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUXTY  665 

Peters,  Hannah  Feiigel,  Eujrene  I'ierson,  Olive  Works,  .Maude 
Eilson.  0\n  I'aliriek,  Josie  Aleshire,  Ora  Oitker.  Dollic  Callalian, 
Tiny  Austin.  Marie  FreeTiian,  Pearl  Oitker.  Nellie  .Morrison,  Milton 
Ilofineister,  Mamie  Sims.  Elmer  Fengel.  ("arl  Riee.  Jes.se  Morrison, 
Iva  Taylor.  Nina  C'utforth.  Zepha  AVelton,  Kditli  Chamberlain, 
Mabel  Sims  and  Sophia  Ryan. 

First  {'enter  Schoolhonse  was  of  losrs  built  in  1S4."),  and  stood. 
one-half  mile  southwest  of  the  present  building;.  The  direetoi-s  built 
a  new  frame  in  ISoH,  where  the  new  stone  sehoolhoiisc  now  stands, 
which  was  built  in  1874.  Mrs.  Carrie  Doeiufis  tau-ilit  in  the  first 
schoolhonse  in  185:1 ;  J.  L.  Stevenson  in  the  new  frame  house  in 
1858,  and  Lucy  J.  Corkins,  in  1860.  The  following  teachei-s  have 
taupht  since  that  time:  Mary  Brewer,  John  H.  Mlack,  Jessie  lily- 
mer.  Leander  Clymer.  Sarah  Bclip,  James  House,  Martha  Tyler, 
Sebastian  Riter,  Louie  Ilolembeak,  Josie  Kelly.  Thomas  Davidson, 
Kate  Pcttit.  Ella  Sprague.  Sarah  (ieorpe.  Robert  Hinckley,  Elic 
Caron,  George  Carson,  Louis  Trotter,  A.  I.  Tyler,  Angiline  Jimison, 
Thomas  Davis,  Warren  ]\Iorrison,  \Vade  Gilkey.  Priscilla  Watkins, 
Lawrence  Hoskins.  Sape  Iloskins.  Rosa  Flick,  Myrtle  Sells,  Mary 
Heine.  George  B.  Kendall,  R.  D.  Peters,  Ada  Hedges,  Maude  Mot- 
ley. Olive  Works,  Rosa  Daniels.  Albert  Flick,  Lula  Herzog,  Dan 
Peters,  John  Daniels,  Cora  Oitker,  Clarence  Morrison,  Nellie  Mor- 
rison. Dean  Ferryman,  Myrtle  Austin,  Alta  Preilmore,  Agnes 
Welsh.  Elmer  Fengel.  Opal  Holeman,  Bertha  Drage,  Venia  Pickens, 
Zepha   Welton,   Frank   Young  and  Mabel   Sims. 

No.  7  schoolhonse  was  built  in  1870.  The  old  building  stood 
one-half  mile  south  on  the  old  Stewart  farm.  Following  are  the 
names  of  teachers  who  have  taught  since  1864:  James  Doran,  Carrie 
Baker.  F.  C.  Chandler.  Francis  Lock,  John  Brothers,  Jesse 
McTucker.  Louise  Chandler,  Francis  M.  Chandler,  Mary  M.  Rath- 
liorn,  Nellie  Funk.  F.  M.  Behymer,  F.  J.  Clymer,  Marden  Forgy. 
Crawford  Miehels,  :Margaret  Barkley,  Thomas  J.  Cook,  :M.  McKin- 
ney,  J.  L.  Cl.\nner.  Ada  Holembeak.  James  Gayer.  John  Woods, 
Leander  Chtner,  Kate  Pettit,  Monroe  Robinson,  Rufus  Hicks,  Laura 
Hinckle.v,  I>eon  0.  Crim,  Raehael  Sims,  I^ona  Holembeak,  Genie 
Lock,  Ella  C.  Freeman.  Sada  McAtee,  Lucy  Lou  McCrory,  Alice 
Lock,  Lucus  Morrison,  H.  Harrison.  Mary  R.  Doty.  R.  W.  Kennedy, 
Jennie  Doty,  Anna  McMahan,  Nellie  Conboy,  Rena  Wike.  Cassins 
Rush.  Anna  Peters,  Mattie  Triplett.  G.  W.  Doyle.  Walter  Triplett, 
Charles  Wagy,  Malsy  Austin,  Ora  Funk,  L.  D.  Peters.  Irma  Ricker. 
Nettie  Shuwe,  Tiny  Austin.  Lydia  Hofmeister,  Enuna  Lierley,  Elda 
Sittlcr.  Alta  Predmore,  Lilian  Schmidt.  Nina  Cutforth,  :Marie 
Bauer,  Florence  Davis,  Jennie  Bnffington,  Elinor  Cutforth,  Mildred 
Sykes  and  Dollie  Callahan. 

The  stone  for  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Richfield  was 
hauled  there  in  September.  1858,  and  the  wall  was  laid  the  same 
fall    bv    William    Holcomb.      The  sills  were  cut  and  hewed  by  Mr. 


666  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Holeomb  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Robert  Welton.  The  framing 
was  clone  by  a  man  named  Thompson.  It  was  blown  down  before 
it  was  completed.  This  eaiised  some  trouble  between  the  building 
committee  and  Mr.  Thomjjson.  The  matter  was  iinally  settled  by 
arbitration  suit.  The  framing  timber  was  sawed  out  by  Jesse  Evans 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  J.  C.  Keener.  The  lumber  was  bought 
in  Chicago,  shipped  to  Coatsburg  and  dressed  by  hand  on  the 
grounds.  The  carpenters  employed  were  R.  G.  Burk,  William  Camp- 
bell, Mr.  Hufert  and  Mr.  Reynels.  The  building  committee  com- 
prised R.  Hartshorn,  Sr.,  R.  W.  Hinckley,  Perry  Howard,  Isaac 
Cleveland  and  A.  G.  Burk.  The  dedication  sermon  was  delivered  by 
a  Mr.  Neuman  who  also  ministered  to  the  church  for  some  time. 
The  church  has  had  many  able  ministers  during  these  years  of  its 
existence.  Last  but  not  least  among  them  is  the  present  minister, 
Rev.  G.  W.  McCumber,  who.se  loving  Christian  character  has  made 
him  a  host  of  friends. 

During  the  winter  of  1885  Elder  Calel)  Edwards  of  the  Payson 
Christian  Church  held  a  meeting  in  the  town  hall.  Quite  a  number 
made  a  good  confession  and  united  with  the  cause  at  that  place. 
Their  building  plans  were  laid  and  the  church  was  dedicated  by 
Brother  Edwards.  The  building  committee  consisted  of  Alvin 
Hartshorn,  Charley  Williams,  W.  C.  Trotter  and  L.  S.  Wagy.  A.  M. 
Glenn  was  given  the  contract  for  the  carpenter  work.  Alvin  Harts- 
horn did  the  plastering.  Brother  Edwards  preached  for  the  church 
for  several  years  and  was  followed  by  J.  T.  Parrick,  and  F.  Boyd 
of  Barry,  Illinois.  Several  meetings  have  been  held  by  evangelists, 
including  T.  L.  Nabbitt,  Kansas  City,  Kansas,  and  Joel  Brown,  of 
DesMoines,  Iowa. 

Shiloh  Chapel,  situated  on  section  30,  and  built  in  1853  by  Sam- 
uel Lock  at  a  cost  of  $1,000,  was  dedicated  1854.  The  first  board 
of  trustees  consisting  of  W.  M.  Gooding,  Joseph  Linthecum,  Henry 
Lyle,  William  Holeomb,  Jacob  Baker  and  Benjamin  Fahs.  The 
first  superintendent  of  Sunday  school  was  Philip  Fahs.  Some  of 
the  leading  laymen  were  Simon  Groves,  Joseph  Lyons,  Jesse  Rod- 
gers,  Simeon  Baker,  Emory  Lock  and  others.  The  first  minister  was 
Reverend  Northcott.  Rev.  Emery  Elliott  was  pastor  in  1855.  Among 
the  earl.v  ministers  was  Rev.  Sanford  Bond.  Peter  Slagel  came  to 
the  work  in  1877;  William  McKendree  Gooding,  1878-79;  J.  J. 
Dugan,  1880 ;  Edward  Weaver  was  pastor  in  the  early  '80s ;  James 
B.  Wade,  1885-87;  S.  G.  Ferree,  in  1888;  Reverend  Gregg,  in  1889; 
J.  W.  Madison,  1890-95;  A.  V.  Babbs,  1896-97;  C.  F.  Buker.  1898-90; 
I.  W.  Keithley,  1900-190.3;  J.  W.  Biddle,  1904;  M.  D.  Tremaine, 
1905-07;  A.  B.  Fry,  1907-10;  George  Bechtel,  1910-14.  Mr.  Bechtel 
was  succeeded  by  George  F.  McCumber  in  1914,  whose  five  years 
of  service  are  closing.  The  present  board  of  trustees  consists  of 
S.  A.  Barber,  Grant  McCarl,  Orville  Hess,  William  Baker  and  Joseph 
P.  Harrison. 

On  December  19,   1879,  a   Baptist  society  was  organized  in  the 


QUINCY  AND  ADA.MS  COUNTY  667 

I'iii  Oak  sfhoolhouse  consisting  of  six  iiipiiibors.  IJy  motion,  this 
society  adopted  the  name  of  Mount  Zion  and  organized  a  Sunday 
school.  On  July  23,  1880,  the  soi-iety  was  roojrnizcd  hy  the  I'ayson, 
Barry,  Newtown,  Kingston,  New  Canton  and  Richlield  Maptist  organ- 
izations and  thereby  became  recognized  as  a  church.  In  the  fall  of 
1887  a  church  was  built  and  dedicated  on  Dcccniber  18th  of  the 
same  year,  taking  the  name  of  the  society,  whidi  was  now  Mt.  Zion 
Baptist  Church.  The  sermon  for  this  occasion  was  given  by  the 
Rev.  F.  P.  Douglas,  assisted  by  tiie  Hevercnd  First,  of  Harry.  The  fol- 
lowing arc  the  pastors  who  have  served  the  Mt.  Zion  Baptist  ("hureli 
with  years  of  service:  1880,  Jacob  ('ornelius;  1881,  William  Green: 
during  August.  1882.  a  series  of  meetings  by  the  Rev.  J.  \V.  Thomp- 
son, an  evangelist  from  Iowa:  1883,  Reverend  Goodwin;  188C.  Rev. 
Frank  Douglas  and  Rev.  S.  A.  Douglas;  1888,  Rev.  Frank  Douglas; 
1889.  Reverend  Kennedy:  1802,  "William  Hawker:  180.3.  Rev.  Joe 
Douglas;  1896.  Rev.  \V.  I).  Hawker  (closed  pastorate  in  litOl  i  ;  1002. 
Reverend  Andwick;  1903,  Reverend  John;  1906,  Reverend  Boyce; 
1!W>7.  Reverend  Bowermaii :  1008.  Rev.  Horace  Wheeler;  1010.  Rev. 
James  McKeehan;  1011,  Rev.  Gilbert  Claxton  (pastorate  from  April, 
1911,  to  June  3,  1917.) 

IIiiNKV  Grkkk  Township 

Hi/  W.  S.  (Iran 

The  Town  of  Honey  Creek  comprises  congressional  township  No. 
1  north  of  the  base  line  and  7  west  of  the  fourth  principal  meridian. 
It  is  one  of  the  centrally  lo<-ated  townshi])s  of  .\dams  County  and  is 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Keene  Township,  on  the  east  liy  Camp 
Point,  on  the  .south  by  Gilmer,  and  on  the  west  by  Mendon.  It  con- 
sisted originally  of  alx)ut  three-fifths  timber  and  two-fifths  prairie 
land.  Excepting  a  small  area  in  the  southeast  portion  of  the  town- 
shij),  its  entire  watershed  is  drained  by  Bear  Creek,  the  principal 
branches  of  which  are  Honey  and  Brush  creeks.  The  township  is 
well  adapted  to  farming  and  stock  raising.  .Mtliowgh  tiiiiher  was  an 
important  factor  to  the  early  settlers,  much  of  the  tiiid)er  land  has 
been  cleared  for  farming  and  at  the  present  time  not  more  than  one- 
fourth  of  the  township  is  timber  land.  There  is  an  ainnidance  of 
limestone  in  the  township,  excellent  for  both  building  |)urposes  and 
roadmaking.  and  also  an  inexhaustible  sii|)|)Iy  of  brick  clay,  but  little 
of  which  has  been  utilized  for  brick  making.  The  early  settlers  gave 
much  attention  to  fruit  culture  and  large  and  beautifid  orchards  of 
apple,  peach,  pear,  and  other  fruit-bearing  trees  were  to  be. found 
near  their  homes.  On  account  of  the  advent  of  inse<-t  enemies  these 
early  orchards,  which  have  nearly  all  pas.sed  away,  arc  not  being 
replaced  by  present  owners  as  generously  as  was  done  by  early  sct- 
tlei-s.  This  fact  is  much  to  be  regretted  as  there  is  no  more  beauti- 
ful sight  than  a  well  kept  orchard,  a  proof  of  which  is  'Sunnyside 
Fruit  Farm"'  just  north  and  east  of  Coatsburg,  owned  and  cared  for 


668  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

liy  J.  R.  Lambert.  The  township  derived  its  name  from  one  of  the 
creeks  that  drains  a  large  portion  of  the  western  half  of  the  township. 
This  creek  was  called  Honey  Creek  because  the  early  settlers  fonnd 
l)ee  trees  along  its  banks,  and  often  tliese  trees  when  cut  down  were 
found  to  contain  a  bountiful  supply  of  honey. 

The  writer  has  no  positive  information  as  to  when,  where,  and 
by  whom  the  first  settlement  was  made  in  the  township  or  who  was 
the  fir.st  child  born  in  the  township.  The  Adams  County  History 
jiublished  in  1879  by  Murray,  Williamson  and  Phelps  states  that 
the  first  settlement  was  made  at  Walnut  Point,  but  does  not  give 
the  date  or  name  of  settler.  This  is  the  quarter  section  lying  east 
of  Coatsburg,  now  owaied  'by  George  H.  Gray,  being  the  northeast 
quarter  of  section  36.  Dr.  W.  E.  Gilliland,  an  early  settler  of 
Mendon  Town.ship,  and  who  lived  in  Honey  Creek  from  1870  until 
1912,  the  date  of  his  death,  makes  the  following  statement  in  regard 
to  the  early  settlement  of  Honey  Creek  in  tlie  histor.y  prepared  by 
him  for  "Past  and  Present  History  of  Adams  County,"  published 
in  190.5  and  edited  by  the  Hon.  William  H.  Collins  and  Mr.  Cicero 
F.  Perry:  "The  first  habitation  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge 
was  built  by  a  squatter  named  Haven  on  section  21,  prior  to  1830." 
Whether  the  first  settlement  was  made  on  section  21  or  36,  or  possibly 
some  other  section,  it  seems  from  the  best  information  obtainable  that 
the  first  settlement  was  made  either  in  1829  or  1830. 

Among  the  earliest  settlers  was  Enos  Thompson,  who  settled  in 
the  southwest  part  of  the  township  about  1830.  He  was  the  father 
of  a  large  family  of  sons  and  daughters  and  the  settlement  by  this 
family  in  the  southwest  part  of  Honey  Creek  and  the  southeast  part 
of  Mendon  was  known  for  miles  around  as  "the  Thompson  settle- 
ment." Enos  Thompson  was  a  minister  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  quite  a  revivalist,  and  generally  known  throughout  Western 
Illinois.  Martin  Stewart,  who  was  also  an  earlj-  settler  of  Honey 
Creek,  married  one  of  Enos  Thompson's  daughters.  W.  H.  Thomp- 
son, who  was  postmaster  in  Coatsburg  for  many  years,  is  a  relative 
of  Enos  Thompson. 

Benjamin  Baldwin  settled  on  section  18  in  1833,  coming  to  Illi- 
nois from  North  Giiilford.  Connecticut.  His  grandson,  George  H. 
Baldwin,  later  became  the  owner  of  the  land  settled  by  his  grand- 
father and  in  addition  acnuired  other  large  and  valuable  tracts  of 
land  in  Honey  Creek  and  Mendon  townships.  He  has  since  retired 
from  the  farm  and  is  now  living  in  Mendon. 

Thotnas.  James,  John.  Richard  and  William  Wliite,  brothers, 
came  to  Adams  Countv  from  Alabama  in  1833  and  settled  in  the 
central  part  of  Honey  Creek  in  1834.  Their  parents  came  also  a  little 
later  and  lived  in  the  township  near  their  children. 

Thomas  White  became  an  extensive  farmer,  and  he  and  his  wife 
Na»icy  were  the  parents  of  a  larffe  family  of  children,  as  follows: 
John  A.,  Calvin.  James  M..  William.  Thomas  C,  Sarah  A.,  Jane, 
Hugh  L.,  and  Theodore.     Thomas  C.  and  Hugh  L.  served  their  conn- 


QUIN'CY  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  669 

try  ill  the  Civil  war.     IIiiK'li   ■-•  *l'i'*l  while  in  tlie  service     Theodore 
died  in  early  manhood.    John  A.  married  Lizzie  White  and  t(«»k  an 
active  i)art  in  the  eivii-  atTairs  of  the  county  and  township.     He  wa.s 
also  a  successful  fanner.    Joel  White  of  Mis.s(niri,  Calvin  II.  of  Men- 
don  and  John  A.  of  Quincy  are  surviving  sons.     Fred  L.  White  of 
Coatshur?  is  a  {rrandson.     Calvin  married  a  daughter  of  John  Byler 
and  was  a  succcs-sful  farmer.     R.  C.  White  of  Camp  Point  is  a  son. 
James  M.  married  Margaret  E.  Guymon  and  he  lived  the  life  of  an 
active  farmer,  havin<r  a  rather  stern  and  positive  manner  hut  heing 
always  considerate  of  the  opinion  of  others.     He  was  a  memlier  of  the 
Baptist  Church  and  in  politics  an  uncompromising  repulilican.     Ih- 
and   his  wife   were  the  parents  of  the   following  children:    Elnora, 
Laura  H..  William  L.,  Xannie.  James.  Alvin,  and  Mary.     Mrs.  White 
died  while  the  younger  children  were  quite  small,  hut   Mr.   Wliite 
lived   to  the   ripe   old   age  of   ninety-two  yeai-s.     Of   their   children 
Elnora  married  Geo.   Lovejoy  hut  died  soon  afterward,  leaving  one 
son.     Laura  married  William  F.  Sivertson  and  to  them  were  horn 
two  sons,  Leon   F.   and   William.     Of  this  family   William   now  re- 
mains.    William  L.  White  when  a  young  man  went  to  California,  is 
a  prosperous  business  man  in  Oakland  and  the  father  of  a  fine  fam- 
ily of  children.     Nannie  is  a  graduate  of  Knox  College  at  Galesburg, 
taught  school  for  a  few  years,  and  was  an  employee  of  the  govern- 
ment in  the  Treasury  Department  in  Washington  foi-  many  years. 
Later  she  returned  to  her  old  home  to  care  for  her  father  in  his  de- 
clining years.    She  now  lives  at  Paloma,  acting  as  cashier  at  the  hank 
part  of  the  time.    Alvin  now  lives  at  Peoria,  and  has  had  three  sons 
in   the   military  service  during  the  late  war,   one  of  them   being  a 
graduate  of  West   Point.     Mary   L.   married    D.   C.   Hair.     He   fol- 
lows the  life  of  a  railroad  conductor  and  they  live  in   Mississippi. 
They  bave  three  sons.    William  White  died  in  early  life.     Thomas  C, 
married  Hannah  Hayworth  and  to  them  were  born  a  family  of  six 
children,  two  boys  and  four  girls.    Thomas  served  his  country  in  the 
Civil  war  and  lived  on  a  farm  in  Honey  Creek  until  advancing  age 
made  it  necessary  for  him  to  retire.     He  later  moved  to  Wliccling, 
Mis.souri,  where  he  and  his  wife  both  died  and  where  his  son  Hugh 
now  lives.    Rose  Johnson  of  Paloma  is  a  daughter.    Sarah  A.  marrried 
Alvin  Murrah  to  whom  were  horn  two  daughti-rs.  Elida  and  AdcUa. 
After  the  death  of  Jlr.  Murrah  she  was  married  to  John  (Jrigsby, 
to  whom  were  born  three  children,  Viola,  Grace,  and  John  L.     Viola 
died   in   infancy,  Grace  lives  in   San   Jose,   California,  and  John   L. 
adjoining  the  Village  of  Coatsburg.    Jane  White  married  Mr.  Crouch 
and  the  family  moved  to  Hancock  County,  near  Hamilton,  where  the 
children  now  reside.     We  have  spoken   at   length   of  the   family  of 
Thos.  White  and  the  writer  would  like  to  speak  at  least  as  exten- 
sively of  all   the  early  settlers  but   the  limitations    of    these    remi- 
niscences will  not  [K-rmit. 

John  or  "Jackie"  White  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age  in  the  town.ship, 
following  the  life  of  a  farmer  and  also  operating  a  sawmill  and  grist- 


670  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

mill  ou  Houey  Creek  for  many  years.  He  kept  the  county  poor  farm 
located  on  section  16,  from  1854  to  1857.  Sam  White  of  Loraine  and 
Thomas  Z.  of  Honey  Creek  are  surviving  sons. 

Richard  White  never  married,  was  a  large  landowner  in  this  and 
Keene  Township,  and  served  as  supervisor  two  terms. 

James  White  taught  school  in  the  early  days  of  the  township  and 
also  followed  farming. 

Two  of  William's  sons,  Harrison  and  James  K.  P.,  served  their 
country  in  the  Civil  war.    Mrs.  Fred  L.  Wliite  is  a  granddaughter. 

About  the  time  the  "\Miite  family  came  also  came  Jabez  Lovejoy, 
John  Byler,  Jonathan  White,  John  Black,  John  Johnson,  and  others 
unknown  to  the  writer.  In  18.36  came  Isaac  and  Sarah  Gray  and 
their  family  of  seven  children,  Richard,  Lavinia,  Caroline,  Maria, 
Isaac,  Wallace,  and  George,  who  settled  on  the  farm  just  east  of 
Coatsburg.  In  1837  also  came  John  Murrah  and  family,  Daniel 
Gooding  and  family.  Other  early  settlers  were  E.  Edmonson,  Isaac 
X.  Pevehouse,  John  Cameuerrer,  John  Potter,  Joseph  Pollock,  John 
Flack,  Henry  Booth,  Joseph  Baker,  Jack  Lytle,  Bart  Asher,  C.  F. 
Sivertson,  Ephraim  and  Elam  Frost,  James  Bailey,  John  and  Benja- 
min Clair,  Daniel  Crow,  L.  A.  Weed,  Charles  Fletcher,  Dr.  Joel  Darrah, 

A.  C.  Talcott,  William  and  Perry  Tout,  Hiram  Shrader,  AVilliam 
Evertson,  James  Griffith,  Calvin  Brink,  Isaac  Long,  James  Eckles, 
John  Derrick,  Jonathan  White,  Jr.,  Eden  White,  Z.  Morton,  Nathaniel 
Henderson,  Thomas  Asher,  William  and  A.  W.  Howell,  William  and 
Warren  Fletcher,  Dr.  Joseph  Fletcher,  Doctor  Dunham,  A.  H.  Leach, 
Alexander  McGuire,  Caleb  Aaron,  Horace  and  Chas.  Thayer,  the 
Shire.vs,  C.  M.  Gibbs,  C.  C.  Miller,  Peter  Horn,  Peter  George.  Calvin 
Marsh,  Thos.  Emery,  James  Barry,  Elias  Frost,  Wm.  Hastings,  J. 

B.  Frisbie,  Sr.,  Edward  Taylor  and  Cornelius  Davis.  Jabez  Lovejoy 
and  John  Byler  were  near  neighbors  and  among  the  most  useful  and 
influential  of  the  early  settlers. 

Richard  Gray  lived  in  the  township  until  his  death  in  1909  at  the 
age  of  nearly  ninety-four  years.  His  daughter  Maria  Henderson  and 
two  of  his  sons,  W.  S.  and  George  H.,  have  lived  continuously  in  Honey 
Creek  Town.ship.  Wallace  Gray  lived  for  many  years  in  Gilmer 
Township  but  in  1871  moved  to  Iroquois  County  where  he  prospered 
as  a  farmer.  Isaac  early  moved  to  Minnesota  and  later  to  Oregon. 
Lavinia  married  Stephen  Booth  and  they  lived  in  Gilmer  Township 
till  their  death.  Caroline  married  a  Mr.  Lynch  and  they  moved  to 
Iowa.  :Maria  married  a  Mr.  Elliott  to  whom  was  born  one  daughter 
Susan.  Mrs.  Elliott  died  soon  afterward  and  was  buried  in  Colum- 
bus. Isaac  and  Sarah  Gray  came  to  the  United  States  from  the  Isle 
of  Wight,  England,  about  1830,  settling  first  in  Union  County,  indi- 
'ana,  and  thence  came  to  Illinois.  The  youngest  son,  George,  was 
born  in  Indiana  in  1833  and  now  lives  at  Hydesville,  California,  at 
the  age  of  eighty-five.  The  children  of  Richard  Gray  of  his  first 
marriage  were  Maria  M.  and  Albert  H.  and  of  his  second  marriage 
Zachary  T.,  Richard  M.,  William  S.  and  George  H.    Richard  :\r.  now 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  G71 

lives  at  Philadelpliia,  Missouri.  Zacliary  T.  in  (iiay  Ciniiity.  Ivaiisas. 
W.  S.  and  Geo.  II.  ad.ioining  the  Villafre  of  Coatslmrg.  R.  M.  was 
elected  sheriff  of  Adams  County  in  ISSd  and  served  two  yeai-s.  Al- 
bert II.  died  .Mareh  20,  191(i. 

The  early  settlers  endured  the  hardshiiis  of  juoneer  life  eoininon 
to  all  settlers  in  a  new  and  unsettled  territory.  They  built  lofi  cab- 
ins at  first,  often  of  a  very  crude  sort.  Not  having:  jrlass  for  windows 
they  used  greased  paper  to  let  in  the  light.  They  had  to  go  many 
miles  to  mill  and  to  market.  It  is  now  ninety  yeai*s  since  the  advent 
of  the  fir.st  settler  into  the  townshi]),  and  the  transformation  from 
a  wilderne.ss  to  that  of  an  enlightoiicd  community  with  all  the  mod- 
ern improvements  of  the  present  day  makes  the  change  most  wonder- 
ful indeed.  The  wolf,  fox,  wild  eat,  deer  and  wild  turkeys  were  com- 
mon in  the  days  of  the  early  settlement  of  the  township.  The  old  log 
cabins  have  given  place  gradually  to  the  frame  and  brick  dwellings 
of  modern  structure.  The  housewife  instead  of  baking  Johnny-cake 
on  I  he  hearth,  liefore  the  open  firei)lace.  or  the  corn  pone  in  an  iron- 
covered  ves.sel  heated  with  coals,  bakes  her  snow-white  loaf  in  a  mod- 
ern stove  or  range. 

In  addition  to  agriculture  and  stock-raising  the  industries  of  the 
township  have  consisted  largely  of  the  sawmill,  the  gristmill  and 
the  flonringinill.  Numerous  sawmills  at  different  times  and  places 
have  been  used  to  convert  the  forest  trees  into  valuable  huuber  of 
oak  and  walnut,  a  source  of  great  help  to  early  pioneers.  The  grist 
and  sawmill  of  .Tacky  White  has  already  been  mentioned.  Charles 
Fletcher  also  conducted  a  grist  and  sawmill  on  Bear  Creek,  and  later 
in  1848  built  the  first  steam  flouringmill  and  sawmill  in  the  county 
outside  of  Quincy.  He  moved  his  flouringmill  to  Coatsburg  in  1869; 
this  unfortunately  was  destroyed  two  years  later.  The  mill  was 
j-ebuilt  by  Aaron  and  McGuire  and  later  owned  and  ojierated  by 
I.  X.  Pevehouse.  John  Grigsby  and  C.  M.  Gibbs.  The  mill  was  later 
purchased  by  J.  X.  Shauhaltzer,  but  like  almost  all  the  flouringjnills 
of  small  capacity  it  has  become  unprofitable  to  operate  and  is  now 
idle.  In  the  early  settlement  of  the  township,  when  timber  was  plenti- 
ful and  choice,  many  barrels  of  various  kinds  were  made  and  liaulcd 
to  Quincy. 

In  1870  Joseph  Frese  and  son  Txiuis.  founded  the  Forest  Oak 
Nursery  at  Coatsburg  and  for  twenty-five  years  built  up  and  carried 
on  one  of  the  best  nurseries  in  Western  Illinois.  They  both  have 
since   retired   and   the   nursery   has   been   discontinued. 

The  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Qnincy  Railroad,  built  in  1856. 
pa.sses  through  the  township,  entering  from  the  east  on  section  36, 
passing  through  sections  .'?6  and  35  and  leaving  the  township  at  the 
southwest  corner  of  section  34. 

The  township  has  two  thriving  villaires,  Coatsburg  and  Paloma, 
both  doing  a  good  local  and  shipping  b\isiness.  Coatsburg  was  l-iid 
out  in  1855  and  named  in  honor  of  R.  P.  Coats,  who  owned  the  land 
at  the  time.    T'ntil  the  loss  bv  fire  recently  of  one  of  the  general  stores. 


672  QUINX'Y  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Coatsburg  has  usually  had  three  general  stores.  Among  both  earlier 
and  later  merchants  may  be  mentioned  Fred  Haxel,  Benjamin  White, 

Gillis.  Edward   Gilpin,   George  Phirman,  Woodroe  Douglas, 

IMartiu  Mayer,  A.  Whipreeht,  Fred  Frike.  J.  A.  Brosi  &  Son,  T.  E. 
Frike,  J.  B.  Wolfe.  Among  those  who  have  served  in  the  capacity 
of  postmaster  may  be  mentioned  H.  E.  Hawkins,  Woodroe  Douglas, 
George  Lovejoy,  W.  H.  Thompson,  Geo.  Phirman,  W.  H.  Hender- 
son, C.  A.  Murrah,  ^Irs.  ]\Iary  y  Henderson,  J.  R.  Lambert,  and 
Mrs.  Nellie  Lambert.  The  town  was  incorporated  about  1870.  Among 
tho.se  who  have  served  the  village  as  presidents  of  the  Board  may  be 
mentioned  A.  H.  Leach.  Dr.  W.  E.  Gilliland,  J.  R.  Lambert,  W.  F. 
Bartlett  and  J.  B.  Wolfe.  The  following  are  the  present  members 
of  the  Town  Board:  President,  J.  B.  Wolfe;  trustees.  J.  R.  Lambert, 
C.  D.  Cantrell,  Joseph  Taylor,  Elijah  Kendall,  Mrs.  C.  L  Tripp,  and 
Mrs.  Ida  Kendall. 

In  1875  Coatsburg  became  the  competitor  of  the  City  of  Quincy 
for  the  county  seat.  At  the  election  held  November  9th  in  that 
year  the  contest  was  decided  in  favor  of  Quincy.  Perhaps  no  town 
of  its  size  in  the  state  ships  more  live  stock  and  grain.  Coatsburg 
also  prides  itself  on  its  excellent  school  spirit  and  many  tuition  pupils 
attend  the  school  yearly.  Coatsburg  has  at  times  one  or  more  restau- 
rants, blacksmith  shops,  repair  shops,  hotel,  and  barber  shop.  One 
rural  free  delivery  mail  route  goes  out  from  Coatsburg.  It  also  has 
a  bank  and  grain  elevator,  both  of  which  are  doing  a  satisfactory 
business,  as  well  as  serving  the  community  in  a  very  helpful  way. 
It  also  has  a  printing  office  which  publishes  a  weekly  paper,  The  Com- 
munity Enterprise,  and  does  a  general  jobbing  business.  R.  C.  Stokes 
and  wife  are  publishers  and  editors.  Coatsburg  has  three  active 
churches,  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  the  Christian  and  the  Lutheran. 
One  churcli  society,  1he  Baptist,  has  discontinued  services.  The 
population  at  this  time  numbers  200. 

Paloma  was  laid  out  by  Daniel  Gooding  in  1862.  That  portion  of 
the  village  south  of  the  railroad  was  originally  called  ]\Iaryville.  It 
has  two  good  stores,  a  blacksmith  shop  and  garage  combined,  a  lum- 
ber yard,  a  bank,  and  a  grain  elevator.  It  does  a  good  business  as 
a  shipping  point.  It  has  but  one  church  at  this  time,  the  ilethodist 
Episcopal  Church,  which  supports  a  pastor.  Among  those  who  have 
served  Paloma  and  vicinity  as  storekeepers  are  A.  Tonzalin.  Mr. 
Bray.  Joshua  Battorff.  Joseph  Osle.  Reverend  Dinsmore,  D."C.  Wear 
&  .Son,  W.  H.  Johns,  Wilkey  &  Lawless,  and  Grossman  &  Son.  The 
following  named  persons  served  the  community  as  postmasters: 
Joseph  Ogle.  Reverend  Dinsmore.  Charles  Thompson,  D.  C.  Wear, 
and  Louis  Frost.     The  population  of  the  village  at  this  time  is  100. 

In  the  early  history  of  the  county  people  voted  by  settlements 
rather  than  by  townships.  In  1839  the  county  was  divided  into  vot- 
ing precincts.  By  this  division  people  living  on  sections  1  to  24,  in- 
elusive,  of  Honey  Creek  Township,  united  with  the  people  of  Keene 
Township  with  the  voting  place  at  Woodville,  while  the  people  living 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  673 

on  sections  25  to  36,  inclusive,  wont  to  Colunihus  to  vote.  Hut  iu 
184!»  the  county  adopted  township  organization  and  in  18.50  Honey 
Creek  became  a  separate  voting  precinct  with  tlie  voting  place  at 
Center  Schoolhouse.  John  A.  AVliite,  John  Johnson,  and  L.  A.  Weed 
were  appointed  the  first  judges  of  election  for  Honey  Creek.  Jabez 
Lovejoy  was  elected  first  supervisor  of  the  township  and  also  the 
first  justice  of  the  peace.  John  Byler  was  the  first  grand  juryman 
and  L.  A.  Weed  the  first  petit  juryman.  In  1917  Honey  Creek  was 
divided  into  two  voting  precincts,  No.  1  to  be  at  Coatsburg  and  to 
comprise  the  east  one-third  of  the  township  and  also  section  34.  The 
remainder  of  the  township  comprises  precinct  No.  2  and  the  voting 
place  is  Center  Schoolhouse. 

The  county-seat  contest  between  Quiney  and  Columbus  in  1841 
resulted  in  a  temporary  division  of  the  county,  that  portion  of  the 
county  lying  east  of  the  east  line  of  Honey  Creek  was  called  Mar- 
quette County.  The  contest  la.sted  for  several  years  and  in  1847  the 
ea.st  one-third  of  Kecne.  Honey  Creek,  and  Gilmer  townships  was 
added  to  Marquette  and  the  new  county  named  Highland  County. 
But  this  arrangement  was  soon  rejected  by  the  people  and  the  Legisla- 
ture restored  Adams  County  to  its  original  size. 

It  is  not  generally  known  by  the  present  inhabitants  of  the  town- 
ship that  the  County  Poor  Farm  was  at  one  time  in  Honey  Creek. 
In  1847  the  County  Poor  Farm  was  located  on  section  16  of  Honey 
Creek  Township.  Benjamin  Grigsby  was  the  first  Poor  Farm  over- 
seer. He  kept  the  farm  until  his  death  in  1850.  when  his  wife.  Irene 
Grigsby,  took  charge  and  was  overseer  till  18.54.  John  or  Jackie 
White  then  kept  the  farm  for  three  years,  or  until  1857.  when  it  was 
located  in  Gilmer  Township,  its  present  site.  Benjamin  and  Irene 
Grigsby  referred  to  above  were  the  parents  of  the  late  John  Grigsby 
and  the  grandparents  of  John  L.  Grigsby.  At  the  time  of  its  removal 
from  Honey  Creek  to  Gilmer  there  were  sixteen  inmates  of  the  Poor 
Farm. 

Even  a  brief  historical  sketch  of  the  settlers  of  the  township 
would  not  be  complete  were  the  families  of  Tri.sh  and  German  descent 
omitted.  Among  those  of  Irish  des<^ent  may  be  mentioned  the  Tay- 
lors, Daniel  Howe,  the  Wards,  the  MealifTs.  the  Hunters,  the  Gunns. 
the  Egans.  the  Hewitts,  the  Kells.  and  the  Hustons.  Among  those 
of  German  descent  are  Fred  Haxel,  Anton  Hammer.  ^Ir.  Heiden- 
reich.  the  NaderhofTs.  the  Renschels,  the  Guenthers.  the  Phirmans, 
the  Dierkses.  the  Reukens.  the  Rhoes.  the  Simons,  the  Sprensers.  the  ■ 
Tenvordes.  the  Kuhlmans.  the  Hyers,  the  Tiekens,  the  Peters,  the 
Dittmers.  the  Whiprechts,  the  Brosis,  the  Weisenburgers.  the  Hens- 
bachs,  the  Hildcbrands.  the  Herzogs,  the  01>enlanders,  George 
Schnauss,  and  many  others  whose  names  the  writer  does  not  now 
recall. 

The  oldest  living  resident  of  the  township  is  Mrs.  Heipke  Dirks, 
who  was  born  November  20.  1832,  and  has  lived  here  about  sixty- 
five  vears.    The  oldest  native  resident  of  the  township  is  Mrs.  Mary 


674  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

M.  Plenderson,  born  August  26,  1841.     Mrs.  C.  M.  Gibbs  is  a  close 
second,  having  been  born  March  2,  1842. 

The  writer  closes  this  brief  sketch  of  the  early  history  of  the  town- 
ship and  the  families  of  those  who  were  among  its  early  settlers 
conscious  of  the  fact  that  the  names  of  many  unknown  to  the  writer 
have  been  omitted,  and  that  other  interesting  facts,  unknown  or  not 
recalled,  which  merit  a  place  in  even  a  brief  history  of  the  township, 
will  be  wanting. 

There  were  no  early  built  churches  in  Honej'  Creek  Township, 
but  religious  services  were  held  at  the  homes  of  the  early  settlers  and 
in  the  sehoolhouses.  Perhaps  the  first  church  building  in  the  town- 
ship was  built  by  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Society.  It  was  a  small  frame 
building  about  one  mile  northwest  of  Paloma  on  the  land  now  owned 
hy  Benton  Shupe.  Later  the  society  built  a  church  building  in 
Paloma,  but  the  society  has  had  no  services  for  several  years  and  its 
membership  has  largely  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
Society  at  Paloma.  This  church  building  has  been  moved  and  the 
site  is  now  occupied  by  the  home  of  Silas  Morton. 

The  United  Brethren  denomination  has  had  two  societies  in  Honey 
Creek,  one  at  Coatsburg  and  one  in  the  western  part  of  the  township. 
The  latter  church  society  was  founded  by  the  Eev.  Amos  Kigney  and 
the  building  was  named  Rigney  Chapel  in  his  honor.  Services  have 
long  since  been  discontinued  here.  The  Coatsburg  society  was  active 
from  1879  to  1893.  The  first  church  building  in  Coatsburg  was 
built  by  the  Primitive  Baptist  Society  in  1872.  Among  those  who 
were  identified  with  this  church  were  John  Byler  and  son  Absalom, 
Cornelius  Davis,  James  M.  White,  R.  C.  White,  Joseph  Pollock,  Mrs. 
Allie  Johnson,  Mrs.  Edna  Battorff,  William  Howell,  and  Cumberland 
Samuels.     The  society  has  held  no  regular  services  for  several  years. 

Of  the  present  active  churches  in  the  township  the  oldest  is  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Paloma.  The  society  was  organized 
in  18.58  when  the  Rev.  Peter  Cartwright  dedicated  the  first  church 
building  of  Paloma.  This  building  had  been  erected  by  Elias  Frost, 
an  early  settler  and  zealous  Methodist,  and  given  to  the  Methodist 
Society  as  a  memorial  to  his  deceased  daughter,  Mary.  An  earlier 
organized  Jlethodist  Society  had  been  formed  in  1854  at  Richland 
Schoolhouse  in  Gilmer  Township  and  a  large  portion  of  this  society 
transferred  its  membership  to  the  Paloma  society  when  it  was  or- 
ganized. In  1866  the  class  at  Richland  was  discontinued  and  the  re- 
maining members  united  with  Paloma.  Among  those  who  were  early 
identified  with  both  these  societies  were  Wallace  Gray,  Stephen  and 
William  Booth,  A.  J.  Lanning  (who  served  for  many  years  as  local 
preacher),  Jacob  and  F.  E.  Ogle,  Jacob  Murphy,  James  and  George 
Davis,  Caleb  Antrim,  and  John  and  Richard  JefPry.  The  Paloma 
church  was  originally  one  of  the  charges  of  the  old  Columbus  circuit. 
Later  the  circuit  was  changed  to  Paloma  circuit  and  in  1910  Paloma 
hecame  a  station  and  supports  a  pa.stor  alone.     The  present  church 


(^I'lXCV  AND  ADA.MS  (•()|•^•T^  67.') 

liuildiiig  was  built  ami  di'dicati'd  in  IIKIO  iliiiiiii;:  tlu'  ;  astm-ati'  of  tlie 
Hev.  A.  V.  Bal>l)s  and  dedicated  l).v  the  Rev.  W.  T.  Bwidlcs,  present 
cliaplaiii  of  the  Sdldicrs"  and  Sailors'  Home  in  (,(ninc-y.  The  church 
lias  a  nienihershii)  of  ahout  100  active  nu'Uihcrs,  su|>poi-ts  an  active 
Sunday  sehool,  an  Ejiworth  lyeafrue,  a  Woman's  Foreijjn  Missionary 
Society,  all  of  which  are  jiroprcssive  in  all  that  pertains  to  the 
church's  mission.  Amonjr  the  many  pa.st()rs  of  thi-  I'aloma  church 
have  been:  W.  .McK.  Gooding,  H.  Ilannold.  .J.  \V.  Simcock,  S.  (i. 
Ferree.  Sam.son.  Sturm.  R.  Grefrff.  A.  M.  Dandy,  J.  F.  Wohlfarth, 
(".  F.  McKawn,  A.  A.  White,  J.  L.  M.  Ellis,  A.  V.  jiabbs,  Fred  Reed, 
McConnell,  K.  C.  Sanders,  and  Otis  Monson. 

The  first  services  for  the  I/Utheraiis  in  ("oatsburfr  were  conducted 
by  neifrhboring:  pa.stors  from  Burton,  Golden,  and  Fowler,  from 
1860  to  1876,  when  the  Rev.  H.  Decker,  of  the  Iowa  Lutheran  Synod, 
became  the  first  regular  ]iastor.  Dui-in}r  his  ])astorate  in  1878,  the 
present  church  was  built.  In  1886  the  Rev.  Decker's  work  at  Coats- 
burg  terminated  and  the  Rev.  Valentiner  liecame  the  pastor.  About 
this  time  a  tower  and  hell  were  added  to  the  diurch  building.  The 
third  pastor  of  St.  Peter's  Churcii  was  Rev.  II.  Klemm.  He  took  up 
his  work  with  the  church  July  30,  1893.  It  was  in  the  same  year  the 
congregation  bought  a  ])arsonage  in  the  north  part  of  Coatsburg, 
quite  a  distance  from  tlie  church.  Reverend  Klenun  left  the  church 
in  1898,  after  almost  five  years  of  service.  Rev.  Paul  Boer  was  his 
successor.  While  pastor  of  the  church  Reverend  Boer  was  nuirried 
to  Hiss  ^linnie  Simon  of  Coatsburg,  the  date  of  their  marriage  being 
December  7,  1898.  After  two  and  one-half  years  of  service  Reverend 
Boer  received  a  call  to  Christ's  Lntlieran  Church  at  Xauvoo,  Illinois, 
and  resigned  his  charge  at  Coatsburg.  Rev.  Theodore  Drexel  was  the 
next  pastor.  He  .served  a  congregation  at  Kewanee,  Illinois,  at  the  .same 
time,  and  also  preached  to  a  number  of  Lutherans  at  York  Xeck,  near 
Coat.sbnrg.  St.  Peter's  Church  had  been  organized  as  a  Gei'man-speak- 
ing  congregation,  but  since  younger  people  were  using  the  English  lan- 
guage more  and  more  it  became  necessary  to  teach  the  children  and 
preach  once  a  month  in  Engli.sh.  Reverend  Drexel  did  much  to  bring 
the  older  people  to  the  Sunday  .school  and  soon  the  services  were 
entirely  in  English.  In  October.  Iit04,  after  four  years  of  labor. 
Reverend  Drexel  resigned.  Rev.  II.  Srugies  succeeded  him  May  14, 
1905.  The  congregation  now  purchased  two  lots  near  the  church  and 
built  a  parsonage.  It  cost  about  !i<2.r)00  antl  was  dcilicated  October 
21,  1906.  In  the  .same  .vear  a  Ladies'  Aid  of  nineteen  menibei-s  was 
organized  and  it  has  become  a  great  power  for  good  in  the  congrega- 
tion. After  Reverend  Srugies'  resigiuifion  the  congreiration  was  su))- 
plied  for  over  a  year  by  Reverend  Drexel,  Reverend  Gcissler,  and 
others  until  1908.  By  order  of  the  president  of  Warthburg  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  A.  IT.  Zeilingcr.  preached  to 
tlie.se  people  without  a  pastor  on  Easter  Day  and  was  called  at  the 
close  of  the  service.  After  finishing  the  theological  course  and  tak- 
ing the  examination  at  Dubu<iue.  Reverend  Zeilinger  took  charge  of 


i 


676  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  Coatsburg  Lutheran  Church.  This  was  on  -July  19,  1908.  Aftei" 
ten  years  of  service  under  this  pastor  the  condition  of  the  church  is 
as  follows:  Present  voting  membership,  61  men;  communion  mem- 
bership, 230;  Ladies'  Aid,  46  members;  Sundaj-  school,  125  scholars, 
with  9  teachers  and  11  officer.s.  The  member.ship  has  been  growing 
steadily  and  has  outgrown  its  church  building.  Plans  are  prepared 
for  a  new  church  to  be  erected  in  1919.  It  will  have  a  seating  capac- 
ity of  450,  with  all  modern  conveniences,  and  will  cost  about  $15,- 
000.  It  is  not  the  same  congregation  it  was  about  forty  years  ago. 
Many  of  the  old  founders  have  passed  away  and  the  children  -with 
American  ideals  and  the  use  of  the  American  language  have  naturally 
brought  about  many  changes. 

The  organization  of  the  Christian  Church  in  Coatsburg  dates  from 
March,  1871,  when  the  Rev.  William  Melntyre  conducted  a  series  of 
meetings  in  a  building  then  in  the  process  of  erection.  The  new 
church  organization  built  the  present  building  in  1873.  Among  the 
pastors  who  have  served  the  church  are  Elders  Yates,  Black,  Brown, 
Lowe,  Omer,  Booth,  Dilley,  George  P.  Chandler,  Groves,  Shaptaugh, 
Harboard,  the  Dunklebergers,  Parrick,  Gilbert  and  Mauck,  the  pres- 
ent efficient  pastor.  Among  the  people  who  have  been  identified  with 
the  church  are  the  families  of  the  following:  Theodore  and  Charles 
Chandler,  Henry  Luster,  John  Frost,  A.  H.  Gray,  Theodore  Smith, 
"W.  L.  Asher,  John  Smith,  Hastings  Leach,  James  Leach,  E.  Leach, 
Doctor  Larrabee,  J.  B.  Gilmer,  William  Meier,  Ira  McCaffrey,  John 
McMahan,  Emma  Seibel,  Mrs.  E.  Kendall,  Mrs.  Henry  Felsman.  The 
average  membership  is  about  forty-five.  The  church  maintains  a 
Sunday  school  and  a  Ladies'  Aid  Society. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Coatsburg  was  organized  in 
1893  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  A.  A.  White,  of  Paloma,  follow- 
ing a  series  of  meetings  held  by  him.  Services  were  held  at  first  in 
the  LTnited  Brethren  church  building.  Later  this  was  purchased  and 
remodeled  by  the  Methodist  Society.  Among  the  pastors  who  have 
served  the  charge  are :  A.  K.  Byrus,  Jesse  Tharp,  F.  P.  Bonneface, 
Peter  Kittle,  S.  K.  Baughman.  Fred  Reed,  Reverend  Potter,  C.  T. 
Pilch,  A.  R.  Grumman,  H.  H.  Waltmire,  and  C.  R.  Underwood.  The 
Coatsburg  society  is  at  present  one  of  the  charges  of  the  Columbus 
Circuit.  It  maintains  a  Sunday  school,  a  Ladies'  Social  Union,  and  a 
Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Societ.y.  It  has  a  membership  of  about 
forty-five  persons.  Among  those  who  have  been  identified  with  the 
work  of  the  church  are  the  following  persons  and  families:  Richard 
Gray,  Sr.,  W.  H.  Henderson,  Mrs.  W.  E.  Gilliland,  Mrs.  R.  M. 
Gray,  W.  S.  Gray,  J.  A.  Brosi,  Albert  Brosi.  W.  B.  Lawless,  Mrs. 
J.  R.  Lambert,  Chas.  F.  Guenther,  Fred  White,  Edward  Graham, 
W.  C.  Henning,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Gibbs,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Young,  J.  A.  Shau- 
holtzer,  John  Olsen,  Mrs.  Geo.  Gray,  and  Mrs.  J.  L.  Grigsby. 

The  early  schools  of  the  township  were  of  a  very  primitive  kind. 
As  there  were  no  funds  for  the  support  of  schools  in  those  days,  they 


QUINCY   AND  ADAMS  COrXTV  677 

wciv  known  as  subscription,  or  pay  schools.  The  first  si-lioolhouscs 
of  the  township  were  lojy  huildinffs.  covered  with  cla]il)oarils  and 
heated  by  an  open  tireplace  having  a  "cat-in-clay"  chimney.  Not  a 
nail  nor  a  window  nor  a  manufactured  article  of  any  kind  was  used 
in  the  building  of  a  schoolhouse.  The  logs  were  laid  and  the  cracks 
daubed  with  mud.  Openings  left  in  the  sides  or  ends  of  the  building 
were  covered  with  greased  paper  to  let  in  the  light.  Tlapboards  were 
held  in  place  by  long  poles  reaching  across  the  roof,  and  lioiuid  fast 
by  pegs  driven  through  the  poles  into  the  logs  of  the  building.  The 
parts  of  the  door  were  held  togetlier  by  wooden  pins  and  an  old- 
fa.shioned  latch  was  used  with  the  latch-string  left  hanging  on  the 
outside. 

District  No.  01.  originally  Xo.  1,  is  known  as  Center  School  and 
comprises  sections  15,  16,  21,  22,  and  the  west  half  of  sections  14 
and  23.  The  first  schoolhouse  in  the  township  was  perhaps  l)uilt  in 
this  district  about  1836.  Among  the  early  pioneer  families  whose 
children  attended  school  here  were  the  Ijovejoys.  Bylers,  Whites, 
Ewlianks,  Grigsbys,  Pollocks,  Sivertsons  and  Emerys.  The  present 
Board  of  Directors  is  composed  of  IT.  F.  Sprenger.  G.  JI.  Emery, 
and  Calvin  ilarsh. 

District  Xo.  92,  originally  Xo.  2.  was  early  known  as  tiie  Fletcher, 
and  later,  as  Glenwood  School.  It  comprises  sections  5  and  6  and 
portions  of  sections  3  and  4  in  TToney  Creek  and  parts  of  sections 
31  and  32,  of  Keene  Township.  Among  the  families  who  have  at- 
tended school  here  are  the  Fletchers,  Felgars,  Myers,  and  Evans. 
The  present  board  of  directors  are  Fi-ank  Slonigar.  C.  C.  Myers,  and 
W.  H.  ilcCabe. 

District  Xo.  93,  originally  Xo.  3.  is  known  as  the  Horn  School. 
It  comprises  sections  19,  20,  29,  30.  31  and  32.  Among  the  families 
who  have  attended  this  school  are  the  Thompsons,  Stewarts,  Potters, 
Flacks,  Haistings,  Crows,  Horns.  Georges,  Schroeders,  Ilibbards, 
Tenvordes.  and  ilillers.  The  present  board  of  directors  are  Hen 
Stout,  A.  E.  Sehroeder  and  Charles  Sihroeder. 

District  Xo.  94,  originally  Xo.  4,  is  known  as  Brushy  School.  It 
comprises  .sections  13  and  24,  south  one-half  of  section  12,  so\itheast 
quarter  of  section  11,  and  the  east  one-half  of  sections  14  and  23. 
Among  the  families  who  have  attended  school  here  are  the  Murrahs, 
Pevehouses,  Renschels.  Guenthers.  Van  Dykes.  Bakers,  Booths, 
Tiekens,  Peters,  Dittmers,  Simons.  Whites.  The  present  board  of  di- 
rectors are  Chas.  Dittmer,  Henry  Evans,  and  D.  C.  Cantrell. 

School  District  No.  9.").  oriirinally  No.  ").  is  known  as  the  Coats- 
burg  School.  The  district  comprises  sections  2").  26.  3")  and  36  of 
Honey  Creek  Township  and  the  west  one-half  of  sections  30  and  31 
of  Camp  Point  Township.  The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1840 
on  the  land  now  occupied  by  W.  H.  Dirks.  It  was  a  lo<;  buililins;  of 
the  most  primitive  kind  withcmt  nails  or  glass.  The  first  tea<her 
was  Ivevi  Johnson.  George  II.  Gray,  now  living  at  Hydcsville,  Cal- 
ifornia, at  the  age  of  eighty-five,  attended  this  first  school.     A    few 


678  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

years  latei'  another  log  schoolhouse  was  on  the  premises  now  owned 
by  W.  B.  Lawless.  This  was  more  modern  in  its  structure.  Among 
the  teachers  were  John  Ballou,  Squire  Doan,  and  a  Mr.  Paterson, 
Frances  Bass,  a  half-sister  of  the  Gray  brothers,  taught  here  also.  In 
1859  a  frame  building  was  erected  in  the  village  of  Coatsburg  and 
in  1870  another  room  was  added.  The  present  four-room  brick  build- 
ing was  built  in  1883.  Among  the  teachers  who  taught  from  1859 
to  the  present  time  were  Messrs.  Root,  Emery,  Scott,  Lattie,  C.  M. 
Oibbs,  Creighton,  Burch,  Parmenter,  Metealf,  C.  Aaron,  Geo.  Sim- 
monds,  W.  S.  Gray,  Fred  G.  Ertel,  W.  T.  Elliott,  J.  K.  Smith,  D. 
C.  Hill,  John  H.  Steiner,  E.  W.  Sellers,  C.  M.  Wilson,  Litz,  H.  E. 
Kincheloe,  R.  N.  Stacy,  and  J.  L.  Ensminger.  Among  the  women 
teachers  are  the  Misses  Selby,  Mills,  Gilraore,  Gueuther,  Pelham. 
Rettie  and  ]\Iabel  White,  Louise  Phirman,  Nannie  White,  Nannie 
Pevehouse.  Josie  Gray,  Anna  Gibbs,  Maude  Adams,  Anna  Brosi,  Fan- 
nie Gray,  Hazel  Bottoeff  and  others.  Among  the  many  boys  and  girls 
who  have  gone  out  from  the  Coatsburg  school  and  made  good  in  the 
world  are  Theodore  Tieken,  J.  T.  Gilmer,  W.  M.  Gilliland,  Geo.  P. 
Chandler,  Nannie  and  William  White,  R.  N.  Stacy,  Lilian  and  W.  S. 
Gi'ay,  Jr.  The  present  board  of  directors  are  Ben  Dirks,  John  Mc- 
Mahon,  and  J.  L.  Grigsby. 

District  No.  96,  originally  No.  6,  was  known  for  many  years  as 
the  Little  Brick  School.  It  now  goes  by  the  name  of  the  Morton 
School.  It  comprises  sections  27  and  28,  and  the  north  one-half  of 
sections  33  and  34.  Among  the  families  who  have  attended  school 
here  are  the  Goodings,  Mortons,  Frosts,  Hawes.  Egans,  Whites  and 
Jud.ys.  Tlie  present  directors  are  J.  H.  Morton,  Fred  Hillebrenner, 
and  E.  S.  Morton. 

District  No.  97,  originally  No.  7,  is  known  as  Rocky  Rill  School. 
It  comprises  sections  7,  8,  17,  and  18.  Among  the  families  who  have 
attended  school  here  are  the  Frisbies,  Hustons,  Taylors,  Clairs,  Tal- 
cotts,  Kells,  Baldwins,  Hewitts  and  Slonigars.  The  present  directors 
are  J.  T.  Wyatt,  J.  M.  Huston,  and  Harry  Berlin. 

District  No.  98,  originally  No.  8,  is  known  as  White  Oak  School. 
It  comprises  sections  9  and  10,  the  west  one-half  of  11,  the  south  one- 
half  of  3,  and  a  fractional  part  of  40  and  41.  Among  the  families 
attending  school  here  are  the  Hunters,  MealifFs,  Whites,  Bradys, 
Wards,  Thompsons.  The  present  directors  are  W.  A.  Mealiff,  Charles 
Allen,  and  Joseph  Hunter. 

District  No.  99,  originally  No.  9,  is  known  as  the  Paloma  School. 
It  comprises  the  south  one-half  of  sections  33  and  34.  The  families 
who  have  attended  school  here  are  the  Ogles,  Goodings,  McVealls, 
Frosts,  and  Lummises.  The  present  directors  are  J.  H.  Lummis,  J. 
E.  Hoskins,  and  E.  J.  Morton. 

The  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  has  a  lodge  at  Paloma. 
This  lodge  was  formed  by  the  union  of  Coatsburg  Lodge  No.  656  and 
Ezel  Lodge  No.  373  of  Fowler,  Illinois.   The  present  lodge  retains  the 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMF?  fOrNTV  679 

uame  of  Ezel  Ijodge,  No.  373.  Tlie  present  ofticcrs  are:  John  A. 
LoiifT,  N.  G.;  W.  L.  Viar.  V.  C;  (J.  R.  Jeffery.  treasurer;  K.  M.  Ogle, 
secretary. 

Other  fraternal  and  benetieial  societies  are  Wever  Camp,  Modern 
Womlinen  of  Amcrita.  the  Koyal  Neijrlitmi-s  of  .Viiierica  and  the  Tri- 
State  Counties  Mutual  Insurance  Asswiatiou.  These  thrte  sotieties 
are  all  active  orders  and  meet  at  Coatsburg. 


CHAPTEK  XXII 

OTHER  HISTORIC  CELEBRATIONS 

The  Masque  of  Illinois — A  Brief  Synopsis  op  the  Pageant — 
At  Quincy — Outside  op  Quincy' — Centennial  Celebration  at 
THE  County  Se-vt — "Hiawatha"  in  Quincy — Military  Day- 
Relatives  OF  World  War  Soldiers — Patriotic  Demonstration — 
Pershing's  Beauties,  a  Feature — Sergeant  Weyman's  Elo- 
quent War  Speech — The  Historical  Display — Dedication  op 
the  Gold  Star  Flag. 

At  the  request  of  the  Women's  Committtee  of  the  Council  of  Na- 
tional Defense,  Illinois  Division,  and  of  the  Adams  County  Centennial 
Commission,  June  26,  1918,  the  Quincy  Unit  of  the  Women's  Commit- 
tee agreed  to  put  on  the  Centennial  Pageant,  "The  Masque  of  Illi- 
nois," by  Wallace  Reid,  appearing  before  audiences  in  Adams  County, 
at  Liberty,  Jlendon,  Golden,  Payson  and  Quincy. 

The  ladies  in  charge  were  Mrs.  Ray  Oakley,  chairman  of  the 
Quincy  Unit,  Miss  Helen  Osbom,  Miss  Ida  Stewart,  Mrs.  Rome  Ar- 
nold and  Mrs.  Maida  Lee  Fosgate.  ]\Irs.  Fosgate  directed  the  perform- 
ances, Mrs.  Arnold  was  musical  director  and  there  were  many  assist- 
ants, among  them  Miss  Irene  Seaton,  Miss  Irma  Chumbley  and  Miss 
Dorothy  Dayton.  The  special  committees  were:  Judge  Lyman  Me- 
Carl,  Booking  Committee ;  Walter  D.  Franklin,  Transportation  Com- 
mittee; Miss  Helen  Osborn,  Finance  Committee;  Mrs.  Harry  Bray, 
Costume  Committee;  Mrs.  C.  W.  Leifingwell,  Publicity  Committee; 
Morris  Adler,  Arrangement  Committee ;  Mrs.  L.  B.  Boswell,  Cast  Com- 
mittee ;  ]\Irs.  W.  F.  Kirtley,  Ticket  Committee.  These  committees  were 
ably  assisted  by  W.  A.  Jackson  and  Harvey  Riggs. 

The  scenery  was  set  up  in  parks  of  groves  and  covered  with  green- 
ery and  this,  with  the  natural  background  of  the  trees,  made  a  beauti- 
ful setting  for  the  pageant.  The  costumes  were  brought  here  from 
St.  Louis  and  wei-e  historically  correct.  The  principal  characters  were 
Quincy  people,  with  the  choruses  and  groups  of  the  people  of  the  town 
in  which  the  pageant  was  given.  In  Quincy  all  the  characters  were 
Quincy  people. 

A  Brief  Synopsis  op  the  Pageant 

Part  One 

Heralded  by  two  trumpeters  Prologue  appears  and  announces  the 
double  Jubilee  of  Our  Lady  Illinois.     Thereupon  follows  a  dancing 

680 


QT'INTY  AND  AHAMS  rorXTV  681 

chorus  of  maidciis  as  Trees.  Flowers.  Rivers  and  I'rairies,  the  natural 
sources  of  beauty  and  wealth  of  Illinois.  These  join  in  welcoming 
"Our  Lady"  to  the  scene. 

The  happiness  of  tliis  proup  is  interrupted  by  the  eominp  of  the 
Indians  brinprinfr  witli  them  Fear.  The  gallant  French  with  Joliet, 
La  Salle  and  Tonty.  followed  by  Father  Marquette,  and  the  band  of 
chanting  monks,  appear  before  Illinois  displaying  Fear  and  conciliat- 
ing the  Indians. 

With  the  entrance  of  the  British  Officer  and  his  soldiers,  carrying 
the  British  flag  of  17S5,  l)egins  a  conflict  between  France  and  Kngland 
in  Illinois.  This  conflict  brings  Fear,  Hate  and  Tyranny,  and  it  is  only 
when  the  Bordermen  and  Frontiersmen  enter  with  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  that  peace  and  quiet  are  restored  and  this  is  celebrated  by  a 
song  of  Liberty  by  all. 

Virginia  with  the  Pioneers  comes,  and  Columbus  with  Continental 
Soldiers  and  presents  Illinois  to  Columbia  as  a  daughter. 

Fear.  Tyranny  and  Hate  are  evicted.  Justice,  Love  and  Liberty 
come  to  bless  Illinois  forever. 

Part  Two 

Again  with  the  sounding  trumpet  Prologue  comes  and  announces 
the  i>roud  achievements  of  Illinois  Statehood.  We  find  a  messenger 
bringing  an  unwelcome  guest  before  Illinois.  Slavery  is  his  name.  He 
offers  her  wealth,  but  she  will  have  it  not  and  the  Frontiersman  orders 
him  away.  He  is  expelled  by  the  Hordcrnieii  and  Pioneer  Maidens, 
who  return  to  dance  and  sing  for  joy. 

Amid  cheers  General  LaFayctte  enters.  With  him  comes  greater 
prosperity  as  the  Prairies  and  Flowers  bring  a  song  of  promise  of  coal 
and  com,  and  with  this  greater  cultivation  the  Indians  are  again  seen, 
but  sadly  depart  for  all  time. 

With  the  development  of  the  Rivers  and  Forests,  proclaimed  in  a 
chorus,  great  debts  were  incurred  and  Repudiation  enters  to  tempt 
Illinois.  She  repels  him,  only  to  again  face  an  evil  in  Polygamy,  but 
his  arguments  avail  him  nothing,  and  he  is  driven  away. 

At  this  time  the  powers  against  ignorance  appear  in  the  form  of 
educational  institutions,  represented  in  a  symbolic  dance  of  the  col- 
leges. 

The  scene  then  passes  through  the  conflict  between  the  North  and 
the  South  and  after  a  hymn  of  praise  the  disastrous  fire  of  Chicago 
is  personified  by  a  solo  dance.    Illinois  comforts  Chicago. 

There  is  a  lapse  of  time  bringing  us  to  the  present  day. 

We  see  all  the  Nations  pa.ss,  and  are  startled  by  One  in  Black,  one 
traitor  among  them. 

Belgium  is  overcome  by  Tyranny  and  pleads  for  help.  France, 
followed  by  F'ear;  England.  Scotland.  Ireland,  Canada,  haunted  by 
Hate,  now  come  liefore  Illinois  and  announce  that   war  is  declared. 


682  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Illinois,  though  hoping  to  have  peace,  sees  her  greater  duty  lies  in  war. 
She  proclaims : 

"AVe  go  to  war  with  war; 

We  fight  until  black  Hate,  white  Fear  and  blood- 
red  Tyranny  are  dead ;  and  holy  Love, 

Justice  enskied,  sacred  Liberty 

Rule  sea  and  land. ' ' 

At  Quincy 

The  pageant  was  presented  in  Quincy  at  Sportsman  Park  on  the 
evenings  of  September  12th  and  13th,  being  the  date  that  the  Centen- 
nial was  held  in  Quincy.  Great  preparations  had  been  made  by  the 
local  committee.  At  the  first  presentation  on  Thursday  evening  him- 
dreds  of  people  were  turned  awa.y  and  on  the  second  evening  a  larger 
crowd  was  present  than  even  on  the  first. 

The  centennial  pageant  was  given  under  the  auspices  of  the  Quincy 
Branch,  Woman's  Committee,  Council  of  National  Defense,  It  was 
decided  to  divide  the  proceeds  between  the  Red  Cross,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
Y.  W.  C.  A.,  Knights  of  Columbus  and  Salvation  Army  war  funds. 

Certainly  in  no  city  in  the  state  was  the  Centennial  pageant  pro- 
duced with  more  attention  to  costuming  and  to  detail.  The  setting  was 
perfect,  and  the  350  men  and  women  who  interpreted  the  wonderful 
historical  story  in  pictures,  dances  and  music  caught  the  spirit  of  the 
author. 

An  admission  fee  was  charged  and  the  money  thus  made  was  used 
by  the  Women's  Committee  of  the  Council  of  National  Defense  for 
their  war  fund.  The  receipts  were  approximately  $4,000  and  the  ex- 
penses about  $2,000,  leaving  nearly  $2,000  as  the  sum  cleared.  Of  the 
amount  $1,000  was  given  to  the  United  War  Work  Fund,  November 
12,  1918. 

Outside  op  Quincy 

In  the  county  the  same  characters  were  used  as  in  Quincy  except 
that  the  group  of  French  soldiers,  etc.,  were  selected  from  the  place 
where  the  Pageant  was  given. 

The  first  presentation  of  the  pageant  was  given  at  Liberty  on  Au- 
gust 9th.  An  ideal  place  had  been  selected  in  the  grove  where  the 
picnic  was  held.  No  more  beautiful  or  approprite  place  could  have 
been  secured.  Many  people  from  Quincy  went  out  to  see  the  fii-st 
presentation.    A  crowd  estimated  at  from  1,500  to  2,500  was  present. 

Mendon  was  the  next  place  where  the  Masque  was  given.  A  Cen- 
tennial celebration  had  been  held  on  August  15th  and  the  crowd  taxed 
the  capacity  of  the  little  park  at  Mendon.  In  the  evening  the  pageant 
was  given  in  Chittenden's  pasture.  A  Quincy  paper  reported  as  fol- 
lows:   "It  was  growing  dark  and  there  were  still  no  signs  of  action 


QT'IXCV  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY  G8:{ 

behind  the  leafy  eurtaiiis  which  separateil  stage  and  audience  in 
Mendon,  Thmsday  evening  where  the  Masque  of  Illinois  was  given  for 
the  second  time  in  Adams  County  communities.  The  inaction  ilid  not 
last  however  for  the  thousand  guests  from  Mcudon,  Quiney  and  all 
the  surrounding  towns  impatiently  clapped  and  whistled  until  the  cur- 
tains were  drawn  hack,  and  for  the  second  time  the  heautiful  tableaux, 
picturesque  costumes  ami  dainty  fairies  pleased  an  unusually  large 
audience.  It  has  \wei\  estimated  that  there  were  more  than  1,000  peo- 
ple to  witness  the  .Mendon  production  of  the  pageant,  and  from  all  ap- 
pearances one  would  iuuigiiie  that  there  were  about  2,000." 

On  August  2f)th,  the  Pageant  was  to  be  given  at  the  \'illage  of  Pay- 
son.  The  day  opened  beautiful  ami  the  weather  was  ideal,  and  the 
largest  crowd  was  in  attendance  that  had  been  for  many  years.  It 
had  been  arranged  to  present  the  pageant  in  the  school  grounds.  The 
location  was  ideal.  The  new  school  building  recently  erected  by  Ilcnry 
M.  Seymour  greatly  added  to  the  attraction.  In  the  evening  threaten- 
ing clouds  apjieared,  but  notwithstanding  a  large  crowd  had  collected 
and  just  as  the  tirst  act  was  started  a  terrific  wind  storm  swept  over  the 
village,  followed  by  a  heavy  downfall  of  rain,  which  rendered  it  im- 
passible to  present  the  pageant. 

On  Saturday,  August  ITtli,  a  Centennial  celebration  was  held  at 
the  Village  of  Golden  and  in  the  evening  the  pageant  was  given  in 
their  beautiful  little  park.  The  day  had  been  threatening,  but  in  the 
evening  the  clouds  cleared  away  and  a  larger  crowd  was  pre.sent  at 
the  pageant  than  during  the  day. 

Centennial  Celebr.vtion  .\t  the  County  Seat 

In  the  month  of  May,  1918,  a  meeting  of  the  Centennial  Committee 
was  held  at  the  home  of  Judge  Montgomery  and  it  was  decided  to  hold 
the  Centennial  celebration  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the  anniversary  of 
the  Lincoln-Douglas  Debate  which  occurred  in  Quiney  on  October  13. 
18.58.  But  afterwards  on  account  of  the  Third  Liberty  Loan  drive 
being  on  at  that  time  and  also  on  account  of  the  production  in  Quiney 
of  the  "Masque  of  Illinois."  which  it  was  desired  to  be  held  when  the 
nights  were  warm,  it  was  decided  to  hold  the  celebration  on  Thursday 
and  Friday,  being  September  12-13.  1918. 

Hiawatha  in  Quinct 

At  a  later  meeting  a  proposition  was  made  by  a  Mr.  Moore  to  give 
the  Indian  play,  "Hiawatha"  under  the  auspices  of  the  Centennial 
Committee.  His  proposition  was  accepted  and  "Hiawatha"  was  given 
at  Highland  Park  for  ten  days  beginning  .July  20,  1918.  Highland 
Park  was  an  ideal  place  for  the  presentation  of  this  play.  Mr.  Patter- 
son, the  actor,  read  the  play  and  the  performance  was  given  by  forty 
real  Indians  upon  the  .south  and  west  .shores  of  the  little  lake  in  the 
northwest  comer  of  the  park.    Not  only  was  the  play  interesting  but 


684  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  Indian  Village  where  the  Indians  made  their  liome  during  their 
stay  in  Quincy  attracted  a  great  many  persons. 

Military  Day 

At  first  it  was  decided  to  have  a  three-daj'  Centennial  celebration, 
but  on  account  of  so  many  war  activities  the  time  was  reduced  to  two 
days.  The  first  day,  Thursday,  was  to  be  "Military  Day"  and  the 
second  day,  or  Friday,  was  to  be  "Governor's  Day."  An  effort  was 
made  to  have  some  representative  in  each  family  identified  with 
the  World  war  to  represent  that  soldier  in  a  parade;  also  the  serv- 
ices of  Sergeant  Mathew  Weyman  were  secured  as  the  orator  of  that 
day.  The  Historical  Society  rented  the  vacant  store  at  the  southeast 
corner  of  Sixth  and  Main  streets  and  had  a  very  interesting  collection 
on  exhibit  during  the  celebration. 

Relatives  op  World  War  Soldiers 

Most  notable  of  all  the  features  of  the  big  military  parade  which 
officially  opened  the  two  days'  Centennial  celebration  in  Quincy, 
Thursdaj',  was  the  marching  division  of  the  mothers,  fathers,  brothers 
and  sisters  and  near  relatives  of  the  boys  of  Adams  County  who  were 
serving  their  country  in  the  great  war.  This  division  was  composed  of 
several  hundred  marchers  led  by  Mrs.  P.  T.  Hill,  mother  of  Brigadier 
General  Henry  Hill,  who  led  a  division  of  Quincy  men  in  France. 
Each  individual  in  this  division  carried  a  badge  with  a  bine  star  and 
an  American  flag.  Old  and  young,  children  and  gi-andparents,  aged 
mothers,  and  crippled  fathers  swinging  along  on  crutches,  made  up 
the  patriotic  unit.  Some  marched  with  faltering  step  and  many  moth- 
ers held  their  place  in  line  by  strength  of  will,  but  all  "carried  on" — 
carried  on  proudly  and  with  a  spiritual  exaltation  that  proclaimed 
their  hearts  were  in  cantonments  and  on  battlefields. 

Patriotic  Demonstration 

Chief  Marshal  Claire  Irwin  led  the  parade,  which  formed  in  front 
of  the  armory  at  1:30  o'clock  and  began  marching  a  half  hour  later. 
He  was  accompanied  by  his  aides ;  a  police  platoon,  as  a  guard  of  hon- 
or followed.  Next  came  the  Illinois  State  Band  playing  martial 
airs.  Miss  Violet  Schwab  carrying  the  musicians'  union  service  flag, 
with  its  many  stars,  was  next  and  preceded  the  two  companies  of  Illi- 
nois Reserve  Militia.  Then  came  the  khaki  uniformed  Illinois  "rook- 
ies," Quincy  unit,  composed  of  young  women  bearing  rifles  proudly 
as  any  soldier.  The  Payson  band  followed,  playing  a  lively  march- 
ing tune,  and  the  Salvation  Army  war  drive  was  represented  by  a 
large  float  on  an  auto  wagon  with  Salvation  Army  lassies  accom- 
panying it. 

Cheers  greeted  a  division  of  veterans  from  the  Soldiers'  Home  who 


QT'IXCV   AND   ADAMS  CorXTV  685 

marched  slowly,  l)ut  not  less  proudly,  than  they  did  on  their  way  to 
a  grreat  war  in  "61.  The  veterans  were  old  and  many  walked  with 
canes,  while  sonic  used  crutches. 

Pkk*;iiix(j's  Ukaities  a  F'katire 

Pershingf's  Henuties,  the  noted  I'ittsfield  women's  drum  corps  with 
only  one  num  in  the  unit— the  director,  H.  II.  Brunswick — swept  alon^ 
with  a  rat-a-tat-tat  aiul  a  ruffle  of  twenty-seven  drums  in  unison,  that 
set  the  feet  of  jjreat  crowds  of  spectators  to  dancing'.  Tlie  jrirls 
were  in  khaki  and  puttees  and  each  carried  a  red  drum  that  under  the 
skillful  touch  became  a  tunesome  martial  instrument. 

Next  came  the  representatives  of  the  families  of  Adams  County 
who  had  dear  ones  in  the  national  service.  They  came  along  the 
crowded  street  four  ahrea.st  and  the  long  line  of  marchers  extended 
from  one  end  of  Washington  Park  to  the  other  side.  Proudly  con- 
scious of  the  nolile  sacrifice  each  one  had  made  in  giving  son,  father  or 
brother  to  their  country,  these  marchers  carried  on  with  heads  erect 
and  hearts  thrilled  with  patriotism. 

Many  of  them  came  long  distances,  from  the  outer  borders  of 
Adams  Count.v,  to  show  their  pride  in  the  absent  soldiers  or  sailors. 
Man.v  had  gone  to  the  armory  early  in  the  day  and  secured  their 
badges  and  a  flag  contril)uted  by  the  Kespohl-Mohrenstecher  Com- 
pany. 

Sergeant  Weyman's  Eloquent  War  Speech 

The  route  of  the  parade  was  from  the  armory  north  to  Maine, 
around  Wa.shington  Sfjuare  and  east  on  Hampshire  to  Eighth  Street, 
and  thence  west  on  Maine  to  the  band  stand  in  the  square,  where 
the  Illinois  State  Band  entertained  an  audience  that  filled  the  park 
for  half  an  hour  before  Sergt.  Matthew  Weyman,  a  Canadian  veteran 
of  the  battles  of  France  and  Flanders,  began  his  speech. 

The  soldier  limping  from  three  wounds  that  alone  keeps  him  from 
the  firing  line  was  introduced  by  Judge  McCarl.  In  his  introduc- 
tion. Judge  McCarl  proclaimed  this  Thursday  as  the  greatest  day 
in  the  history  of  Quinc.v,  because  thousands  of  Quincy  men  were  reg- 
istering and  "giving"  deeds  to  their  propert.v  and.  if  need  be,  their 
lives  for  democracy. 

Sergeant  Weyman  held  his  crowd  for  two  hours.  Hundreds  of 
persons  crowded  around  the  band  stand  and  were  so  thrilled  with 
the  fire  and  eloquence  of  this  inspired  speaker  that  they  never  real- 
ized that  the.v  were  tired  until  the  talk  ended.  It  was  a  speech  of 
information,  of  patriotism  and  inspiration.  Now  with  humor  he 
beguiled  the  vast  crowd  to  laughter,  and  soon  he  drew  tears  with 
his  true  narrative  of  the  pathos  of  the  trenches  and  devasted  towns 
of  France.  It  is  not  fulsome  compliment  but  only  well  merited 
prai.se,  to  say  that  few  Iietter  war  speeches  have  every  held  the  un- 
divided interest  of  a  Quincy  audience. 


686  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  Historical  Display 

Hundreds  of  visitors  after  the  speech  ended,  went  to  the  fine  dis- 
play of  Adams  County  historical  relics,  in  the  old  Halbach-Schroeder 
store,  and  spent  an  hour  among  the  heirlooms  of  pioneer  days.  Miss 
Julia  Sibley,  chairman  in  charge  of  this  exhibit,  and  her  assistants, 
extended  to  all  ^ests  the  courtesy  and  interest  that  they  would  give 
in  welcoming  a  visitor  to  their  own  homes.  There  are  many  pioneer 
relies  and  valued  heirlooms  in  the  collection  that  invite  inspection. 

One  of  the  interesting  features  of  the  exhibit  is  a  collection  of 
eighty-eight  books  by  present  or  former  residents  of  the  city,  which 
have  been  loaned  bj'  the  public  library.  There  also  is  a  collection  of 
songs  by  Quincy  composers  including  William  Spencer  Johnson,  C. 
A.  Pifer,  Miss  Lorene  Highfield,  Mae  Treseher  Brady,  Sallie  White 
Adams,  Katherine  Linehan,  Imogene  Giles  and  many  others  and  a 
poster  by  Neysa  McMein,  the  artist  from  Quincy,  now  in  France. 

The  committee  of  women  in  charge  woi-e  interesting  historical 
costumes.  "Open  house"  to  the  general  public  was  kept  at  the  His- 
torical Building,  the  old  Governor  Wood  mansion  at  425  S.  Twelfth 
Street,  on  the  Centennial  days,  Thursday  and  Friday.  Everyone 
M-as  invited  to  visit  the  building  at  that  time,  and  members  espe- 
cially' were  urged  to  bring  their  friends. 

Mrs.  E.  J.  Parker,  chairman  of  the  house  and  grounds  committee, 
Mrs.  Timothy  Castle  and  others,  make  up  a  committee  that  was  at 
the  building  to  show  visitors  through  during  the   two   days. 

Governors'  Day 

On  the  second  day  of  Quincy 's  great  celebration  called  "Gov- 
ernors' Day''  it  was  intended  to  have  the  govei'uor  and  all  ex-gover- 
nors, the  mayor  of  the  city,  all  city  officials  and  all  ex-city  officials,  the 
present  and  all  ex-members  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors.  Ex-Gov- 
ernor Deneen  was  the  only  one  of  the  state  functionaries  who  could 
accept.  It  was  also  arranged  to  have  the  bonds  of  the  City  of  Quincy, 
the  last  of  which  had  been  paid  off  on  July  1,  1918,  burned  on  this 
occasion;  as  Quincy  had  been  in  debt  for  over  half  a  century  and 
the  extinguishment  of  her  debt  was  an  occasion  of  great  rejoicing. 
A  stupendous  parade  was  held  at  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  headed  by 
the  police  of  the  city  and  followed  by  the  fire  department  and  civil- 
ians. After  the  parade,  an  address  was  given  by  ex-Mayor  Judge 
John  F.  Garner,  which  was  followed  by  the  burning  of  the  bonds  by 
the  mayor  of  the  city,  after  which  ex-Governor  Deneen  deliv- 
ered a  very  interesting  address  on  Illinois.  No  more  fitting  nor  dig- 
nified celebration  could  be  had  than  was  given  on  this  occasion.  The 
exercises  were  held  in  the  band  stand  in  the  public  park.  Within 
200  feet  of  the  statue  of  ex-Governor  Wood  was  Daniel  Wood,  the 
son,  a  guest  of  honor  on  the  platform.  He  was  the  first  white  child 
born  in  the  City  of  Quincy.     Within  100  feet  of  where  ex-Governor 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  687 

Dcneen  stood  and  delivered  his  most  interesting  address,  was  tlie 
houlder  marking  the  place  wlieie  the  historical  debate  between  Lin- 
iiiln  and  Donghts  took  place.  The  day  was  fine  and  ex-Governor 
Deneen  was  at  his  best. 

For  more  than  an  hour  the  larfre  audience  in  Washington  Park 
listened  to  the  speaker  with  dose  attention,  as  he  gave  them  the  vast 
fund  of  information  tliat  makes  Illinois  a  great  and  prosperous 
state.  Judge  Garner  in  his  addrc.ss  gave  a  history  of  ex-Governor 
Carlin  and  ex-iJovernor  .lohn  WdihI,  both  from  Adams  rountx'.  and 
also  a  detailed  history  of  the  indebtedness  of  the  City  of  (^uincy,  of 
which  the  last  bonds  had  been  burned  by  the  mayor. 

Approj^riate  celebrations  of  the  Centennial  were  held  in  the 
Ifigh,  Ward  and  jjarocliial  schools,  throughout  tiie  eit.v,  at  which  many 
of  the  attorneys  and  prominent  men  of  the  city  made  addresses  to 
the  pupils. 

Arrangements  have  been  made  to  mark  with  bronze  tablets  the 
location  of  the  first  courthouse  in  the  City  of  Quincy,  also  of  the 
second  courthouse  of  Adams  County  and  to  locate  with  some  suitable 
marker  the  place  where  was  located  the  log  caliin  of  John  Wntid,  the 
first  hoii.se  built  in  Quiney. 

And  thus  ended  the  Centennial  celelu'ation  in  the  City  of  l^uimy. 
The  Quiney  Herald,  in  an  editorial  on  December  3d,  speaks  very  ap- 
propriately of  the  Centennial  as  follows:  "The  year  has  been  an  in- 
spiring one  for  citizens  of  Illinois.  With  songs,  addresses,  historical 
writings,  and  pageants,  the  glorious  history  of  the  state  lias  been  mag- 
nificently presented  to  all  people  who  live  within  the  borders  of  the 
gi'eat  commonwealth.  In  another  and  more  heroic  manner,  how- 
ever, have  the  traditions  of  Illinois  been  preserved.  The  ])ages  of 
Illinois  history  written  during  the  la.st  year  are  among  the  most 
glorious  of  her  entire  story.  She  has  been  giving  the  best  that  she 
had.  the  fine.st  of  her  splendid  manhood  and  the  most  abundant  of 
her  possesions  that  the  things  which  made  her  great  might  never 
perish  from  the  earth.  W'hile  the  historv,  as  we  learned  it  during  the 
year,  reminded  us  of  the  glorious  past  of  the  state,  the  stor.v  that 
came  from  France  gave  us  the  more  thrilling,  in  that  the  best  tradi- 
tions of  the  manhood  of  Illinois  were  being  exemjilified  in  the  world's 
fiercest  struggle. 

"The  greatest  of  earthly  heritages  today  is  to  be  an  American. 
We  of  Illinois  place  only  next  to  that  the  proud  distinction  of  being 
lllinoisans." 

DeDIC.XTIO.V  UK  THE  GOLD  St.VR  FL.\G 

Before  an  audience  composed  of  the  members  of  the  Adams 
County  Board  of  Sujtervisors.  officers  and  citizens  gathered  in  the 
main  corridor  of  the  courthouse  at  1.40  o'clock  on  the  afternoon 
of  December  3,  1918,  the  county  gold  sfar  flag,  was  dedicated  with  a 


688  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

teu-minute  speech  by  John  "Wall,  the  like  of  which  has  seldom  or  ever 
been  equaled  in  this  city. 

It  was  a  touching  scene.  It  was  thrilling,  yet  withal,  a  sad  cere- 
mony that  was  held  there.  For  it  was  in  honor  of  the  Adams  County 
[lead — in  honor  of  tlie  heroes  who  fell  that  democracy  might  rise  to 
new  heights — that  the  supervisors  gathered,  with  other  officials,  to 
dedicate  the  golden  stars  in  the  county's  service  flag. 


CHAPTER  XXI 1 1 

ADAMS   COUNTY    WOKLD    WAK    I'EliSU.WEL 

Those  Who  Gave  Tmkih  Lives — IIdw  the  Men  Were  Raised  and 
DisTRiBiTED — Many  Joined  Old  Guard  Units — History  of  the 
Draft  Boards — Recruiting  Offices  Kept  Busy — Names  Not 
All  Comi'Letkd — Quincy  Men  Indicted  by  Exemption  Board 
— How  Most  of  the  Men  Were  Distributed — SoiiE  Quincy 
Men  Who  Volunteered — Roster  op  National  Guardsmen  Who 
Left  Quincy — Some  County  Men  Who  Enlisted  in  the  Army 
— Naval  Volunteers  Going  from  Quincy— Latest  Figures  on 
the  County's  Contribution  op  Men. 

In  November,  1918,  as  the  result  of  the  faithful  and  continuous 
efforts  of  hundreds  of  men  and  women  in  Adams  County,  the  Quincy 
Whicr  published  the  most  complete  lists  then  obtainable  of  Adams 
County  men  who  volunteered;  Illinois  National  Guardsmen  who  left 
Quincy  to  enter  the  United  States  military  service;  men  inducted 
into  the  military  service  by  the  Quincy  Exemption  Board ;  Company 
F;  ilachine  Gun  Company;  men  who  entered  the  Naval  service  (re- 
serves and  enlistments) ;  army  recruits,  headquarters  company,  etc. 
The  total  number  thus  recorded  was  2,:'j')0 :  to  this  was  added  an  esti- 
mate of  300,  covering  recruits  of  whom  no  record  was  held  in  Quincy. 
So  that  Adams  County's  brave  little  army  numbered  at  least  2,859. 

Those  Who  Gave  Their  Lives 
City  op  Quincy 

Killed  in  Action — 

General  Henry  R.  Hill,  Infantry,  October  16,  1918. 

Lieutenant  Joseph  Emery,  Jr.,  Infantiy,  July  18, 1918. 

Fred  W.  Scbulte,  V.  S.  Marines,  between  June  2nd  and  10th.  1918. 

Willis  Charles  Ilardyman,  lost  on  U.  S.  Collier,  Cyclops,  sunk  by 
submarine,  date  unknown. 

Roy  Kruenrer.  Infantry,  first  week  in  October,  1918. 

William  Clem  Siepker,  U.  S.  Marines,  October  9.  191S. 

James  Vincent,  Infantry,  October  14,  1918. 

Einil  Hoencr.  Infantry.  October  14,  1918. 

Walter  Iloltmann,  Infantry.  October  12.  1918. 
Died  from  Wounds  Received  in  Action — 

Lieutenant  Henry  Arends.  Infantry,  Octol)cr  24,  1918. 
Vol.  l-<i  gyy 


690  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

August  Appenbrink,  Infantry,  October  29,  1918. 

Henry  Schroeder,  Infantry,  October  12,  1918. 
Died  from  Accident  in  this  Country — 

Eldon  Francis  Clutch,  Artillery,  killed  by  automobile  accident  in 
Quincy,  December  22,  1917. 
Died  from  Disease — 

Harvey  G.  Riggs,  Jr.,  Great  Lakes  Naval  Training  Station,  Sep- 
tember 30,  1918. 

Henry  Klaussen,  Camp  Travis,  Texas,  December  8,  1918. 

Howard  Rogers,  Camp  Travis,  Texas,  December  20,  1918. 

John  Laro,  France,  October  14,  1918. 

Almo  O'Kell,  Germany,  January  12,  1919. 

George  Iltner,  Camp  Grant. 

County  at  Large 
Killed  in  Action — 

Corporal  Oscar  A.  Vollrath,  Marine  Corps,  June  9,  1918. 

Henry  Streaker,  Infantrj',  September  13,  1918. 

Thomas  Roufd,  Infantry,  September  24,  1918. 

Rekus  Flesner,  Infantry,  September  15,  1918. 

Charles  La  Route,  Infantry,  July  31,  1918. 

Ellis  Long,  Infantry,  September  15,  1918. 
Died  from  Wounds  Received  in  Action — 

Lieutenant  Ben  B.  Baldwin,  Infantry,  December  19,  1918. 
Died  from  Disease — 

Harry  Lamb,  Great  Lakes  Naval  Training  Station,  September  25, 
1918. 

Melvin  Myers,  Navy  Base  Hospital,  Philadelphia,  September  27, 
1918. 

William  Becker,  Camp  Grant,  October  3,  1918. 

Sergeant  Paul  St.  John,  Camp  Gordon,  October  5,  1918. 

Edward  P.  Hoener,  Camp  Taylor,  October  10,  1918. 

Lammert  U.  Idens,  Camp  Grant,  October  2,  1918. 

Greely  Buss,  Camp  Grant,  October  2,  1918. 

Harm  Julefs,  Camp  Grant,  October  2,  1918. 

Andrew  Blentlinger,  Great  Lakes  Naval  Training  Station,  October 
13,  1918. 

Donald  Naderhoff,  Silver  City,  N.  M.,  October  10,  1918. 

Prosper  Tourney,  Camp  Grant,  October  10,  1918. 

Edwin  L.  Zemann,  France,  September  21,  1918. 

Fay  Hendricks,  France,  October  11,  1918. 

Milton  H.  Brosi,  France,  October  22,  1918. 

J.  Ross  Young,  Great  Lakes  Naval  Training  Station,  June  26,  1918. 

Roy  Henning,  Camp  Jackson,  December  28,  1918. 

Thomas  Fielding  Stipe,  France,  October  14,  1918. 

Emmet  Johnson,  France,  December  2,  1918. 

Chester  Wyckoff,  France,  December  21,  1918. 

Lester  Wood,  France,  October  14,  1918. 

Rome  Backhold,  Camp  Zachary  Taylor,  January  7,  1919. 


QnXCY  AND  ADAMS  COrXTY  691 

lltiw  TiiK  Mkn  Were  Raised  and  Distribited 

The  (^uiiicy  Whip  of  Noveiulier  I'S.  ]!I18,  publishes  the  folh)wiiig 
suiiiiuary  of  the  work  : 

A  ghirious  army  lias  (^niiicy  and  Adams  ('oiiiif_\-  sent  to  war. 

For  tlie  l)oys  wlio  were  fortunate  euoujih  to  rearh  Franee  aiul  see 
aetive  service  and  for  those  patriots  who  saw  serviee  only  in  the 
eamp  of  the  United  S>tates  there  can  he  nothinfr  l)Ut  words  of  praise. 

Now  the  letters  are  eoming:  in  from  everywhere  telling  of  the  soon 
expected  homecoming,  a  very  few  have  heen  given  their  discharge 
and  have  returned  from  eaniji  luit  the  liig  homecoming  is  yet  an  event 
of  the  near  future.  The  war  was  first  brought  in  its  strongest  asi)ect 
to  Quincyans  when  Camp  Parker  was  established  here  in  the  spring 
of  1917  and  the  hundreds  of  soldiers  from  Quincy  and  other  i-ities  in 
Illinois  campctl  there  until  Sei)tenil)er  14,  and  with  the  leaving  of  tlie 
naval  reserves  early  in  April,  1917.  The  naval  reserves  slept  in  the 
Arnior,v  for  a  few  nights  in  order  to  be  read.v  for  their  call  and  when 
the  order  to  active  service  came  the.v  marched  through  the  (Quincy 
business  district  and  to  the  Burlington  station  wlure  they  entrained 
for  the  East.  Most  of  the  boys  of  the  naval  reserves  are  stationed  on 
the  U.  S.  S.  Kansas,  but  man.v  of  them  have  lieen  distributeii  ai'ound 
through  the  navy. 

Many  Joined  Old  Gitard  Units 

(^aught  by  the  military  spii-it  many  (Quincy  and  county  boys 
joined  the  forces  at  Camp  Parker  and  Company  F,  the  JIachine  Gun 
Compan,v  and  Hcad<|uarters  Company  of  the  old  Fifth  Regiment  were 
exceedingly  popular  in  the  city.  The  sendotf  given  these  boys  when 
they  left  in  September  for  Camp  Logan,  Houston,  Texas,  will  never 
be  forgotten.  In  Texas  reorganization  took  place  and  most  of  the 
Quincy  boys  in  the  Macliine  Gun  Company  were  |)laccd  in  Comiiany 
A  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-Third  Machine  Gun  Battalion 
and  those  in  Company  F  were  placed  in  Company  B  of  the  same 
battalion.  During  the  pa.st  few  da.vs  letters  telling  of  their  experi- 
ences in  fighting  for  forty  da.vs  in  the  front  line  trenches  have  been 
reaching  relatives  and  friends. 

Since  reaching  France  many  of  the  boys  have  been  given  pro- 
motion and  Captain  E.  L.  Wingerter  has  been  placed  in  command 
in  another  division  and  Cajitain  Kenneth  Elmore  at  the  head  of 
Company  B.  Captain  James  E.  Beatty  has  l)ecn  invalided  home  and 
Captain  Bennett  W.  Bartlett  is  in  command  nf  Company   .\. 

History  of  the  Dkajt  Boards 

In  the  summer  of  1917,  after  the  first  registration  for  the  ilraft. 
the  city  and  county  exemption  Iwards  were  organized.  Major  James 
E.  Adams  and  Duke  Schroer  for  the  city  were  in  charge  of  the  first 


692  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

registration  and  turned  over  the  work  to  Jackson  Pearce  and  George 
Gabriel,  the  first  members  of  the  Quincy  board.  Mr.  Pearce  and 
Gabriel  resigned  January  31,  1918,  and  Virgil  Johnston  became  chair- 
man of  the  board  with  E.  B.  Hillman,  secretary.  Dr.  E.  B.  Mont- 
gomery was  named  the  medical  member  of  the  board  when  it  was  or- 
ganized and  holds  that  office  now.  The  legal  advisory  board  for  the 
city  is  composed  of  Judge  McCarl,  chairman,  and  has  iifty-four 
members. 

J.  A.  Ausmus  of  Loraine  is  the  chairman  of  the  Adams  County 
Exemption  Board  and  Steve  Lawless  of  Liberty,  secretary,  with 
Dr.  A.  D.  Bates  of  Camp  Point,  medical  member.  Mr.  Ausmus  and 
Mr.  Lawless  met  in  the  Hotel  Quincy  to  organize  in  July,  1917,  but 
found  that  inasmuch  as  the  board  was  to  be  for  the  county  they  would 
have  to  organize  in  the  county.  The  two  men  then  drove  to  north  of 
Locust  Street,  on  Twelfth,  and  in  the  car  established  the  board.  The 
membership  has  never  changed. 

The  County  Legal  Advisory  Board  has  Judge  C.  E.  Epler  as 
chairman  and  Fred  Wolfe,  secretary.  The  Medical  Advisory  Board 
for  this  district  included  the  counties  of  Adams,  Brown,  Pike  and 
Hancock. 

The  amount  of  work  that  has  been  done  by  the  two  boards  is  almost 
beyond  comprehension.  The  clerks  of  the  board  have  worked  day  aiid 
night  for  many  months  and  have  been  given  a  great  deal  of  work 
being  done  by  the  school  teachers  of  the  city. 

The  calls  on  the  city  and  county  for  men  in  the  selective  service 
have  varied  in  size,  some  for  ten  men  or  less  and  others  reaching  more 
than  the  200  mark. 

Recruiting  Offices  Kept  Busy 

In  the  latter  part  of  1917  the  navy  and  army  recruiting  offices 
began  to  boom  and  the  number  of  enlistments  through  these  two 
places  was  large.  This  fall  the  offices  were  closed  as  all  men  needed 
were  to  be  taken  through  the  selective  service.  Sergeant  Lunsford 
and  Corporal  David  were  in  charge  of  the  army  reci'uiting  office  at 
the  time  it  closed  and  J.  0.  Hudson  was  recruiting  officer  for  the  navy 
with  Frank  Boland,  assistant. 

Through  another  source  enlistments  poured  forth  from  Quincy. 
Major  James  E.  Adams  was  named  enlisting  officer  for  the  Military 
Training  Camps  Association  and  enlisted  between  450  and  .500  men, 
about  half  of  whom  were  from  Quincy. 

Names  Not  All  Completed 

The  task  of  obtaining  the  name  of  every  Quincy  soldier  and  sailor 
is  a  very  difficult  one.  In  some  cases  no  request  for  keeping  lists 
of  names  was  made  and  thus  young  men  went  from  Quincy  of  whom 
no  trace  was  kept.    Through  the  draft  boards  the  names  of  all  selected 


IjriXCV  AM)  ADAMS  COrXTY  693 

service  men  from  (juiiiey  who  loft  lor  camps  have  heeii  obtained,  as 
well  as  the  personnel  of  the  naval  reserves,  Company  K  and  the 
.Machine  Gun  Company  as  they  left  Qiiincy.  The  lists  of  the  men 
who  enlisted  in  the  navy  from  Quincy  was  obtained  from  the  district 
recruiting  oflfiee  in  Peoria,  but  it  was  not  possible  to  secure  a  similar 
list  of  army  enlistments.  Through  the  Army  and  Xavy  Record  Com- 
mittee with  Clyde  Seai*s.  secretary,  a  record  of  the  men  who  enlisted 
in  the  na\y  from  the  county  and  those  enlisted  in  the  army  from 
both  the  city  and  county  was  obtained  insofar  as  it  is  complete.  Many 
relatives  and  friends  have  sent  in  the  names  of  boys  in  the  .service  to 
Mr.  Sears  but  there  are  still  a  grreat  number  lacking. 

In  the  lists,  too.  are  men  who  have  died  since  entering  service  and 
several  names  of  soldiers  and  sailors  who  have  been  given  honorable 
discharges  because  of  physical  disability.  Many  have  been  i)romoted 
since  leaving  for  service  Init  the  luimes  are  given,  as  far  as  possible, 
just  as  tliey  were  at  the  time  of  entering  the  service. 

Quincy  JIek  Inducted  by  Exemption  Board 

The  men  inducted  into  army  service  by  the  Quincy  exemption 
board  numbered  ].0;?4  with  additional  releases  being  granted  to  men 
who  enlisted  in  the  navy  and  other  branches  making  the  total  num- 
ber of  inductions  1,167.  The  latter  names  are  listed  with  the  naval 
volunteers. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  men  inducted  by  the  city  draft 
board  for  army  service : 

Herman  Claus  Arp,  1423  Harrison. 

Walter  Aldag.  1129  Jefferson. 

Paul   II.   Augustin.  ."121   Jefferson. 

Frank  Anerino,  723  State. 

AVilliain  Oarshland   .\mcs.  11011/.  Broadway. 

A.  Aug.  \V.  Appcnbrink,  814  Payson. 

Gustave  E.  G.  Abben.seth,  1110  S.  Fourteenth. 

Louis  A.  Austin.  403  Vermont. 

Arthur  L.  Abbath,  63S  Adams. 

Edward  Arnold.  1400  Cherry. 

Albert  William  Arp,  1639  Harrison. 

.-Mbert  C.  Augustine.  82.")  Jackson. 

Xathan   A.  Austin,  111')   Broadway. 

Xi<'k  .Xiignosf.  ^fahsnane,  Greece. 

John  V.  Austin,  .\97  Woodlawn,  Moberly,  Missouri. 

Albert  W.  Achelpohl,  632  Monroe. 

George  J.  Augustin.  839  S.  Sixth. 

Carl  II.  Altgilbcrs,  1030  X.  Thirteenth. 

Walter  W.  Ackerman,  629  S.  Sixteenth. 

Russell  A.  .\schenbrcniier.  1122  Spring. 

Tom  Andrianos,  Tripolis,  Greece. 


o94  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Oiseella  C.  Aytson,  113  S.  Tenth. 

Crushon  Allen,  1607  N.  Sixteenth. 

Everett  Anderson,  72.3  N.  Ninth. 

Robert  H.  Aring,  836  N.  Tenth. 

Louis  P.  Abbath,  641  Payson. 

Henry  J.  Auffenord,  Trowbridge,  Illinois. 

William  P.  Arp,  1423  Harrison. 

George  C.   Abbath,  838  Adams. 

David  Anderson,  911  Chestnut. 

Arthur  Adair,  317  S.  Tenth. 

Charles  E.  Allen,  2011  Oak. 

Ubert  Allen,  Cromwell,  Ky. 

Albert  Asehman,  1837  Elm. 

Herbert  C.  Abbott,  607  N.  Sixth. 

John  Claus  Arp,  1423  Harrison. 

Fred  G.  Bornman,  927  S.  Sixth. 

Elmer  L.  Becker,  1017  State. 

Walter  E.  Bollan,  2721  Cedar. 

Benj.  F.  Berry,  426  S.  Ninth. 

Arlie  Burns,  605  S.  Sixteenth. 

Milton  H.  Brosi,  Coatsburg,  Illinois. 

Ralph  C.  H.  Bredenbeok,  500  Van  Buren. 

Chas.  H.  Bower,  425  N.  Sixth. 

Bernard  Boll,  1126  N.  Eleventh. 

Herman  F.  Becker,  1018  Washington. 

William  Burner,  Quiney,  Illinois. 

Rudolph  W.  Braun,  925  S.  Twelfth. 

Roy  L.  Busby,  2016  Chestnut. 

Fred  H.  Breuer,  1256  Vermont. 

Alva  L.  F.  Blatter,  1338  N.  Ninth. 

Walter  H.   Bruenger,  1113  Payson. 

Oscar  J.  Buseh,  2427  Cedar. 

Anthony  Badamo,  811  State. 

Tom  Beckman,  217  N.  Tenth. 

Albert  Bode,  Hannibal,  Missouri. 

Henry  W.  Bastert,  Camp  Point,  Illinois. 

Henry  J.  Bergman,  504  Jackson. 

Casper  L.  Blume,  1031  S.  Tenth. 

Albert  B.  H.  Buseh,  922  N.  Twelfth. 

Fred  Bolin,  714  Olive. 

Charlie  L.  Brown,  419  Vermont. 

F'rank  A.  Blaesing,  801  S.  Fourteenth. 

Namann  H.  Bean,  2324  Lind. 

John  Black,  21]  i/^,  York. 

William  Brown,  718  Kentucky. 

Arnold  Barnes,  724  Monroe. 

Albert  J.  Baumann,  628  Jackson. 

Louis  A.  Berblinger,  217  S.  Seventh. 


griXCV  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  695 

Orien  J.  Brinkme.vcr,  801  S.  Twenty-Second. 

Ralph  M.  Brown,  Cot.  9,  S.  and  S.  Home. 

Samuel  E.  liridge,  80.3  S.  Eleventh. 

Walter  J.  II.  Bredenbe.k,  10;{;)  Monroe. 

John  B.  Brown,  314  S.  Fifth. 

Edward  Bentrnp,  812  S.  Twelfth. 

William  J.  Rauman,  Louisiana,  .Missouri. 

Seborn  L.  Blaekburn,  Canton,  Misisouri. 

Edwin  Ily.  Bosse,  619  S.  Thirteenth. 

R.  E.  Britt.  43.J  X.  Tenth. 

George  W.  Brown,  Sacramento,  California. 

John  F.  Bosse.  619  S.  Thirteenth. 

Alfred  W.  Bosse,  619  S.  Thirteenth. 

Henry  J.  Boll.  Jr.,  1126  N.  Eleventh. 

George  F.  Bentrop.  812  S.  Twelfth. 

Sam  Bradfield,  1201   Ohio,  Louisiana,  Missouri. 

E.  T.  Bates,  520  N.  Fifth. 
Clifford  H.  Bunch,  828  Spruce. 
Gerhard  E.  Baumann,  628  Jackson. 
Reuben  Bass,  122  N.  Third. 
Clyde  Ba.s.sett,  827  X.  Ninth. 
Robert  Bryson,  708  Jersey. 

Roy  Burks,  608  N.  Eleventh. 
Carlton  Bernard.  21.3  ^laple. 

F.  W.  Bentley,  1123  N.  Sixth. 
Lawrence  Behrensmeyer,  1222  Madison. 
George  F.  Blair,  Chambersburg,  Illinois. 
Lawrence  W.  P>astert. 

John  L.  Brown,  1422  N.  Seventeenth. 

Frank  C.  Baum,  .^18  Jersey. 

Charles  L.  Blaesing.  801  S.  Fourteenth. 

Franklin  W.  Baker,  1033  Kentucky. 

Dan  Berblinger.  217  S.  Seventh. 

Orover  Burns,  60.5  S.  Sixteenth. 

Alfred  A.  D.  Behrensmeyer,  1222  Madison. 

Elmer  IT.  Brueng^r,  1113  Payson  Avenue. 

Henry  J.  Berndanncr,  320  S.  Tenth. 

James  E.  Baker,  410'/^  Kentucky. 

Chas.  A.  Bernard. 

Rali)li  D.  Bishop,  Eleventh  and  Broadway. 

Charles  E.  Butler,  Utica,  New  York. 

Carl  Bexten,  817  Adams. 

Benj.  F.  Baldwin,  1103  Vermont. 

Harvey  H.  Behrensmeyer,  103.')  S.  Twelfth. 

Fred  Bosse,  1434  Jeflferson. 

Ralph  H.  Boquet,  1016  Vermont. 

Samuel  Bushman,  Canton,  Mi.ssouri. 

Howard  C.  Boots.  2843  Elm. 


696  QUINCY  AND  ADAilS  COUNTY 

Frank  J.  Berger,  224  N.  Third. 

Edward  William  Bishop,  1028  Adams. 

Edmund  E.  Burks,  120i/o  S.  Seventli. 

Oscar  H.  Braekenseik,  TOQi/o  S.  Thirteenth. 

Milton  J.  Braxmeier,  1409  Broadway. 

Walter  L.  Bringaze,  322  S.  Eighth. 

Everett  C.  Bliveu,  129  Jersey. 

Willis  L.  Bolin,  319  Cherry. 

Frank  C.  Bunnel,  52414  Hampshire. 

Jeremiah  M.  Boulware,  Union,  Massachusetts. 

Carl  B.  Berter,  640  N.  Twelfth. 

Charles  M.  Becker,  1435  State. 

Bryson  M.  Blackburn,  1407  N.  Eighth. 

Elmer  F.  Bosse,  Detroit,  Michigan. 

John  H.  Bollan,  2317  Lind. 

Albert  H.  Brokamp,  531  N.  Twelfth. 

Carl  William  Brown,  701  S.  Fifth. 

M.  Bryson,  525  N.  Tenth. 

John  Butler,  831  Lind. 

William  John  Bener,  619  Vine. 

Asa  C.  Burbidge,  Idaho  Falls,  Idaho. 

Arthur  G.  Bowman,  Quiney,  Illinois. 

Robert  H.  Bastert,  537  S.  Twelfth. 

Robert  L.  Barger,  315  Lind. 

Albert  M.  C.  Cunningham,  Elsberry. 

Andrew  C.  Canaday,  702  N.  Fourth. 

Claud  V.  Curry,  1238  Hamp.shire. 

Frank  Cook,  210  Maple. 

Alvin  A.  Crocker,  2307  Elm. 

John  Campbell,  306  Cherry. 

Lawrence  H.  Chapman,  2017  Oak. 

Henry  G.  Carkhufif,  Marshalltown,  Iowa. 

•John  Cottrell,  829  N.  Ninth. 

Robert  0.  Cook,  522  Maple. 

Clarence  L.  Cassidy,  1214  N.  Twenty-Fourth. 

Cruttenden  S.  Corwin,  308  N.  Sixth. 

Judson  E.  Cutter,  Lincoln,  Illinois. 

Charles  H.  Carr. 

Marcus  Chapman,  420  Oak. 

Dennis  E.  Cronin,  1450  Hampshire 

Morn  R.  Clark,  514  N.  Tenth. 

Gerhard  N.  Carpenter,  2079  Broadway. 

.Alillard  F.  Crawford,  623  N.  Sixth. 

Charles  N.  Coulson,  1205  N.  Fifth. 

Charles  Crail,  ^Maywood,  Missouri. 

Virgil  E.  Collins,  Baylis,  Illinois. 

DeWayne  Carpenter,  730  N.  Ninth. 

Emmett  Cooper,  Kansas  City,  Missoui-i. 


QUINCY  A\l)   A  DA  .MS  CurxTV  697 

Everett  E.  Chapman,  fj^L'  Adams. 

JIarion  A.  Camphell,  224V:;  York. 

f'liarlie  nifford.   222   :\riii(l.'ii   Lane. 

James  Carpenter.  iWO  Kcnfneky. 

Jo.seph   \V.  Cral)tie.  Hannibal.  Missonri. 

Henry  D.  Carper. 

Benj.  L.  Clow,  2020  Elm. 

Charles  Coy,  725  S.  Seventh. 

Elmer  Dale. 

Hul)ert  L.  Dempsey. 

Elmer  Dnht.  1117  S.  Fifth. 

Joseph  C.  Diinker.  1014  X.  Twelfth. 

Frank  Warnell,  olG'^;  \.  Tenth. 

Fred  Dale,  302  Hampshire. 

T'liarles  Dailey.  Quiney.  Illinois. 

William  C.  Druffel,  If)  12  Spring. 

Elmer  Dale,  302  namp.shire. 

John  J.  Dnan. 

William    Doerr,   Foot  of  Vine. 

Joe  Davidson,  729  Kentucky. 

Edward  Dorkenwald.  1224  Park  Place. 

Renj.  L.  Dunn,  'A')  JetTerson. 

Henry  F.  Druffel,  ir)23  Oak. 

Henry  Dede.  721   S.  Twenty-Third. 

Henry  W.  Dreasslcr,  Jr..  1004  Payson. 

Fred  H.  Danielmeyer,  930  iladison. 

William   Dii-kwish.  1119  Jefferson. 

Walter  E.  Dieks,  727  Jefferson. 

Herbert  Dreier,  1724  Spring. 

Walter  DeLonjay,  1633  Spruce. 

Edward  DuValens,  R.  R.  6,  Quiney,  Illinois. 

Henry  ponnely,  Maine,  between  Second  and  Third. 

Leroy  Davis,  315  Riverview  Avenue. 

William   P.  Davis,  Fourth  and   Riverview. 

James  E.  Durst,  2330  Spring. 

Bernard  Donhardt.  1013  Lind. 

Edmund  J.  Danner,  719  Payson. 

Harry  G.  Duesdicker,  717  Van  Buren. 

Herbert  F.  Demjisey,  St.  Louis,  iIis.souri. 

Clarence  F.  Damhorst,  1402  Oak. 

Richard  E.  Dyer,  602  N.  Fourth. 

Frank  F.  Dingersou,  1117  Washington. 

All)ert    Duesdicker,    Camp    Point,    Illinois. 

Henry  W.  Duesdicker,  827  S.  Eleventh. 

Jacob  Dodd.  6461.1.  Maine. 

Bert  J.  Darnell.  St.  Charles,  Mis.souri. 

Alfred  H.  Dicks,  700  Jefferson. 

Lawrence  C.  Dnker.  1201  X.  Fifth. 


698  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Leonard  Dimker,  1014  X.  Twelfth. 

Francis  Dunker,  1014  N.  Twelfth. 

William  DeLonjay,  1633  Spruce. 

Max  J.  Dickhut,  925yo  S.  Tenth. 

Chas.  H.  Durand,  649ii>  Adams. 

George  W.  Dicks,  700  Jefferson. 

George  H.  Davis,  1016  N.  Fourth. 

Otto  C.  Duker,  400  S.  Eighteenth. 

Frank  J.  Dick,  1254  Park  Place. 

Walter  H.  Doht,  1117  S.  Fifth. 

J.  Finleyson  DeCleo,  319  Vermont. 

Robert  G.  Dienstbier,  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

James  M.  Dale,  302  Hampshire. 

Fred  W.  Erlenbusch,  Peoria,  Illinois. 

Herbert  W.  Ehrhardt,  1450  Vermont. 

Herman  J.  Eling,  1835  Lind. 

Theo.  F.  Ehrhardt,  1450  Vermont. 

Fred  Englehardt,  811  Madison. 

John  M.  Engler,  R.  R.  2,  Quincy. 

Orlan  B.  Eddins,  438  N.  Ninth. 

Joseph  H.  Engler,  1826  Cherry. 

Oscar  F.  Eggeson,  624  State. 

Bernard  Eberle,  1135  N.  Fifth. 

William  C.  Eakle,  164  Vermont. 

Morton  C.  Bull,  2020  Cherry. 

John  A.  Ellis,  2900  Chestnut. 

Albert  C.  Ebbers,  627  N.  Twelfth. 

Herbert  H.  Ebbing,  Mount  Sterling,  Illinois. 

Fred  E.  Edwards,  607  Vine. 

Jos.  Eickelsehulte,  1131  N.  Twelfth. 

Lester   Elliott,   906   Lind. 

John  D.  Eaton,  1220  Jersey. 

Alois  H.  Elzi,  1737  Spring. 

Charles  Fichter,  1005  S.  Eighth. 

Albert  C.  H.  Fleer,  606  Jackson. 

Roscoe  L.  Ferguson,  Lane,  Kansas. 

Louis  Francini,  Pedona,   Italy. 

Lawrence  A.  Folz,  305  N.  Fourteenth. 

Cornelius  N.  Fox,  601  Monroe. 

Clifton  F.  French,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

Harry  Fleer,  822  Washington. 

William  Henry  Feld,  326  Ohio. 

John  H.  William  Fleer,  606  Jackson. 

Henry  Finkenhoefer,  1620  Chestnut. 

Albert  E.  Funke,  721  Washington. 

Frank  Fox,  601  Monroe. 

Benj.  B.  Frame,  Bevier,  Missouri. 

Louis  F.  Fehlberg,  1036  Adams. 


QUINT Y  AM)  ADAMS  ((((XTV  699 

Gu9  Edward  Fold,  326  Ohio. 

Joseph  Funke,  2316  Lind. 

Benj.  II.  Fusselman,  2019  Chestnut. 

Roht.  IT.  Fortinan,  438  Adams. 

Rudolph  B.  Friedhoff,  918  Adams. 

Albert  IT.  Frees,  423  X.  Twentieth. 

Barney  II.  Fleer,  824  Jefferson. 

Donald  J.  Foster,  435  N.  Seventh. 

Oliver  J.  Fiseher,  Quiiiey   Illinois. 

Frank  A.  Fuller,  V.W:,  X.  Sixth. 

Albert  H.  Frees,  423  N.  Twentieth. 

Jos.  A.  Freiburg,  1320  Oak. 

Lester  K.  P>etz,  Colorado  Springs. 

Emmet  H.  Finley,  620  Cedar. 

C.ustav  Fehlberg,  1036  Adams. 

George  Fisher,  720  X.  Twentieth. 

Fred  Feld,  326  Ohio. 

John  Z.  Foontas,  Quiney,  Illinois. 

John  L.  Fulton,  Fairfield,  Iowa. 

Clarenee  X.  Finley,  620  Cedar. 

Karl  W.  Fiseher,  923  X.  Fifth. 

Jas.   E.   Gregory,  1602  Chestnut. 

Clarence  L.  Gru.ssemeyer,  1125  S.  Twelfth. 

Ral]))!  G.  Gardner,   1G67  Hampshire. 

(  liarles    Gauch,    Quiney,    Illinois. 

Lawrence  Gels,  1011  Elm. 

Edward  Gillie.  712  S.  Twelfth. 

Geo.  IT.  Giannaris,  Kastrion,  Tanias,  Greece. 

Ernest  G.  Garner,  1209  N.  Fifth. 

Jess  B.  Garoutte,  900  Jersey. 

Floyd  Ginster,  Camp  Point,  Illinois. 

Herman  C.  Guesen,  730  X.  Fourteenth. 

Chesleigh  E.  Gray.  230  Loeust. 

Edward  George,  6291^.  ^Vashington. 

John  G.  Gels,  1011  Elm. 

Everett  E.  Gray,  641  Washington. 

Arthur  L.  Gehring,  1108  Vermont. 

Will  Gleason,  Baraboo,  Wisconsin. 

William  Russell  Garver. 

Joseph  (iodereis,  Quiney,  Illinois. 

Roy  W.  Ga.stineau,  Knox  City,  Mis.souri. 

Roland  A.  Gootl,  La  Belle,  Misisouri. 

Wallace  Gordon,  1502  Lind. 

Giles  Green.  2012  Vine. 

Ernest  Givens.  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

Walter  E.  Gelling.  524  S.  Tenth. 

Frank  E.  Garner,  1131  X.  Tenth. 

Frank  Geise,  207  Kentucky. 


700  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Harry  H.  Gibbs,  628  Monroe. 

Ira  W.  Grashoff,  644J<3  Maine. 

Harry  W.  Githens,  1228  Vermont. 

Henry  Garner,  1131  N.  Tenth. 

Joseph  H.  Garthaus,  917  N.  Eleventh. 

Herbert  W.  Gehring,  922yo  Maine. 

Edgbert  J.  Garrison,  821  York. 

Robert  L.  Glynn,  Hannibal,  Missouri. 

Glenn  M.  Grubb,  200  Sycamore. 

Lawrence  J.  Giesing,  1406  Hampshire. 

Pearl  J.  Glasford,  313  Cherry. 

Henry  Gay,  2271  Vine. 

James  G.  Galloway,  Centerville,  Iowa. 

Alfred  J.  Goin,  527  Adams. 

Grandison  L.  Grieser,  305  S.  Sixteenth. 

Gerhard  M.  Hummert,  1311  N.  Ninth. 

Henry  G.  Hancox,  Omaha,  Nebraska. 

John  H.  Heithold,  819  Monroe. 

"William  Hoener,  808  Monroe. 

Albert  Hipkins,  512  Jackson. 

Edgar  H.  Hauter,  1206  N.  Twelfth. 

George  A.  Horbelt,  1834  Lind. 

Emil  G.  Huber,  304  Spring. 

Edward  W.  Hobert,  1426  State. 

Prank  J.  Hendrickson.  221  N.  Fifth. 

Lawrence  W.  Hummert,  1302  N.  Eleventh. 

Prank  J.  Hussong,  606  Madison. 

Barney  C.  Heim,  1302  N.  Ninth. 

Elmer  A.  P.  Huseman,   522   Ohio. 

John  P.  Heitland,  212  Chestnut. 

Arthur   S.   Hageman,   531   Jersey. 

Roy  C.  Hard,  Hannibal,  ^Missouri. 

Ren  H.  Haines,  Canton,  Missouri. 

Prank  Hoskin,  Pittsfield,  R.  4. 

Prank  L.  Heinze,  517  N.  Fourteenth. 

Lawrence   Hayes,    1616    Cedar. 

Paul  M.  Hussey,  Faith,  South  Dakota. 

Arthur  L.  Hammer,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

Edward  R.  Howlett,  614  Jersey. 

Bernard  H.  Heuer,  602  N.  Seventh. 

AVarren  E.  Hartzell,  801  Adams. 

Clarence  Hall,  Drumright,  Oklahoma. 

jNIartin  H.  Hodges,  715  Jefferson. 

Robert  D.  Hinchman,  219  S.  Eleventh. 

Robert  L.  Hicks,  Payson,  Illinois. 

Chas.  P.  Hildebrand,  516  Oak. 

Aug.  P.  Heuer,  909  Jeffer.son. 

William  C.  Heim,  1312  N.  Ninth. 


QUIXCV  AMI  ADAMS  CorXTV  701 

Robert  F.  Hunt,  Gl'i  S.  P^iftecnth. 
Ktlwaril   Holland,   911   Jersey. 
Harry   E.  W.  Hunter,  704  S.  Sixth. 
Ralph  H.  Ileriusnieier,  917  Adams. 
Ben.j.  F.  Hcaberlin,  435  X.  Sixth. 
Robert   F.    Ileeklc,    726   X.    Twelfth. 
Arthur  H.  Ilifrpins,  r)20  Van  Ruren. 
Lloyd  D.  Ilerrick,  2215  Oak. 
William  A.  Henderson,  Quiney,  Illinois. 
Adolf  Ilillebrenner.  916  Pay.son  Avenue. 
Carl  Hagreman,  1401  S.  Eighth. 
AValter  W.  Iloltman,  1105  Adams. 
Carl  R.  Heidbrink,  915io  Wa.shington. 
Raymond    Hall,    Ewing,    Missouri. 
Edward  M.  Hendrix.  922  N.  Second. 
Walter  F.  Hoffman,  530  Adams. 
Harrison  Havens,  305  JIaertz  Lane. 
John  H.  Heine,  Ninth  and  Ohio. 
George  Ililderbrand,  312' o  Vermont. 
Victor  W.  Herrington,  704  Cedar. 
Chas.  Hastings,  Loraine,  Illinois. 
Joseph  Iloffmans,  1001  Adams. 
Emil  Fred  Halbach,  2201  York. 
Herbert  0.  Heinze,  2064  Vine. 
Garland  J.  Henderson,  31 SV-.  Hampshire. 
Fred  W.  Hempelmann,  526  Monroe. 
August  J.  L.  Hauter,  704  S.  Sixth. 
Beverly  J.  Harvey,  938  N.  Eleventh. 
Herbert  H.  Heidbreder,  804  State. 
Chas.  McK.  Holliday,  1116  X.  Fifth. 
Carl  H.  Iloener,  725  Ohio. 
George  W.  Hoffman,  740  S.  Thirteenth. 
Joseph  P.  Hand,  624  Sycamore. 
Lawrence  A.  J.  Herring,  1635  Oak. 
George  Heckenkamp,  600  Adams. 
Claud  Herrington,  841  S.  Fifth. 
Arthur  C.  Heinze,  914  X.  Eighth. 
Carl  T.  Hutmacher,  909  X.  Fifth. 
Oscar  P.  Huck,  1401  Maine. 
Clarence  A.  W.  Hughes,  Xinth  and  Elm. 
William  T.  Hughes,  Maj'wood,  Missouri. 
Roy  E.  Huseinan.  646  Payson  Avenue. 
Arthur  C.   Iluscman,  522   Ohio. 
Frank  E.  Haggerty.  316  S.  Fourth. 
Jas.  H.  Holliday.  1116  X.  Fifth. 
Howard  M.  Higgins,  La  Grange,  Missouri. 
L.  II.  Ileuer,  909  Jefferson. 
George  Iltner,  323  S.  Third. 


i'02  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

William  lltuer,  N.  Thirty-Sixth. 

Macauley,  Irwin,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

Harvey  N.  Jones,  Obline,  Texas. 

Gustav  A.  C.  John.son,  931  Jackson. 

Abner  D.  Johnson,  New  Ulm,  Minnesota. 

John  G.  Jensen,  1304  N.  Eleventh. 

Bernard  Jansen,  513  Harrison. 

Leo  H.  Jansen,  8OOI/2  Adams. 

August  J.  Jansen,  1013  Elm. 

John  F.  Jasper,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

Chas.  C.  Jackson,  6I514  Hampshire. 

Prank  L.  Jennings,  615  Elm. 

Homer  Jobe,  1091/2  N.  Fourth. 

Chas.  Geo.  Jenkins,  2852  Elm. 

Fred  F.  Johannsmeyer,  1105  N.  Twelfth. 

George  E.  Johnson,  817  N.  Second. 

Frederick  M.  Johnson,  2160  Maine. 

John  William  Johnson,  Akron,  Ohio. 

Walter  C.  Johnson,  628  S.  Sixteenth. 

Orville  Johnston,  3071/2  York. 

August  H.  Johnston,  Louisville,  Kentucky. 

Herbert  L.  Kurz,  628  Oak. 

Oscar  F.  King,  1118  Spring. 

Paul  T.  Kreager,  2519  Cedar. 

Oscar  G.  Kosyan,  511  N.  Fifteenth. 

Hugo  H.  Kern,  932  "Vermont. 

Roy  R.  Kinman,  317  Maiden  Lane. 

John  J.  Kelle,  1121  Chesnut. 

Carl  A.  Kollmeyer,  Lincoln,  Nebraska. 

]\rike  Kostogiann,  Tellia,  Greece. 

Albert  F.  Kroner,  R.  R.  6,  Quincy. 

Casper  G.  B.  Kroeger,  1815  Chestnut. 

William  E.  King,  Keokuk,  Iowa. 

I^dward  H.  Koenig,  519  Washington. 

Walter  F.  Krug,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

Leroy  G.  Kerker,  914  N.  Twentieth. 

Frank  F.  Kestner,  618  Jackson. 

Jos.  P.  Keohane,  White  Plains,  New  York. 

Fred  G.  Koenig,  519  Washington. 

Clarence  Klemme,  91414  S.  Fourteenth. 

Walter  Knuffman,  700i/o  Maine. 

Arthur  C.  Krug,  1319  Ohio. 

Harvey  Krueger,  1332  S.  Sixth. 

Virgil  A.  Kurz,  438  N.  Ninth. 

Herbert  G.  Krietemeyer,  627  N.  Sixth. 

Robert  H.  Krueger,  522  Van  Buren. 

Bert  Kepler,  4O61/2  S.  Third. 

Christel  G.  Kost. 


QUIXCY  AM)  ADAMS  COINTY  703 

Shelby  V.  Kemp,  507  N.  Sixth. 

Ward  K.  Kclley,  1007  Hampshire. 

Win.  t'oiirad  Kattelmann,  828  N.  Fourteenth. 

Walter.!.  Krufrman.  !I2:{  N.  Twelfth. 

John  Hy.  Kroeger,  1815  Chestnut. 

FI0S.S  K.  Kcrwin.  St.  Joseph,  Mis.souri. 

Alfred  II.  Kleinme.  JtUW,  S.  Fourteenth. 

William  (".  Kloprott,  10:10  State. 

Jeff  Kinney.  101.')  X.  Tenth. 

Osear  A.  Kirtripiit,  53.S  X.  Fifth. 

Edward  G.  Koch,  621  S.  Twelfth. 

William  Konis.  Detroit.  Miehigan. 

Herbert  A.  Kaltenba.-h.  14:14  X.  Xinth. 

Osear  H.  Kathman,  1037  Ohio. 

John  J.  Knippel,  Quiiiey,  Illinois. 

Alfred  K.  Kimlin,  Xormal,  Illinois. 

Marcellus  E.  Kendall.  i:J29  X.  Sixth. 

Thomas  M.  Kearney,  1013  Jersey. 

Roy  Henry  Krue^'er,  1819  State. 

Marcie  J.  Kollmeyer,  910  X.  Twelftii. 

Milton  W.  Kamphenkel.  810  S.  Fifth. 

Ray  E.  Lethcho.  1061^  X.  Sixth. 

Frederiek  J.  Lul)ker,  Quiiicy.  Illinois. 

Charles  William  Lewis.  919  X.  Sixth. 

James  M.  Lenane,  r)35  Vine. 

John  Leventis,  Jlendota,  Illinois. 

Aufrust  C.  Lanpe.  Jr..  90.t  Jersey. 

Henry  C.  Landwher,  1416  Maine. 

A.  J.  Laacke,  318  York. 

George  H.  Lumnier,  702  Cedar. 

Edmund    Iramy,    1407    Oak. 

Arthur  Lamy,  1407  Oak. 

Reath  B.  Lackey.  506';,  S.  Eighth. 

Sung  Clang  Lee,  Seoul,  Corea. 

Arthur  H.  W.  Laaker,  725  S.  Fifth. 

Sidney  B.  Lyneh,  213i;i  N.  Eighth. 

Mathew  G.  Lavery,  Ely,  Missouri. 

Otto  C.  Lyman,  832  Lind. 

R.  B.  Lusk.  7:{0  X.  Fourth. 

Paul  J.  Lehner,  Keokuk.  Iowa. 

Leo  Lewis,  Escanaba,  Mieh. 

Harry  G.  Lewis.  919  X.  Sixth. 

Frank  B.  LeFoe.  9:53  X.  Seventli. 

Edward  Logan. 

John  Lotz.  918  S.  Tenth. 

Joseph  1'.  Lehnen,  622  S.  Sixth. 

Sylvester  A.  Leaeh.  740  S.  Third. 

William   Edward  Layman.  Dresden,  Ohio. 


704  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

William  Lahan,  311  N.  Fourteenth. 
Robert  E.  Luekenbill,  714  S.  Fifteenth. 
Moritz  Lamy,  Quincy,  Illinois. 
Rayborne  P.  Lohr,  SlSi/o  N.  Fifth. 
Walter  R.  B.  Lacke,  313  York. 
Leslie  M.  Lycan,   Edina,  Missouri. 
Walter  F.  Landwehr,  914  Jefferson. 
Harry  Little,  5I8I/2  N.  Tenth. 
Bernard  F.  Lange,  1100  Washington. 
Frank  Lawler,  1103  Chestnut. 
George  H.  Laaker,  1026  Madison. 
Ray  B.  Lifemann,  621  S.  Fourteenth. 
John  Laro,  727  N.  Ninth. 
Elmer  H.  Lampe,  1108  Washington. 
Floyd  C.  Longress,  2228  Lind. 
Chas.   G.   Luehrman,   1132  N.   Fifth. 
William  P.  Laws,  2313  Elm. 
Albert  Lymenstahl,  632  Jeffer.son. 
Arthur  M.  Moeeker,  530  York. 
Harvey  A.  Miller,  1226  State. 
Edward  Moore,  Quincy,  Illinois. 
William  R.  Middendorf,  1326  Lind. 
Everett  Moore,  Kokomo,  Indiana. 
Tom  McDonald,  910  N.  Tenth. 
Henry  A.  Marlow,  Chicago,  Illinois. 
Albert  Middendorf,  1020  Chestnut. 
James  L.  McDonald,  817  S.  Sixth. 
Sidney  T.  ilalam,  Chicago,  Illinois. 
Ralph  Mutz,  616  S.  Sixth. 
John  H.  ileyer,  708i/o  Jefferson. 
Arthur  J.  Muehlenfeld,  1023  Kentuck}'. 
John  B.  Muehlenfeld,  1023  Kentucky. 
Albert  W.  Moenning,  1316  Oak. 
Edward  W.  Mueller,  Quincy,  Illinois. 
Leo  Hy.  Middendorf,  530  N.  Eighteenth. 
.    Ben  Muller,  221  S.  Fifth. 
Geo.  Leroy  Maliair,  4191/2  Hampshire. 
Harold  W.  Marshall,  1245  Maine. 
Roger  A.  Meyer,  736  S.  Twenty-Third. 
Chas.  W.  JIarion,  Bowling  Green,  Ohio. 
Ambrose  J.  Musholt,  1256  Hampshire. 
Lawrence  F.  Mescher,  2959  Lind. 
William  G.  Manning,  804  N.  Eleventh. 
Henry  R.   Middendorf,   1501    Oak. 
Thoma.s  F.  McGee,  121  S.  Ninth. 
Ray  Mclntire,  810  N.  Seventh. 
Carl  W.  :\Ienke,  720  S.  Seventeenth. 
William  McPike,  Centerville,  Mississippi. 


QUINCY  AXn  ADAMS  COUNTY  705 

Chas.  Monckton,  1635  Spruce. 

Allen  H.  Merkel,  1709i/o  Broiulway. 

John  T.  Montague,  1032>  L-  Maine. 

Raymond  A.  Middendorf.  1501  Oak. 

Phillipp  S.  Jlilbert,  615  Monroe. 

Edward  J.  Mcierant,  2607  Chestnut. 

Winifred  F.  McSpadden,  1703  Oak. 

Francis  IMayfield,  723  N.  Third. 

Herbert  H.  McKenna,  713  Jersey. 

Charles  A.  Moorman,  1527  Locust. 

Norman  McMullcn,  Jefferson  City,  Mis.souri. 

Joint  Moore,  225  ilaiden  Lane. 

Emmett  R.  Maier,  820  Madison. 

George  J.  Murphy,  1415  N.  Sixth. 

William  Fred   Meyer,   1036  Jefferson. 

Victor  L.  Jlorgan,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

Charles  P.  Malley.  1436  N.  Fifth. 

George  C.  Maas,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

Edgar  T.  Neis,  828  Chestnut. 

Charles  Chester  ilartin,  3291/.  S.  Fourth. 

Oscar  A.  Mast.  2056  Vine. 

Anton  II.  :Meyer,  633  Ohio. 

Fred  H.  Miller,  818  Washington. 

August  II.  Merten,  527  IMaiden  Lane. 

Thomas  McCollum,  323  S.  Third.- 

Oscar  F.  Mueller,  624  Elm. 

Hubert  H.  Moore,  315  Delaware. 

Anthony  ilusolino,  534J<3  Maine. 

Walter  H.  Miller.  319  S.  Tenth. 

Arthur  Miller,  818  Washington. 

Wm.   Marsh.   1441    State. 

Roy  Moore,  Louisiana,  Missouri. 

John  II.  ^liller.  Eighth  and  Harrison. 

Frank  II.  Mohn,  304  S.  Eighth. 

Geo.  Murry,  Gladstone,  Illinois. 

Lewis  Miles,  2041  Oak. 

Edward  McGinnis,  Louisiana,  Jlissouri. 

Jo.seph  A.  Meyer,  900  Hampshire. 

Amos  Mayfield,  Second  and  Elm. 

Marvin  V.  Myers,  Aurora,  Illinois. 

Bert  Martin,  207  Jersey. 

Joseph  G.  Mellert,  1620  Spruce. 

S.  A.  Boss  Miller,  630^:5  Maine. 

Robert  J.  Mathes,  222  S.  Sixth. 

E.  R.  H.  Mathis,  424  X.  Ninth. 

Harry  F.  Maurath,  327  Hampshire. 

Robert  Monteith,  521  N.  Third. 

Arthur  L.  McClelland.  425  Spring. 

Vol  I— 15 


706  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Elmer  Moore,  420  Kentucky. 
Lawrence  Neusurn,  304  N.  Eiglith. 
Eobert  G.  Nieliaus,  1509  Spruce. 
James  E.  Nolan,  642  Kentucky. 
James  Neville,  Fayette,  Missouri. 
Robert  E.  Neal,  Porterville,  California. 
Cortz  Nixon,  915  Chestnut. 
Arthur  B  Niemeyer,  2538  Vermont. 
John  C.  Neuman,  719  Jackson. 
Frank  F.  Nolkemper,  1137  "Washington. 
Eeinard  G.  Niehaus,  1509  Spruce. 
Robt.  W.  H.  Nesta,  1138  Ohio. 
Muriel  Nedrow,  9321/2  Kentucky. 
Walter  Neal,  Porterville,  California. 
Clarence  H.  J.  Nolte,  1025  S.  Eighth. 
Wm.  H.  Niemeyer,  915  Payson. 
John  R.  Nees,  615  Vermont. 
Henry  C.  Nebe,  3311/2  Delaware. 
Adam  J.  Neuman,  735  S.  Twentieth. 
Preston  Newbolt. 

Herman  J.  Norris,  Washington,  Indiana. 
Harry  L.  Nelms,  Edinsburg,  Illinois. 
John  M.  Nicoly,  650  Payson. 
Edgar  Otte,  1804  Chestnut. 
Frank  Osborn,  1518  Lind. 
John  J.  Oneal,  510  Oak. 
Anton  B.  Osterholdt,  1403  Spruce. 
Frank  A.  Olps,  1331  N.  Tenth. 
Joseph  E.  Opel,  Quiney,  Illinois. 
Edward  R.  Osborn,  1518  Lind. 
Oscar  Otte,  1804  Chestnut. 
Earl  J.  Otto,  633  Monroe. 
Ralph  B.  O'Neal,  121  N.  Twelfth. 
Henrj'  Ostermueller,  1310  Oak. 
Clarence  C.  Obrock,  1011  Chestnut. 
Edw.  0 'Bryant,  203  Vermont. 
John  L.  Otten,  116  S.  Eleventh. 
Amos  Peterson,  1121  N.  Fifth. 
Benj.  P.  Puckett,  Hunnewell,  Missouri. 
John  B.  Pierce,  225  S.  Sixteenth. 
Fred  Pierson,  Baylis,  Illinois. 
Guy  Perkins,  924  N.  Ninth. 
Mason  Perkins,  Quiney,  Illinois. 
Jesse  Perkins,  922  Elm. 
Benj.  F.  Porter,  214  S.  Third. 
Fred  A.  Pape.  501  N.  Thirteenth. 
Samuel  Pocras,  Moberly,  Missouri. 
Onofrio  Pennueei,  Pescolamazzo,  Italy. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  707 

Eilward  Price,  Fowler,  Illinois. 

Charles  W.  Pier,  904  Chestnut. 

Louis  F.  AY.  Peiister,  Qiiiiicy,  Illinois. 

Julius  Plaft'e,  726  S.  Fourth! 

Elmer  6.  Pieper,  534  Monroe. 

riyde  Phillips.  714  8.  Sixth. 

Echv.  J.  Pechermcyer,  517  IMonroe. 

Willard  Pfirman,  710  S.  Fourteenth. 

Earl  A.  Paradise,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

Carl  W.  Pechermcyer,  517  ^lonroe. 

Frank  Peters,  707  Kentuikj'. 

Lummie  Powell,  1612  X.  Third. 

Harry  Perkins,  720  Lind. 

Roy  Parker,  Eleventh  bet.  Spring  and  Broadway. 

Roy  Parish,  624  Walnut  Alley. 

Harrison  Perkins,  824  X.  Xinth. 

John  Peters,  707  Kentuekj'. 

Willis  Patrick,  328  ^laple. 

Tyle  Otis  Pott,  426  S.  Eighteenth. 

Harold  Preece.  224  X.  Eighth. 

Fred  W.  Peppier.  1617  Spring. 

Alfred  11.  Pellnian,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

George  Quentemeyer,  924  JefTerson. 

George  Rcddick.  410  Kentucky. 

Geo.  H.  Richmiller,  713  Payson. 

Elmer  Rooney,  411  Vine. 

John  II.  Rheinheimer.  Eighteenth  and  Chestnut. 

Elmer  Roberts,  2019   Spruce. 

Lloyd  E.  Row.sey,  Camp  Point,  Illinois. 

Chas.  E.  Roberts,  Carlisle,  Missouri. 

Arthur  F.  Rice.  Quincy,  Illinois. 

Rudolph  W.  Riggs,  2314  :\Iaine. 

Lorenzo  B.  Rice,  1110  Cherry. 

Samuel  Robertson,  Jr.,  2605  Elaine. 

Harry  Reynolds,  2440  Vermont. 

Clarence  D.  Rodstrom,  Holdrege.  Xebra.ska. 

Vincent  C.  Reed.  31911,  X.  Xinth. 

Edward  Roberts,  823  Elm. 

Frank  Rottman,  Rirmingham,  Alabama. 

Carl  II.  Ross,  620  Jeflerson. 

Thomas  J.  Roby,  Xeoga.  Illinois. 

Fred  B.  Rupp.  911  Elm. 

Ben  II.  Roland.  1420  X.  Second. 

Vance  F.  Randolph.  833  X.  Tenth. 

Frank  H.  Rees.  1414  Spring. 

Ralph  Rottman.  2037  Broadway. 

Albert  J.  Rupp,  424  X.  Twentieth. 

William  Roberts.  117  S.  Third. 


708  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Arthur  A.  Bidder,  707  State. 

John  H.  Radford,  Taylor,  Missouri. 

Frank  W.  Rottman,  2037  Broadway. 

Clifford  J.  Rummenie,  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

Geo.  A.  Reckmeyer,  339  S.  Fifth. 

Henry  W.  Reuter,  1315  S.  Eighth. 

Harry  F.  Rottger,  1000  Madison. 

Tom  Ranney,  210yo  State. 

William  Reddick,  410  Kentucky. 

Carl  G.  Rupp,  502  N.  Twelfth. 

Alexander  J.  Rosswog,  729  N.  Twenty-second. 

Huger  Reuser,  405>^  Hampshire. 

Edward  AY.  Riley,  330  Ohio. 

Jasper  W.  Reading,  Palmyra,  Missouri. 

Otis  D.  Robinson,  Monticello,  Missouri. 

Earl  G.  Rolls.  908  N.  Ninth. 

Albert  Redmond,  620  N.  Ninth. 

Frank  S.  Rineberg,  2037  Cherry. 

Joe  Roman,  829  Elm. 

Geo.  F.  E.  Redner,  717  S.  Thirteenth. 

Emmett  Rudden,  722  N.  Twelfth. 

Robert  C.  Reed,  307  S.  Eleventh. 

Earl  E.  Richardson,  329  Hampshire. 

Frank  G.  Stolze,  Harvey,  Illinois. 

Aquilla  B.  Standifird,  Porum,  Oklahoma. 

James  Sacra,  I2214  N.  Fifth. 

Sam  Sanders,  133  Jersey. 

Wm.  Spricks,  723  S.  Twelfth. 

Francis  C.  Shepherd,  Sedalia,  Missoui-i. 

George  Sullivan,  1034  N.  Fourth. 

John  C.  Showers,  30614  Hampshire. 

John  "W.  Seward,  Front  and  Jackson. 

Frederick  H.  Schalk,  726  Jackson. 

Albert  L.  Schmitt,  500  Monroe. 

Harold  H.  Stollberg,  Quiney,  Illinois. 

Elmer  J.  H.  Smith,  R.  R.  7,  Quiney. 

Edw.  T.  Schlottman,  326  Chestnut. 

Edwin  H.  Schaefer,  729  Monroe. 

Tom  F.  Stipe,  Third  and  Fourth  on  Broadway. 

Walter  C.  Stahl,  1028  N.  Second. 

Chas.  C.  Sprague,  Rockport,  Illinois. 

Granville  A.  Shepherd,  Sedalia,  Missouri. 

James  S.  Stephens,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Albert  F.  Smyth,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Herbert  B.  Schmitt,  524  Payson. 

Walter  0.  G.  Stormer,  638  S.  Sixth. 

Wm.  G.  Shoemaker,  412  Spruce. 

Arthur  L.  Stalf,  Quiney.  Illinois. 


QUINCY  AND  ADA.MS  COCNTY  709 

Kdward  E.  Spilker. 

William  Strathincycr. 

Harold  T.  Stone.  Chaniberslnir!,',  Illinois. 

Albert  Sigel,  2015  Chestnut. 

Hejij.  ir.  Storck,  919  Ohio. 

Clarence  H.  Stratman.  llOQio  IIaini>shire. 

W.  H.  Sanders,  1403  S.  Sixth' 

James  E.  W.  Shaw,  Quiney,  Illinois. 

Raymond  G.  Schmitt,  Quiney,  Illinois. 

John  R.  Soebbing:,  2028  Broadway. 

Robert  G.  Siepker,  330  S.  Sixteenth. 

George  L.  Schang,  Freeburg,  Illinois. 

Walter  Siekman,  614  S.  Sixteenth. 

J.  B.  Shank,  Jr.,  63711.  Spruoe. 

Roscoe  T.  Seaton,  1108  Maine. 

Joseph  J.  Smith,  Soldiers'  Home. 

Carl  E.  Smith,  219  Maple. 

Chas.  Shoup,  Williamstown.  ilissouri. 

Albert  P.  Saeger,  824  S.  Eleventh. 

Jos.  A.  Schlottman,  Quiney,  Illinois. 

John  II.  Steinig^veg,  1127  N.  Twelfth. 

Ernest  H.  Schuerfeld.  919  Jersey. 

Vester  Spencer,  301  Vermont. 

George  J.  Sohm,  721  Payson. 

Albert  J.  Schuette,  1529  S.  Eighth. 

Walter  R.  Summers.  St.  Louis.  Missouri. 

Henry  J.  Samsen,  719  Van  Buren. 

Grover  Stiekney,  612  Vermont. 

John  SchaflTer,  420  Payson. 

Roy  W.  Sheridan,  1130  Jefferson. 

James  A.  Shaepers,  1700  Oak. 

Jesse  F.  Smith.  640  Madison. 

Roy  L.  Sitton.  300  N.  Twelfth. 

Wm.  C.  Schroeder,  715  S.  Ninth. 

"Willis  H.  Summers,  1812  Hampshire. 

Frank  S.  Stewart,  Idaho  Falls,  Idaho. 

George  J.  Sohn,  2381/,  S.  Third. 

Melville  Stratman,  1007  Monroe. 

Alfred  H.  Schuette,  838  Adams. 

Clem  Schonhoff.  1530  S.  Ninth. 

Jos.  W.  Schuette.  1306  Elm. 

Herman  A.  Soebbing,  809  Oak. 

Albert  T.  Sexauer,  322  S.  Tenth. 

Cha.s.  A.  Sickmann.  614  S.  Fourteenth. 

Henry  II.  Schroeder,  605  8.  Thirteenth. 

Roy  Slingerland,  522  N.  Second. 

Jos.  P.  Schlangen.  1429  Broadway. 

J.  Ralph  Schmidt,  524  Payson. 


no  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Gilbert  Stormer,  918  Jackson. 
Perrin  K.  Sinnock,  1417  N.  Third. 
Wm.  M.  Smith,  1022  Maine. 
Theodore  Schutte,  1529  S.  Eighth. 
Walter  0.  H.  Stormer,  824  Adams. 
Clarence  L.  Spaid,  Niles,  Michigan. 
David  I.  Shontze,  Jr.,  1612i/o  Broadway. 
Henry  A.  Sehnier,  1212  Lind. 
Ollie  Steinkamp,  711  State. 
Fred  W.  Storrs,  622  N.  Fourth. 
Robt.  A.  Steinbrecher,  924  N.  Tenth. 
Prank  J.   Schwagmeyer,  1022  Payson. 
Andrew  Stume,  Mt.  Sterling,  Illinois. 
Harry  Seelig,  318  N.  Fourth. 
John  H.  Saeger,  824  S.  Eleventh. 
Arthur  H.  Sibbing,  1116  N.  Tenth. 
John  F.  Schell,  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
Albert  H.  Scott,  522  N.  Seventh. 
Charlie  Smith,  716  Olive. 
James  Sheehan,  Atchison,  Kansas. 
Albert  J.  Sirunck,  1106  Vine. 
Clmtcn  A.  Sliarp,  323  Jersey. 
Ralph  F.  Smith,  513  Monroe. 
Thomas  F.  Sullivan,  1230  N.  Fourth. 
Romeo  Sidener,  221  Sycamore. 
Robert  W.  Sledge,  Dallas,  Texas. 
Henry  A.  Schnelle,  220  Ohio. 
Jesse  Stephens,  Taylor,  Missouri. 
Elmer  E.  Bpilker,  701  Jefferson. 
■\Vm.  Strothmeyer,  10161/,  Payson. 
Wilbert  \V.  Spilker,  701  Jefferson. 
John  Schmitt,  635  Jackson. 
W.  E.  Spcckman,  725  N.  Fifth. 
Ferdinand  Steinkamp,  R.  R.  7,  Quincy. 
Henry  J.  Sherman,  708  Jefferson. 
Homer  L.  G.  Spilker,  701  Jefferson. 
Wm.  H.  Stenrose,  223  Maple. 
Chas.  Schawader,  Bloomington,  Illinois. 
Carl  Schaefer,  1236  N.  Twelfth. 
Frank  A.  Schlangen,  725  N.  Seventh. 
J.  W.  Sehild,  1005  S.  Twelfth. 
Leo  B.  Schlangen,  725  N.  Seventh. 
Mathew  Strunk,  N.  Fifth. 
Robt.  K.  Stroup,  710  N.  Fourth. 
Harvey  Thomas,  1017  Maine. 
Prank  Trimpe,  809  N.  Seventeenth. 
Geo.  Trakas,  Chicago,  Illinois. 
Junus  Thompson,  829  N.  Ninth. 


QUIXCV  AM)  ADAMS  COrXTY  711 

Harold  B.  Thomas.  11(1 '<  N.  Sixth. 

Ailliiii-  Timpe,  1823  Elm. 

"Will.  A.  TiiidtT.  T'liioiitnwM,  I't'iiiisylvania. 

\\^iltor  E.  TdwIcs,  Knox  City.  Missouri. 

Geo.  W.  Thoiii|)son,  Quinty,  Illinois. 

Geo.  F.  Tcrford.  826  Oak. 

Edward   Tcnk,   1328  X.   Xinth. 

Henry  J.  Tcnipe.  437  X.  Twelfth. 

Fred  J.  Tilk(M-.  804  S.  Tliirtecnth. 

Kaljili  II.  Thoiiipson,  (^uincy,  Illinois. 

Wm.  J.  Thornhill,  1011  Hjimpshire. 

Xorlicrt  T.  Tuslians.  830  Oak. 

Louis  W.   Trout,  201    X.   Fifth. 

Alhert  Tirape,  1827  Elm. 

Earl  ir.  Tcmidoman.  186ii  Vermont. 

William  Talliiian.  Maywood,  Jlissouri. 

Garland  M.  Trent.  326'/',  Maine. 

Wm.  Tilker,  804  S.  Thirteenth. 

Ben  II.  Tensing,  lo04  Chestnut. 

Elmer  W.  Trout,  201  N.  Fifth. 

Georjre  Tensing,  1504  Chestnut. 

Leo  J.  Tensing.  1504  Chestnut. 

Eoy  Trower,  614  X.  Seventh. 

Joseph  A.  Teague,  Whiteside,  Missouri. 

George  W.  Thuman,  307  Majde. 

Lewis  C.  Tune,  Goleonda,  Illiuois. 

Wtn.  Tibbies,  905  X.  Ninth. 

Samuel  F.  Unglesbee,  Carpenter  Creek,  Montana. 

Robt.  G.  Utterback,  St.  Francis,  Kansas. 

Walter  E.  Vincent,  DeSniet,  South  Dakota. 

I'eter  Voose,   1301   X.   Twelfth. 

Elmer  J.  Vorndam,  Detroit,  Michigan. 

Arthur  Vahle.  811  Washington. 

George  T.  Van  Brunt.  1719  Chestnut. 

Fred  Vondcrllaar,  1128  Vine. 

Joseph  G.  Voot.s.  411  Cedar. 

Oscar  A.  VandenBoom.  1236  Spring. 

Virgil  VanStecl,   1215  Park  Place. 

I^Iartin  R.  Vantyl,  125  X'.  Eleventh. 

George  IL  Vohle.  1012  Monroe. 

William  Vogt,  617  Cedar. 

Aiihur  G.  Venghaus.  R.  3,  Quiney. 

Harry  A.  Vansteel,  606  S.  Sixth. 

Wm.  Vos.se,  909  X.  Twelfth. 

Jos.  H.  Venvertloh,  1116  S.  Seventh. 

James  A.  Vincent.  708  Adams. 

Ralph  VandenBoom.  1236  Spring. 

Julius  F.  VandenBoom.  1236  Spring. 


712  QUINCY  AND  AD.OIS  COUNTY 

Fred  Yogler,  2271/2  N.  Sixth. 
John  W.  Vinson,  2019  Spruce. 
Eobt.  J.  Venvertloh,  1116  S.  Seventh. 
Samuel  F.  Westenfeld,  729  S.  Seventh. 
Harvey  "Whittaker,  1027  Vermont. 
Rudolph  Wurtz,  925  N.  Tenth. 
Anton  H.  "Wavering,  Jr.,  2023  Vine. 
Carl  Winklehake,  Quiney,  Illinois. 
Jesse  0.  "Welteh,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa. 
Elmer  C.  "Wyekoff,  5291/2  N.  Thirteenth. 
"Walter  B.  "Westerman,  Quiney,  Illinois. 
Herman  "Weibring,  15061/.  Chestnut. 
Earl  "W.  "Warmker,  1600  Spring. 
Cecil  C.  "Wakefield,  Springfield,  Illinois. 
Edgar  A.  "Weiss,  1025  State. 
"Wm.  F.  "Wilson,  Quiney,  Illinois. 
Luke  J.  Wellman,  2239  Elm. 
Roy  C.  "Walton,  314  N.  Twelfth. 
Oscar  "Wich,  617  Chestnut. 
Anton  H.  "Weaver,  618  Sycamore. 
Hugh  H.  "Wilson,  6521/9  Payson. 
Albert  J.  Wavering,  2023  Vine. 
Forest  E.  "Wiley,  511  York. 
Earl  B.  "West,  823  Broadway. 
TTioda  R.  "Wallace,  Evanston,  Illinois. 
Edgar  C.  "Wolf,  Davenport,  Iowa. 
"Walter  Wools,  Chebanse,  Illinois. 
John  H.  Wellman,  Quiney,  Illinois. 
John  J.  Wavering,  1114  Spring. 
Clarence  Wallace,  Newport,  Connecticut. 
Edgar  Woerman,  708  State. 
Jos.  L.  Waldhaus,  805  Ohio. 
Gerry  Wielage,  Rock  Island,  Illinois. 
Louis  E.  Wehmeyer,  1225  Kentucky. 
Frederick  D.  Wilson,  1621  Ohio. 
Louis  W.  Witt,  526  Jefferson. 
Carl  W.  J.  Witt,  526  Jefferson. 
Frank  Woerman,  727  Jackson. 
Edgar  Westenfeld,  929  S.  Twelfth. 
John  Weller,  516  S.  Twelfth. 
Frank  Whitaker,  1519  N.  Fifteenth. 
Albert  R.  Wolf,  307  S.  Fourteenth. 
Frank  B.  Winking,  1301  N.  Tenth. 
Harry  0.  Wheeler,  136  Maine. 
Louis  M.  Weddle,  9341/0  Maine. 
Elmer  D.  Williams,  10291/;  Maine. 
Frank  C.  Wuehler,  Kinmundy,  Illinois. 
Harry  Walford,  418  Maine. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COl'NTY  713 

Herman  E.  Warma,  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 
Elmer  J.  Williams,  123G  Hampshire. 
Henry  Wolfe,  1718  Oak. 
Harry  Woltman,  1512  N.  Sixth. 
George  A.  Werner,  927  Kentucky. 
AValter  W.  Weiss,  809  Ohio. 
Leon  Washington,  Mexico,  Missouri. 
Eugene  Warren,  Kirksville,  Missouri. 
Rm-  J.  Womelsdorf,  523  .\.  Twentieth. 
Charles  H.  Wessell,  825  S.  Fourteenth. 
John  W.  Welsch.  1717' j  Broadway. 
Wm.  0.  Wucherpfenning,  313  S.  Tenth. 
Frank  B.  Wensing,  1723  Oak. 
Harvey  L.  Witland,  1002  Washington. 
Darrell  C.  White,  Ewing.  Mis.souri. 
Julius  J.  Weiss,  721  S.  Fifteenth. 
Frank  J.  Waterkottc,  1110  Chestnut. 
Thomas  L.  Woerraann,  819  S.  Thirteenth. 
James  R.  Williams,  1805  Grove. 
George  Yueh.  209  Elm. 
Paul  A.  Yager,  Center,  Missouri. 
Leslie  E.  York,  1208  N.  Sixth. 
Edward  Young,  Wethersmill,  Missouri. 
Chas.  Yuchs,  209  Elm. 
Peter  J.  Zimmerman,  1401  N.  Twelfth. 
Emmett  D.  Zoller,  527  N.  Eleventh. 
Albert  C.  Zengel,  715  Cherry. 
Edwin  L.  Zemann,  632  Jersey. 
Fred  Zengel,  1028  Broadway. 

List  of  names  of  men  who  went  into  service  previous  to  March  1, 
1918,  and  who  were  cla.ssified  under  the  old  regulations: 

Robert  Arnold,  616  Oak. 
August  G.  Appenbrink,  814  Payson. 
John  C.  Augustin,  521  Jefferson. 
Henry  J.  Broekin,  1604  Lind. 
Elmer  T.  Bornman,  927  S.  Sixth. 
McKinley  Brown,  410  York. 
Edwin  F.  J.  Braun,  925  S.  Twelfth. 
August  H.  Bornman.  927  S.  Sixth. 
Henr>'  H.  Bocke.  909  X.  Eleventh. 
Lorenzo  Bull,  1550  Elaine. 
James  Cummings,  212 f/j  N.  Fourth. 
William  S.  Cox.  602  X.  Sixth. 
Ralph  J.  Craig,  833  Jackson. 
Walter  H.  Danhaus.  1025  Adams. 
Fred  W.  F.  Fleer.  822  Washington. 
Benj.  J.  Fredericks. 


714  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Walter  J.  Felcl,  520yo  Jersey. 

Walter  J.  Fusenig,  1424  State. 

Herman  F.  Fleer,  822  Washington. 

Elmer  H.  Guuse,  725  Jefferson. 

Charles  H.  Haner,  626  S.  Third. 

Wm.  T.  Higgins,  408  Oak. 

John  Hudnut,  602  N.  Fifth. 

Edgar  P.  Heidbreder,  804  State. 

Herman  Hickey,  2231  Vine. 

Emil  W.  A.  Hoener,  1019  Madison. 

Stanley  G.  Hadsell,  1710  Kentuckj-. 

Roman  J.  Horbelt,  815  N.  Sixteenth. 

Norvin  R.  Hnll,  1505  N.  Sixth. 

John  H.  James. 

Albert  F.  Kersey,  904  Lind. 

Joseph  Kroeger,  1907  State. 

Walter  G.  Kelker,  1120  N.  Eighth. 

Reuben  J.  Kansteiner,  1201  N.  Twenty-Fourth. 

Chas.  L.  Kattleman,  527  Adams. 

Chester  King,  629  Vermont. 

Lawrence  F.  Klein,  62514  S.  Thirteenth. 

James  M.  Lawless,  .304  Jersey. 

Gilbert  H.  Luckenbill,  714  S.  Fifteenth. 

Lester  D.  Meyer,  1253  Park  Place. 

John  I.  McKenna,  400  Cedar. 

Harry  L.  Miller,  2219  Vine. 

Frank  H.  ilarold,  824  N.  Tenth. 

Evan  F.  ]\Iorris.  132  N.  Twenty-Fourth. 

Nolan  E.  McDaniel,  226  N.  Tliird. 

Albert  R.  Miller,  2219  Vine. 

Lewis  C.  Mealy,  218  N.  Sixth. 

Lester  J.  Nicholson,  1209  N.  Tenth. 

Rudolph  J.  Neuser,  1630  Chestnut. 

Harvey  E.  Osgard,  3381,4  N.  Front. 

Arnold  Roberts,  616  Oak. 

Wm.  F.  Roehl,  1006  Spring. 

Pearl  S.  Raines,  229  S.  Seventh. 

Chas.  T.  Ryan,  4261/2  N.  Eighth. 

Albert  R.  Spohrs. 

Cornelius  C.  Satori,  6481,4  Ohio. 

Carl  Scheufle,  840  S.  Seventh. 

Frank  Schiiltz,  601  N.  Fifth. 

Ralph  E.  Stegeman,  1114  N.  Sixth. 

Young  A.  L.  Shelton,  1121  N.  Fourth. 

Robert  Sanders,  613  Adams. 

Walter  C.  StoUberg,  1106  Payson. 

Joseph  H.  Strothoif,  828  Broadway. 

Benjamin  F.  Smith,  620  N.  Fourth. 


QUIXCY  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  715 

Shanley  F.  Vincent,  70S  Adams. 
Paul  W.  Wcsterman,  417  York. 
Otto  II.  Wonnann,  819  S.  Seventeenth. 
Aiijrust  Woei-man,  708  State. 
Victor  AVerley,  1247  JIaine. 
George  J.  Winter,  170G  Chestnut. 
Fred  J.  Wellman,  219  State. 
Dan  AVliite,  Detroit,  Jlichigan. 
Clarence  H.  AVliitaker.  8211  ^  state. 
Lawrence  B.  Winking,  1228  \.  Ninth. 
Fred  Wustrow,  419  Maiden  Lane. 
All)ert  J.  Webb,  935  Vine. 
Carl  D.  Weisenberger,  829  Monroe. 
August  F.  Waehter,  816  Jackson. 
Paul  E.  Winking,  1301  N.  Tenth. 
Elmer  Whitaker,  1419  X.  Fifth. 
Chester  A.  York,  615  N.  Twentieth. 

How  ^lOST  OF  THE  ilEN  WeRE  DISTRIBUTED 

To  Camp  Dodge,  Des  Moines.  Iowa:  September  4,  1917,  ten; 
September  21,  1917,  79;  October  26,  1917,  two;  January  30,  1918, 
one;  Februarj'  4,  1918,  two;  February  5,  1918,  four;  February  11, 
1918.  one;  February-  18,  1918,  two;  February  19,  1918,  one;  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1918,  one;" March  4,  1918,  three;  March  31,  1918,  ten;  April 
29,  1918,  32. 

Vancouver  Ban-acks,  State  of  Washington :  February  19,  1918, 
six;  Feb:-uarA'  26,  1918,  four. 

Fort  Oglethorpe,  Georgia :  February  26,  1918,  two ;  March  4, 
1918,  four. 

Camp  McArthur,  Waco,  Texas:    March  11,  1918,  one. 

Kelly  Field,  San  Antonio,  Texas:     :Mareh  29,  1918,  one. 

Fort  Crockett,  Galveston,  Texas:     April  3,  1918,  96. 

Bradley  Polytechnic  Institute,  Peoria,  Illinois:  April  9, 1918,  one; 
June  14,  1918,  four. 

Camp  Grant,  Roekford.  Illinois :  April  29, 1918,  one ;  September  3, 
1918,  five;  September  5,  1918,  66;  September  7,  1918;  one;  Septem- 
ber 20,  1918,  one;  September  25,  1918,  one. 

Jefferson  Barracks,  St.  Louis,  Missouri :  ^lay  13,  1918,  17 ;  May 
24,  1918,  23. 

Camp  Gordon,  Georgia :     ilay  27,  1918,  35. 

Fort  Thomas,  Brent,  Kentucky:  May  30,  1918,  31. 

Rahc  Auto  School,  Kansas  City:  June  14,  1918,  11;  July  2. 
1918,  one. 

Valparaiso  (Indiana)   Institute:     June  15,  1918,  three. 

College  Station,  Texas:     January  20,  1918,  one. 

Swaney  Auto  School,  Kansas  City,  Mis.souri :  June  21.  1918. 
eight. 


716  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Camp  Taylor,  Kentucky:  June  24,  1918,  148;  August  1,  1918, 
seven. 

Camp  Forest,  Lytle,  Georgia:     Julj^  29,  1918,  four. 

Eight  Hundred  and  Fourt€enth  Aero  Squadron,  Washington, 
D.  C. :     August  14,  1918,  one. 

Northwestern  University,  Evanston,  Illinois:  August  14,  1918, 
two. 

Lewis  Technical  Institute,  Chicago,  Illinois:  August  14,  1918, 
two. 

Armour  Institute  of  Technology,  Chicago,  Illinois:  September  1, 
1918,  one. 

Loyal  Order  of  Moose,  Mooseheart,  Illinois:  September  10,  1918, 
one. 

Student  Army  Training  Camp :  September  25,  1918,  49. 

Some  Quincy  Men  Who  Volunteered 

It  is  impossible  to  secure  more  than  a  partial  list  of  Quincy  men 
who  volunteered  for  army  service  during  the  duration  of  the  war. 
The  Whig  has  endeavored  to  secure  a  list  from  the  recruiting  officials 
at  Jefferson  Barracks  in  St.  Louis  but  no  records  were  obtainable  at 
this  time. 

In  addition  to  those  enlisted  by  the  regular  recruiting  offices 
Major  James  E.  Adams,  of  this  city,  also  enlisted  several  hundred 
Quincy  men  for  military  service  of  which  there  is  no  record  at  the 
present  time,  except  in  Washington.  It  would  mean  a  big  task  to  pick 
out  the  names  of  the  Quincy  men  from  the  war  department  records 
and  in  fact  the  war  department  has  already  found  it  too  big  a  job  to 
undertake  and  recently  wrote  Major  Adams  for  a  list  of  Quincy  men 
enlisted  through  his  office,  which  he  was  unable  to  furnish. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  185  city  men  whose  names  have 
been  listed  with  the  Record  Committee  which  is  endeavoring  to  secure 
the  names  of  all  men  in  Quincy  and  Adams  County  who  have  been 
in  service  and  which  asks  all  persons  knowing  of  anyone  in  service 
to  communicate  with  the  committee : 

Elias  F.  C.  Abel,  706  Madison. 
William  F.  Adolfs,  1305  State. 
Arthur  C.  Alexander,  813  N.  Sixteenth. 
William  J.  Brandon,  2219  Lind. 
Charles  H.  Bennett,  325  Maine. 
Anthony  Boeing,  113  Vine. 
Lieut.  C.  0.  Beatty,  609  Sycamore. 
Kenneth  B.  Bush,  1225  Park  Place. 
Charles  A.  Baird,  837  N.  Eighth. 
Ralph  D.  Bishop,  2039  Chestnut. 
Anthony  Bauman,  2305  Broadway. 
Claude  R.  Bowen,  lOOOi/o  N.  Twenty-fourth. 


QUINCY  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  717 


Walter  F.  Bishop,  1028  Adams. 
Louis  H.  Balzer,  625  N.  Fifth. 
Herbert  F.  J.  Besling,  1001  Oak. 
James  R.  Biesecker,  Bardolph. 
Arthur  H.  Belgar,  1104  Vermont. 
Henry  G.  Boedige,  321  S.  Fourth. 
John  M.  Batchy,  316  S.  Twelfth. 
Samuel  L.  Beaver,  531  S.  Seventh. 
Ralph  C.  Bredenbeok,  500  Van  Buren. 
William  G.  Bauman,  1632  York. 
Gus  A.  Bauman,  Jr.,  1632  York. 
Russell  jr.  Buckner,  934  X.  Fourth. 
Benjamin  Bryson,  525  N.  Tenth. 
Robert  A.  Cason,  817  State. 
Elmer  G.  W.  Gate,  612  Elm. 
Ed?ar  J.  Crammer,  2423  Cedar. 
Adolph  T.  Curry,  1112  N.  Eighth. 
Eldon  F.  Clutch,  1829  Broadway. 
Paul  S.  Cobbey,  Quiney. 
Henry  B.  Carter,  1652  York. 
Elmer  B.  Carpenter,  416  Kentucky. 
George  Davis,  542  Vine. 
Harry  R.  Derby,  1258  Broadway. 
Corporal  IMaurice  G.  Dickson,  312  State. 
Warren  E.  Davis,  2245  Cedar. 
Steward  C.  Davis,  2245  Cedar. 
Henry  B.  Derhake,  809  N.  Sixteenth. 
Willis  E.  Dick,  1100  State. 
John  F.  Daul,  1004  Hampshire. 
Herman  Doht,  807  JIadison. 
William  C.  Eakle,  1640  Vermont. 
Joseph  W.  Emer>',  Jr.,  1677  Maine. 
George  J.  Entrup,  1221  Jersey. 
Chester  il.  Elick,  1243  Jersey. 
Ray  W.  Ellermeier,  2116  State. 
Joseph  M.  Forsthove,  724  K.  Twentieth. 
Emerson  Fus.selman,  2019  Chestnut. 
Kenneth  W.  French,  207  N.  Twenty-fifth. 
Joseph  J.  Fisher,  1246  Kentucky. 
Frank  H.  Fritz,  93214  Maine. 
Otto  W.  Freiburg,  524'  N.  Seventh. 
Max  E.  Freiburg,  524  N.  Seventh. 
William  II.  E.  Fleer,  719  S.  Twelfth. 
Oliver  W.  Fleming.  824  Ohio. 
Alfred  Garrel,  1609  Cherry. 
Harry  Gertenbach.  711  S.  Sixteenth. 
Cylno  F.  Gantert,  1432  X.  Sixth. 
Simnn  M.  Glass,  1124  Maine. 


lis  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Helen  M.  Greemau,  1100  Paysou  Avenue. 

Harry  W.  Gaines,  1259V2  Vermont. 

Thomas  D.  Hickey,  2231  Vine. 

Clarence  T.  Harmon,  211  York. 

AVilliam  Hayner,  422  Payson  Avenue. 

Alfred  J.  Helfricli,  1863  Kentucky. 

Andrew  J.  Helfrich,  525  N.  Twentieth. 

John  E.  Halligan,  800  N.  Twelfth. 

Esther  A.  Harrod,  1523  N.  Sixth. 

Joseph  A.  Hoffman,  1001  Adams. 

Arthur  C.  Heinz,  914  N.  Eighth. 

Lloyd  Hadsell,  310  Lind. 

Ciilbert  C.  Hoener,  1019  Madison. 

John  R.  Haerle,  1513  Spring. 

Edwai'd  A.  Herrmann,  1606  Payson  Avenue. 

Gilbert  W.  Harland,  735  S.  Thirteenth. 

Lawrence  H.  Heuer,  909  Jefferson. 

Burr  P.  Irwin,  1800  Grove  Avenue. 

Macaulay  Irwin,  300  Maine. 

Isaac  James,  925  N.  Sixth. 

George  W.  Jennings,  2047  Chestnut. 

Royal  W.  Jackson,  Lawrence,  Kansas. 

Benjamin  Kessell,  520  N.  Sixth. 

Thomas  M.  Kearney,  1013  Jersey. 

Herbert  L.  Kurz,  628  Oak. 

Frank  W.  Kurz,  628  Oak. 

Fred  B.  Klusmeyer,  319  N.  Eleventh. 

Leonard  J.  Krueger,  705  Ohio. 

Thomas  B.  Knox,  634  N.  Eighth. 

John  J.  Kroner,  1628  Spruce. 

Kenneth  C.  Kemp,  425  N.  Sixth. 

Roy  H.  L.  Keller,  1317  State. 

Ralph  B.  Korte,  700  Monroe. 

August  B.  Kasparie,  719  Oak. 

Horace  D.  Koehler,  635  Spruce. 

Irwin  L.  Lummis,  1601  Vermont. 

Merle  F.  Lummis,  1601  Vermont. 

John  A.  Lymenstull,  632  Jefferson. 

Milton  Luiiker,  1232  N.  Sixth. 

Albert  R.  Long,  507  N.  Seventh. 

Monte  Lane,  314  S.  Ninth. 

Frank  A.  Llewellyn,  1805  Grove  Avenue. 

George  L.  Mahair,  4191/2  Hampshire. 

Charles  W.  Mathews,  620  York. 

Neal  E.  Monroe,  1631  Maine. 

George  J.  Moore,  300  S.  Tenth. 

Arthur  J.  Muehlenfeld,  1023  Kentucky. 

Edwai'd  Moore,  420  Kentucky. 


QUINCV  AM)  ADAMS  ('(UNTV  719 

Charles  W.  Monckton,  2817  Ilanipshirc. 

Leo  J.  Moiu'ktoii,  2817  Ilainpshire. 

Charles  A.  :Miller,  \Vil!iaii)s|)ort.  Iiuliana. 

Robert  iloTitpoiiiery,  Jr.,  Sau  Antonio,  Texas. 

Henry  R.  Jliddendorf,  loOl  Oak. 

Lee  J.  McCabe.  .305  Wasliinirton. 

Richard  R.  McCarl,  720  X.  Twelfth. 

Everett  C.  :McMullen,  706  State. 

Ned  MeSherry,  112.3  Jersey. 

Lee  G.  Nicholson,  1232  Spruce. 

Ralph  II.  Nichols,  628  Jersey. 

Arthur  B.  Niemeyer,  2538  Vermont. 

Alvin  J.  Niehaus.  1201  w  N.  Eighth. 

Donald  T.  O'Neill.  51o'0ak. 

Almo  E.  O'Kell,  915  N.  Fifth. 

Alvin  L.  O'Neal.  722  N.  Ei<:lith. 

Roy  C.  C.  Phelps,  204  N.  Front. 

Archie  L.  Rape.  501  N.  Thirteenth. 

Morrison  Powell,  913  Jersey. 

5Iark  Albert  Penick.  1461  Maine. 

Lawrence  G.  Roehl,  1606  Spring:. 

:Milton  E.  Ryniker,  710  S.  Thirteenth. 

John  n.  Reinheimer,  1824  Lind. 

Harry  Reynolds,  2440  Vermont. 

James  W.  Royer,  1802  Broadway. 

August  J.  Requet,  1849  Broadway. 

Clarence  M.  Ruby,  630  Madison. 

Carl  Anslem  Ridder.  2028  Vine. 

George  C.  Ringler,  714  S.  Fourteenth. 

Arthur  F.  Rice,  1110  Cherry. 

Lyman  C.  Rooney,  411  Vine. 

Albert  F.  Schuette,  Newark,  New  Jersey. 

AVilliam  H.  Squier,  413  Vine. 

Philbert  A.  Schlueter,  1117  Wa.shington. 

Julius  H.  Seidel,  1009  State. 

Raymond  J.  Scheufele,  840  S.  Seventh. 

Frederick  J.  Sclnvab.  1201  \.  Fifth. 

Charles  C.  Sprague,  Rockport. 

Julius  R.  Snowhill,  New  Salem.  Illinoi-S. 

Edgar  T.  Schaefer.  1121  Ohio. 

Vane  Otto  Seals,  211  Chestnut. 

Einil  Schwagmeyer.  1106  Kentucky. 

Willie  IL  Simmon,  1103  Jackson. 

Walter  C.  Stahl.  1028  N.  Second. 

Arthur  L.  Stalf,  1013  Chestnut. 

William  II.  Sullivan,  1084  N.  Fourth. 

Joseph  R.  Steinkamp,  1031  Oak. 

Elmer  C.  Sehutte,  838  Adams. 


720  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Joseph  J.  Smith,  513  Maiden  Lane. 
Charles  C.  Smith,  328  S.  Third. 
Arthur  A.  Stern,  314  Kentucky. 
Herbert  E.  Sanders,  613  Adams. 
Joseph  C.  Schwartz,  1020  Hampshire. 
John  E.  Stegeman,  827  York. 
James  M.  Smith,  1136yo  Broadway. 
George  C.  Schroer,  121  N.  Fourth. 
Paul  "W.  Tibbets,  2174  Maine. 
Harold  D.  Thomas,  119^^  N.  Sixth. 
Paul  H.  Ullman,  1207  N.  Tenth. 
Virgil  V.  VanSteel,  1215  Park  Place. 
Arthur  Weise,  1404  State, 
luel  "W.  Webb,  318  Payson  Avenue. 
Victor  D.  Winters,  1807  Jersey. 
Elmer  H.  Wilson,  1621  Ohio. 
Enoch  W.  Wallace,  338  S.  Fifth. 
Roy  Clark,  Denver,  Illinois. 
Clarence  M.  Wolfe,  2021  Jefferson. 
Charles  D.  Wall,  722  S.  Seventh. 
John  G.  Wheelock,  Quiney. 
Milton  J.  Wahl,  331  S.  Eighth. 
Clarence  G.  Winkler,  314  S.  Fifth. 
Paul  G.  Weisenhorn,  825  Spring. 
Harry  E.  Wisherd,  1724  Oak. 
Luke  J.  Wellman,  2239  Elm. 
Lawrence  P.  Zimmerman,  909  Adams. 

Roster  op  National  Guardsmen  AVho  Left  Qxjinct 

The  following  are  names  of  Illinois  National  Guardsmen  who  left 
with  Company  P  and  the  Machine  Gun  Companj'  of  the  old  Fifth 
Regiment,  who  left  Camp  Parker  more  than  a  year  ago,  a  few  of  whom 
were  later  discharged : 

General  Officers 

Gen.  Henry  R.  Hill,  brigade  commander. 
Col.  Frank  S.  Wood,  regimental  commander. 
Lieut.  Col.  Charles  D.  Center. 
Capt.  Marks  Alexander,  adjutant. 

Company  F 

Capt.  E.  L.  Wingerter. 
First  Lieutenant  Kenneth  A.  Elmore. 
Second  Lieutenant  Arthur  F.  Shumate. 
First  Sergeant  Harry  E.  Meador. 
Supply  Sergeant  Ray  B.  Sinnock. 
Mess  Sergeant  Eldredge  Long. 


QUINX'Y  AND  ADAMS  COINTY 

SERGEANTS 


721 


Floyd  Goodwin. 
Elmer  E.  Fowler. 


Frank  Balzer. 
Chester  K.  Heidbroder. 
Albert  J.  Stevens. 


CORPORALS 


Walter  A.  Smith. 
Arthur  W.  Pfeiffer. 
Albert  0.  Merkel. 
Brady  E.  Waters. 
Donald  6.  Best. 
Napoleon  B.  Brown. 


Fred  J.  Dinkheller. 
Paul  E.  Briggs. 
Elmer  R.  Caldwell. 
William  E.  Short. 
John  W.  Adams. 
Forrest  W.  Peters. 


Henry  E.  Risley. 


John  C.  Vincent. 


COOKS 

Warren  Watters. 


Harold  C.  Ewing. 


MECHANIC 


Fred  L.  (Joodwin. 


BUGLERS 

Harry  M.  Salyer. 


FIEST    CLASS    PRIVATES 


John  B.  Allen. 
Paul  Arrowsmith. 
Ray  Arlington. 
Carl  J.  Bierkemeier. 
Harold  T.  Baymiller. 
Edward  R.  BeU. 
Gilbert  Cooper. 
Lee  E.  Donley. 
John  W.  Koetters. 
Charles  M.  Stewart. 


Thomas  H.  Squiers. 
Joseph  W.  Watters. 
Robert  G.  Nelson. 
Emery  W.  Ewing. 
Virgil  0.  Hancock. 
Glenn  Vaughn. 
RajTnond  H.  Close. 
Walter  H.  Fleer. 
Earlo  P.  Maricle. 
Raymond  0.  McKamy. 


PRIVATES 


Herbert  H.  Allen. 
Lawrence  H.  Ascheman. 
Albert  J.  Armstrong. 
Guv  K.  Austin. 


Clyde  Barton. 
Leon  D.  Barton. 
William  C.  Brust. 
William  Burghardt. 


722 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 


Fred  H.  Beck. 
Charles  C.  Bell. 
"William  J.  Bryant. 
Clarence  W.  Bybee. 
Thomas  Burns. 
Leslie  G.  Cosgrove. 
Orion  P.  Cheney. 
William  H.  Clickner. 
Fred  W.   Cox. 
Harry  E.  Canfield. 
Cecil   M.    Cunningham. 
William  Chick. 
William  T.  Compton. 
Dane  E.  Clevenger. 
Alvin  P.  Clevenger. 
Leo  De  Viney. 
Eobert  E.  Eoff. 
Herman  S.  Fischer. 
Allen  M.   Franklin. 
Elza  E.  Fusselman. 
Melvin  N.  Gross. 
HoUis  G.  Griffith. 
Owen  D.  Hull. 
Elmer  R.  Hartung. 
John  L.  Hellhake. 
Roy  H.  Harte. 
Harry  Hayes. 
Erwin  L.  Hainline. 
Grover  Hoskin. 
Vern  V.  Haynes. 
Hamilton  S.  Holdcroft. 
Ira  G.  Hewlett. 
Oscar  S.  Joseph. 
James  Jay. 
Edward  H.  Klocke. 
Howard  W.  Kenny. 
Fred  Luke. 
Elmer  E.  Leake. 
Artie  V.  Leake. 
Lee  H.  Little. 
Thomas  Lenane. 
George  R.  Lippencott. 

Clarence  E. 


Henry  F.  Loenker. 
Lester  0.  Macklin. 
William  P.  McMullin. 
Burnett  Maddox. 
Charles  Mitchell. 
William   C.   Mackword. 
Porter  Miller. 
Edwin  A.  Murchison. 
Veloris  Mayes. 
Stanley  S.  Mossberger. 
Frederick  G.  Newell. 
Henry  R.  Norris. 
Eugene  A.  Pike. 
Alois  L.  Paul. 
Ernest  W.  Phelps. 
James  Phillips. 
Leslie  G.  Roush. 
Frank  W.  Richardson. 
Gerald  E.  Rhodes. 
Oliver  M.  Rhodes. 
Henry  J.  Shaw. 
Roy  S.  Stephen. 
Henry  0.  Schmidt. 
Martin  Stockman. 
Henry  J.  Starnes. 
Jesse  Sherrill. 
Andrew  Sherrill. 
Frank  M.  Sherrill. 
Elmer  L.  Schlipman. 
Howard  E.  Thompson. 
Herman  J.  Thiele. 
Clarence  E.  Tayloi*. 
James  L.  Thiele. 
Joseph  R.  Vogel,  Jr. 
Edward  D.  Vertees. 
Charles   Witt. 
Arlie  T.  Williams. 
Carl  A.  Wilson. 
Barney  M.  Warden. 
Elmer  C.  Ward. 
Claude  D.  Wheatley. 
Vivian  W.  Wlieatley. 
Walmsley. 


Machine  Gun  Company 

James  P.  Beatty,  captain. 

Joseph  A.  S.  Ehart,  first  lieutenant. 

George  F.  Cunnane,  second  lieutenant. 


(^nXCV  AM)  ADAMS  COrNTY 


723 


Bennett  W.  Hartlett,  second  lieutenant. 
Laurence  D.  Smith,  first  scrpeaiit. 
Carl  J.  Grimmer,  mess  sergeant. 
Jolin  II.  Pott,  Jr.,  supply  sergeant. 
Arthur  A.  Reese,  stable  .sergeant. 


SERGE-tNTS 


William  IT.  TTcnning. 
Chester  I.  Wliite. 


Robert  T.  Strickland. 
Otto  A.  Wurl. 


Roy  H.  L.  Keller. 


CORPORALS 


Edward  C.  Castle. 
Hugh  F.  Dehner. 
Charles  S.  Edwards. 


Samuel  E.  Israel. 
Eugene  Ralph. 
Clvde  W.  Winner. 


Howard  Ogle. 


Alex  Carr. 


MECH.WICS 

George  H.  Ost. 

COOKS 

Richard  J.  Dunham. 


BUGLER 


Ernest  Nelson. 


PRIVATES,   FIRST    CLASS 


Ralph  T.  Butcher. 
Harold  W.  LefiBngwell. 

Ilarrv    W. 


Donald  L.  ilanes. 
(leorge  M.  Persons. 
Phillips. 


PRIVATES 


William  F.  Adolph. 
Warren  E.  Baker. 
Arthur  H.  Belger. 
Beverly  F.  Boling. 
Harry  C.  Boyle. 
Fred  ^l.  Bray. 
John  R.  Carlisle. 
Edward  W.  Church. 
George  W.  Cook. 


James  W. 
Theodore 
P^erdie  L. 
Anthony 
George  W 
Artliiir  K 
William  1 
Gerald  I) 
Robert  J. 


Dorsey. 
II.  Dorsey. 

Fergu.son. 
II.  Folmer. 
.  Freeniyer. 
.  Oibbs.  ' 
).  Grimes. 

G  rover. 
Ilartlev. 


12i  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Charles  X.  Hendricks.  Lafayette  F.   Sapp. 

Kirby  L.  Hill.  Emmett  "W.  Snider. 

Clifford  0.  Hope.  William  C.  Stanbridge. 

Edward  M.  Howell.  Charles  E.  Stott. 

William  W.  Hnmmell.  Frederick  T.  Thompson. 

Cecil  G.  Kane.  Mitchell  J.  Von  Pressig. 

William  M.  Mausperger.  Robert  L.  Vollrath. 

Arthur  R.  Marvin.  Paul  K.  Wells. 

Alvin  W.  Michel.  Roger  H.  Wells. 

Charles  A.  Miller.  Ernest  J.  Wible. 

Roy  W.  Pott.  Brant  L.  Williams. 

Floyd  W.  Rains.  John  F.  Williams. 

Waiter  E.   Randall.  Joseph  L.  Williams. 
James  A.  Wilson. 

Some  Col-ntt  Mex  Who  Enlisted  Ix  The  Army 

The  following  is  a  partial  list  of  men  from  the  county  who  enlisted 
in  the  army  service.  The  names  are  all  the  men  from  the  county 
whose  names  have  been  recorded  by  the  Record  Committee : 

John  I.  Anderson,  Clayton. 

Ernst  H.  Brockmeyer,  R.  R.  No.  5,  Quincy. 

John  A.  C.  Brandes,  S.  Twenty-fourth  Street. 

Rankin  W.  Bowles,  Camp  Point. 

Edgar  C.  Brosi.  Coatsburg. 

Sidney  Baker.  R.  R.  No.  2,  Hull. 

Ivan  Butts,  Camp  Point. 

Jesse  T.  Beer,  Camp  Point. 

Clarence  D.  Bates,  Camp  Point. 

Elvin  0.  Brown,  Siloam. 

Harry  J.  Bottorff,  Clayton. 

Greorge  T.  Carl,  Quincy. 

Erette  D.  Clevenger,  Camp  Point. 

Robert  C.  Cate,  Camp  Point. 

Charles  R.  Cross,  Camp  Point. 

Addie  E.  Cantrell,  Camp  Point. 

Frank  L.  Cook,  Adams. 

Charles  W.  Cook,  Adams. 

Russell  L.  Cook,  Adams. 

Theodore  C.  Cantrell,  Camp  Point. 

Bert  Caves,  Cla\i:on. 

Charles  C.  Campbell,  Clayton. 

James  H.  Campbell,  Clayton. 

Elmer  F.  Colwell,  Marblehead. 

Harry  E.  DeMoss,  Camp  Point. 

Floyd  0.  DeMoss,  Camp  Point. 

Homer  R.  Dodd,  R.  R.  No.  2,  Hull. 

Milton  M.  Dean,  R.  R.  No.  1,  Adams. 


(^riXCY  AM)  ADAMS  COUNTY  725 

Herbert  W.  Donley,  Camp  Point. 

Vennic  Downey,  Clayton. 

Leon  G.  Easiini,  Cla.vton. 

Chester  V.  Easum,  Clayton. 

Alvoid  Edmonston,  Clayton. 

Luther  L.  Ferguson.  Columhus. 

Thomas  A.  Fuller,  Loraine. 

Cecile  Gruny,  Camp  Point. 

George  R.  Gray,  Coatsburg. 

Elmer  F.  Grossman,  Paloma. 

Oliver  J.  Grossman,  Paloma. 

Charles  R.  Gooding,  Paloma. 

Eniest  D.  Getts,  Camp  Point. 

Samuel  B.  Gaines,  R.  F.  D.  No.  8,  Quincy. 

George  R.  Gruny,  Camp  Point. 

Fred  A.  Garrett,  Camp  Point. 

Arlo  H.  Geisel,  Camp  Point. 

Arthur  H.  Heilwagon.  Twenty-first  and  Harrison  Streets. 

Edward  W.  Howell,  Loraine. 

Thomas  A.  Hall,  Loraine. 

Harry  "W.  Heineeke,  Camp  Point. 

Fred  J.  Hufnagel,  Camp  Point. 

Joseph  B.  Jefferson,  Clayton. 

Hugh  T.  Kireher,  R.  F.  D.  No.  2,  Quincy. 

Theodore  B.  Koetters,  Riverside. 

John  H.  Kendall,  Coatsburg. 

Dana  C.  Lambert,  Coatsburg. 

Granville  B.  Lummis.  Loraine. 

John  E.  Morton,  Paloma. 

Henry  E.  Morton,  Paloma. 

Roger  A.  iliddendorf,  530  N.  Eighteenth. 

Raj-mond  E.  Morrisson,  Loraine. 

Ralph  L.  Mixer,  Bayliss. 

John  H.  Matheny,  R.  F.  D.  No.  7,  Quincy. 

William  B.  Michels,  Camp  Point. 

Walter  J.  C.  Mealiif,  :\Iendon. 

Rolla  MeGinley,  Loraine. 

Albert  A.  Ohnemus,  R.  R.  No.  8,  Quincy. 

Maurice  P.  O'Hare,  Adams. 

Charles  A.  Odell,  Loraine. 

Silber  C.  Peacock,  Quincy. 

Ralph  E.  Potter.  Sumner. 

Cleo  V.  Potter,  Mendon. 

Richard  H.  Piatt,  R.  R.  No.  8,  Quincy. 

George  A.  Proctor,  Adams. 

George  D.  Richardson,  Camp  Point. 

Joseph  Reagan,  Thirty-Seventh  and  Broadway. 

Dennis  H.  Reapan,  Thirty-Seventh  and  Broadway. 


726  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

George  W.  Reynolds,  Camp  Point. 

Leonard  J.  Rossmiller,  Fowler,  R.  F.  D.  No.  1. 

Clifford  C.  Rosson,  Clayton. 

Joseph  E.  Renaeker,  Camp  Point. 

Edward  W.  Simon,  Coatsburg. 

George  A.  Selters,  Clayton. 

Floyd  Shriver,  Loraine. 

Wiiliam  R.  Summers,  N.  Eighteenth  Street,  Quincy. 

William  C.  Sanders,  Quincy. 

James  R.  Stevens,  Clayton. 

Samuel  R.  Stevens,  Clayton. 

Grover  P.  Stepliens,  Clayton. 

Albert  L.  Smith,  Kellerville. 

Merle  Smith,  Clayton. 

Robert  S.  Turner,  Clayton. 

Donald  A.  Thompson,  Mendon. 

Ellis  S.  Tandy,  Adams. 

Mark  H.  Tandy,  Adams. 

Anton  F.  Theilen,  Camp  Point. 

Fred  Tiekeu,  Coatsburg. 

George  C.  Tieken,  Coatsburg. 

Ray  E.  Todd,  Bowen. 

William  H.  Unglaub,  R.  F.  D.  No.  7,  Quincy. 

Ly  R.  Wilson,  Clayton. 

Earl  Wells,  Adam. 

Vertness  V.  Wood,  Bowen. 

Hurley  E.  Witt,  Loraine. 

James  C.  White,  Paloma. 

Edwin  F.  Weber,  R.  R.  No.  2,  Quincy. 

Raymond  H.  York,  Clayton. 

Lawrence  A.  Zieger,  Clayton. 

Naval  Volunteers  Going  from  Quincy 

A  complete  list  of  Quincy  boys  who  volunteered  in  the  navy  after 
the  outbreak  of  the  war  is  printed  below : 
George  Henry  Avery,  1102  Vermont. 
Verner  Kenneth  Rice,  701  N.  Fifth. 
Henry  Frank  Dinkheller,  1825  Cherry. 
Andrew  Jos.  Hering,  2234  Vermont. 
Walter  A.  Hertzler,  813  Ohio. 
William  Herman  Niere,  523  Payson  Avenue. 
Samuel  Ruder,  1873  Hampshire. 
Bernard  Jos.  Wermeling,  1015  Jackson. 
Clifford  Glea.son,  1609  N.  Fifth. 
Victor  Penn  Ennis,  617  Locust. 
Thomas  Walter  Plumber  Sullivan,  103-i  N.  Fourth. 
Eddie  Jas.  Sullivan,  1034  Cherry. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  727 

Lawrence  J.  Mestcr,  839  S.  Eightli. 

Earl  Frpdeiiek  Ilarilyinau,  624  Spruce. 

Lewis  Kenneth,  1461  A'erinont. 

Marion  William  Wilde,  528  S.  Seventh. 

Alfred  William  Peters,  623  .leflferson. 

Matthew  Joseph  lliggrins,  408  Oak. 

Louis  Charles  Eberhardt,  1014  Jersey. 

Walter  Georpre  Iloener,  Qiiincy,  Illinois. 

Harry  Coussenmcyer,  112.")  S.  Twelfth. 

John  Patrick  Reagan,  R.  R.  Xo.  1. 

Russell  Bruce  Wells.  200  S.  Twelfth. 

James  Alexander  McKinley  Kno.x,  R.  R.  Xo.  7,  Hox  75. 

Raymond  Henry  Iluber,  304  Spring. 

Florenz  Ernest  Frank  Kock,  1341  Ohio. 

Edward  Guegel,  838  ilaine. 

Clarence  L.  McGowry,  210  Spring. 

Sylvester  P.  Keck,  918  Lind. 

Roy  W.  Heimbuch,  808  S.  Xinth. 

Russell  A.  Simon,  822  S.  Fifth. 

Anton  C.  Hansmanii,  820  Cherrj-. 

John  A.  Krull,  Wood  Hotel. 

Carlton  H.  ITenington,  704  Cedar. 

Frank  F.  Paddford,  912  Oak. 

Williaju  H.  Cranston,  620  Vine. 

Arzineus  H.  ]\Iescher,  1859  Lind. 

John  W.  Jlyers,  Jr.,  1001  Jersey. 

Fred  William  Haxel,  1124  Hampshire. 

Harry  H.  McCubbin,  620  Cedar. 

Leland  M.  Downing,  304  S.  Third. 

Edward  H.  Zehnle.  1107  Lind. 

Aelred  William  Balzer,  1512  Vine. 

George  H.  Vahle,  811  Washington. 

Robert  C.  Miller,  700  S.  Sixteenth. 

Elmer  Edward  Obcrling,  636  Kentucky. 

Rome  W.  Wiskirchen,  818  Jlaine. 

Othmar  C.  Klene,  1217  N.  Tenth. 

Charles  E.  Jones,  114Vo  S.  Seventh. 

Jesse  E.  ]Merick,  1216i£.  Vermont. 

Arthur  V.  Buxman,  417  Kentucky. 

Gilbert  G.  H.  Hoener,  1019  Madison. 

Herbert  Frei,  802  X.  Eighth. 

Fred  Spohr,  2028  Elm. 

Alphons  C.  Stroot,  421  X.  Twelfth. 

Albert  F.  Muegge,  1004  Monroe. 

Harvey  G.  Riggs,  Jr.,  2314  Maine. 

George  M.  Anderson,  2005  Spring. 

Ralph  C.  H.  Ruff.  1009  :^ronroe. 

James  H.  Cohen,  1404  S.  Adams. 


728  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

William  B.  Rapp,  207  N.  Twenty-Fifth. 
William  J.  P.  Purely,  336  Maine. 
Vernon  S.  Williams,  1138i/o  Broadway. 
Runak  C.  Miller,  2200  Cedar. 
Eugene  J.  Brink,  2315  Elm. 
William  T.  Cate,  2204  Chestnut. 
Fred  E.  Ericson,  205yo  N.  Eighth. 
Guy  Loving,  C.  S.  and  S.  Hospital. 
Arthur  J.  Tucker,  Quiney,  Illinois. 
Henry  H.  Goehl,  423  N.  Twelfth. 
Albert  H.  Krallmann,  1127  Washington. 
Otis  E.  Hipkins,  316  Ohio. 
Willard  M.  Carson,  Quiney,  Illinois. 
John  E.  Hooker,  900  Hampshire. 
John  A.  Keek,  900  Hampshire. 
John  Lolman,  625  Monroe. 
Bernie  Eberhardt,  Park  Hotel. 
Albert  F.  Bastean,  1617  N.  Sixth. 
Herman  E.  Taylor,  202  S.  Twelfth. 
Archie  F.  Benner,  712^  Maine. 
Chester  D.  Rosson,  Quiney,  Illinois. 
Perry  A.  Reeder,  1873  Hampshire. 
Rankin  W.  Bowles,  504  N.  Seventh. 
John  L.  E.  Perry,  2914  Broadway. 
John  Frank  Bell,  1422  Lind. 
Herman  A.  Wortman,  21191/2  Hampshire. 
Warren  C.  Cavins,  402  W.  Locust. 
Joseph  N.  Cole,  Franklin  House. 
John  E.  Padavie,  619  Broadway. 
Clarence  H.  Timme.  R.  R.  No.  2. 
Fred  K.  W.  Sultman,  917  Monroe. 
Alfred  H.  Bornmann,  927  S.  Sixth. 
Earl  H.  Foster,  612  N.  Twentieth. 
Philbert  A.  Schlueter,  1117  Wa-shington. 
Cyril  F.  Bohne,  1022  N.  Eighth. 
Donald  E.  McCarl,  729  N.  Twelfth. 
Rowland  R.  Boswell,  1625  York. 
Daniel  H.  Johnston,  1903  Jefferson. 
William  B.  Dayton,  2222  Maine. 
Albert  B.  Bocke,  909  N.  Eleventh. 
Harvey  J.  Hild,  711  Van  Buren. 
Karl  H.  Harmann,  1329  Elm. 
Robert  E.  Dick,  635  Broadway. 
John  R.  Smith,  424  N.  Eighth. 
Edgar  W.  Baum,  725  Quiney  Street. 
John  J.  Frese,  Jr.,  2006  Chestnut. 
Edward  W.  Kelley,  1705  State. 
John  0.  E.  Holm,  1029  Jackson. 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY  729 

Boyd  L.  Cole,  1629  N.  Fifth. 

Augnist  L.  Kroner,  2021  Spriiip. 

Carl  E.  Tucker,  816  N.  Eighth. 

Carl  J.  Meyer,  1323  Payson  Avenue. 

Cyril  H.  Moller,  1128  Jersey. 

Edgrar  C.  Franeis.  309  Fourteenth. 

Eli  P.  Averitt.  1236  N.  Fourth. 

Charles  J.  Hoffmans.  308  Kentucky. 

Elmer  A.  Myer.s,  822  Pay.son  Avenue. 

Robert  Fielding,  1112  N.  Eleventh. 

Clement  C.  Spencer,  1637  York. 

Wallace  D.  Pope,  4314  Locust. 

Henry  C.  Hoffman,  1525  N.  Eighth. 

Donald  A.  Wheeler,  1103  Maine. 

Alonzo  L.  Campbell,  930  State. 

William  H.  Anderson,  10291/^  Broadway. 

John  Holmgren,  824  N.  Third. 

Everett  R.  Shank,  1639  Vermont. 

Leo  L.  Kansteiner,  1201  N.  Twenty-fourth. 

George  G.  Shumard,  313Vo  N.  Third. 

Arthur  A.  Sexauer,  322  S.  Tenth. 

William  W.  Ka.spervik,  1620  Spruce. 

Albert  J.  Stegeman,  638  Oak. 

Carl  W.  Xeimeyer,  915  Payson  Avenue. 

Walter  B.  L.  Hagemann,  1107  Ohio. 

Carl  L.  Abbott,  1604  Jefferson. 

Joseph  F.  Dilks,  424  N.  Third. 

George  H.  Sehlueter,  931  State. 

Paul  V.  McMullen,  706  State. 

Everett  :\IcMullen,  706  State. 

Herman  A.  Vahle,  933  Adams. 

Charles  M.  Eaton,  202  S.  Twenty-fourth. 

Dane  Bibbs,    Quincy,    Illinois. 

Carl  F.  Spettnagel,'l23  S.  Sixtli. 

George  L.  Sanderson,  1822  Vine. 

Ralph  J.  Marsh,  933  Pay.son. 

Ralph  A.  Shaberg,  1468  Vermont. 

Roy  A.  Garner,  717  Cedar. 

Lewis  W.  VanAusdall,  229  N.  Eighth. 

George  L.  Menn,  521  Washington. 

Orville  F.  Campbell.  306  Cherry. 

ilitchell  S.  Bernard,  436  N.  Fourth. 

E.  L.  Wheeler,  627 1/^  ilaine. 

Fred  B.  Werneth,  16.'50  Vermont. 

Albert  J.  Whitaker,  821 1/2  State. 

Donald  Lape,  1131  N.  Ninth. 

Paul  G.  Tiebcl.  1016  Hampshire. 

Edward  F.  Donahue,  Quincy,  Illinois. 


730  QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COUNTY 

John  W.  Corrott,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

John  A.  Meeum,  2810  Lind. 

Everett  R.  Ball,  682  N.  Sixth. 

John  C.  Chandler,  406  Jersej^ 

Carl  A.  Rummenie,  311  S.  Eleventh. 

Lloyd  R.  Bentley,  112-3  N.  Sixth. 

Carl  C.  Arp,  11321/2  Madison. 

William  E.  Arp,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

Harvey  Clingingsmith,  1438  Washington. 

Benjamin  H.  O'Farrell,  1320  Spring. 

Wilbert  H.  Beekman,  528  Jackson. 

William  H.  Wensing,  723  Oak. 

Clarence  G.  Winkler,  314  S.  Fifth. 

Arnold  B.  Huber,  304  Spring. 

Paul  E.  Weisenburger,  829  Monroe. 

Joseph  K.  Best,  1422  Maine. 

Harry  E.  Lamb,  Star  Route. 

George  F.  Schevemdrman,  1017i/o  Broadway. 

Roy  H.  Vahle,  132  Maine. 

Eugene  M.  Denny,  613  Monroe. 

Joseph  H.  Glahn,  615  N.  Fifth. 

Ollie  M.  Slee,  417  N.  Seventh. 

Lawrence  Meyer,  633  Ohio. 

La\\Tenee  Schmitt,  500  Monroe. 

Emmett  J.  Kientzle,  909  Martin. 

Carl  W.  Ruff,  1140  Monroe. 

Harold  L.  Ward,  2069  Spring. 

Walter  M.  Gooch,  2035  Broadway. 

Paul  D.  Butler,  1707yo  Broadway. 

Russell  Powell,  931  N.  Tenth. 

Oscar  W.  Dicstelhorst,  1229  Monroe. 

John  H.  Pott,  Jr.,  924  S.  Sixth. 

Albert  F.  Mensde,  1011  Kentuck;^^ 

Albert  E.  Akers,  1037  Broadway. 

Herbert  G.  Wilde,  528  S.  Seventh. 

Lewis  E.  Williams,  507  Madison. 

Clarence  W.  Giegerich,  1329  Spring. 

The  following  is  a  partial  lis't  of  county  men  who  enlisted  in  the 
navy : 

William  L.  Andrew,  Loraine. 
Elmer  T.  Anderson,  Clayton. 
Henry  T.  Alford,  Clayton. 
John  B.  Bedale,  Mendon. 
Joseph  H.  Bedale,  Mendon. 
William  H.  Boger,  Camp  Point. 
Charles  H.  Brierton,  Clayton. 
Harold  S.  Brewster,  Clayton. 


i 


QUINCY  AND  ADAMS  COCNTV  731 

Alvin  T.  Bates,  Camp  Point. 

Warren   Clark.   I.orainc. 

James  0.  Crank,  ileiulon. 

Harry  C.  Curry,  Clayton. 

Floyd  E.  Coleman.  Cam])  Point. 

Sidney  Dcterdinp,  Camp  Point. 

William  J.  Fischer,  Thirtieth  and  Locust. 

Otis  I.  Gruber.  Clayton. 

Charles  R.  Geisel,  Adams. 

John  D.  Griswold,  Camp  Point. 

Orin  N.  ITenninp,  Mendoii.  R.  R.  1. 

Floyd  II.  riunsaker,  Clayton. 

George  0.  Jones.  Ijoraine. 

James  A.  MeKinley,  R.  R.  7. 

Clyde  J.  Lee.  Loraine. 

Aldo  H.  Loos,  Mendon. 

Lake  A.  Lonp,  Loraine. 

Ogle  E.  Love,  Clayton. 

Emmet  E.  Leach,  Mendon. 

Jlelvin  T.  Meyer,  Palonia.  R.  R.  1. 

William  D.  Mitchell,  Loraine. 

Harold  N.  Myers,  Mendon. 

George  IL  ilcDowcll,  Clayton. 

Wilbur  C.  Pearce,  Bowen. 

Martin  J.  Poling,  Camp  Point. 

Summer  Pallardy.  Clayton. 

John  P.  Reagan,  Thirty-seventh  and  Broadway. 

Robert  H.  Rowbotham,  Mendon. 

Chester  D.  Rosson,  Clayton. 

Claud  D.  Strieklen,  Loraine. 

Glen  W.  Strieklen,  Loraine. 

Robert  H.  Stowe.  Camp  Point. 

Floyd  0.  Seibel,  Clayton. 

Otto  R.  Smith,  Clayton. 

Walter  W.  Taylor,  Columbus. 

Henry  A.  Tilton,  Columbus. 

John  0.  Wliite,  Paloma. 

Clyde  Wjllard,  Bowen. 

Latest  Figures  ox  County's  Coxtkibutio.v  of  JIex 

The  Whig  thus  summarizes: 

Selected  Service  Men,  city 1,04'} 

Selected  Service  Men,  county 6.')l 

\aval    Reserves    'i6 

Company  P 14S 

Machine  Gun  Company 74 

Xavv  enlistments,  citv 193 


732  QUINCY  AND  ADAJIS  COUNTY 

Navy  enlistments,  county,  recorded^ 46 

Army  Recruits,  city,  recorded 185 

Army  Recruits,  county,  recorded 108 

Headquarters  Company   60 

Total,   recorded    2,559 

Recruits  of  whom  no  record  is  held  here,  esti- 
mated at    300 

Total  Adams  County  and  Quincy  boys  in 
service    2,859 

' '  An  accurate  estimate  of  the  number  of  Quincy  and  Adams  Coun- 
ty young  men,"  continues  the  Whig,  "who  have  entered  service  is  not 
possible.  Those  who  left  in  the  selected  service  have  their  names  filed 
with  the  draft  boards  and  a  list  of  those  men  from  Quincy  who  left 
for  the  navy  was  given  the  Whig  but  no  list  of  army  enlistments  from 
the  city  or  county  could  be  obtained  which  was  complete.  The  figures 
for  the  regular  army  given  here  were  taken  from  the  records  of  Clyde 
Shears,  secretary  of  the  Army  and  Navy  Record  Committee. ' ' 


